Product Details

• Actors: David Arquette, Stanley Tucci, Kate Capshaw, Mary McCormack, Ryan Reynolds
• Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• DVD Release Date: February 2, 1999
• Run Time: 92 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0767830806
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #70,479 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Alarmist" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

David Arquette stars as a smiling doofus who has an unexpected knack for selling home security systems to ordinary folks. His shady boss (Stanley Tucci) develops a fatherly affection for him, which gets in the way after Arquette's character discovers that the older man stages phony break-ins to raise his customer base in the area. Also competing for Arquette's soul are an attractive, middle-aged single mom (Kate Capshaw) with whom he has a fling, and the attentions of an appealing (if crooked) coworker (Mary McCormack). Something's got to give in this unwieldy equation, and when it does, bad things happen to some while the hero's vengeance is visited on others. This film by Evan Dunsky is lumpy in inspiration, and some of the actors (particularly Tucci) have a hard time finding and sticking with a common tone. But there are pockets of choice material here, particularly Arquette and Capshaw's awkward (and comic) visit to his parents and a long, funny-scary climax in which the bond between Tucci and Arquette is severely tested. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a pleasant surprise!, April 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Alarmist (DVD)

This movie is not what it looks like on the cover artwork. This is a very funny - yet very serious - movie. (Get ready for an emotional rollercoaster ride.) The writing is simply wonderful and while it is at times quite baudy, it is always wonderfully sweet. The performances are for the most part, stunning. Evan Dunsky is a director to watch...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ONE OF THE BEST COMEDY FILMS, October 31, 2011

By 

oshra ronen - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Alarmist (DVD)

ONE OF THE BEST COMEDY FILMS
I RECOMEND THAT FILM TO EVERYBODY
IT IS A MASTERPIECE
IT IS A MASTERPIECE

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An fun dark comedy., January 17, 2002

By 

Christian Pelchat (Canada.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Alarmist (DVD)

A honest home-security system Salesman (David Arquette) has an affair with his first client (Kate Capshaw) and learns that his Rudeful boss (Stanley Tucci) and his business associate are Staging Residential Break-ins to boost thier company sales.

Directed by Even Dunsky, which he Wrote the Screenply to This black comedy has a lot of moments of this dark humor film. Arquette gives one of his best performances. A missed at the Art-House Theaters but on video, has been giving an Cult Following. Based on a Play by Keith Reddin (All the Rage). Grade:A-.