Customer Reviews

American Buffalo

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

To say that David Mamet has an ear for language and an eye for human interaction would be an injustice to this ingenious playwright/screen writer, for he transcends even the most astute observor. Few stage plays adapted for the screen maintain their integrity, but "American Buffalo" is the exception. The intensity of this movie is further heightened by the superior acting of both Hoffman and Franz. Many an aspiring actor/playwright could benefit from viewing this outstanding film.

The performances in this film keep it above the average fare. Dustin Hoffman, Dennis Franz, and Sean Nelson all give terrific performances in this character study of those at the bottom. Many complained that Hoffman acted in a retread of Ratso rizzo, but I say Teach is a much different character. It is a shame that, to paraphrase Entertainment Weekly, films such as Pulp Fiction and Usual Suspects have softened the impact of the language used in this film, but the words act as violence, gaining intensity. Profane but also powerful. Mamet creates a brilliant view of the world through these character's eyes. Michael Corrnete's direction attempts to make it cinematic by allowing the action to breathe from the confined stage settings, and mostly succeeds. (That is the reason why I give 4, not 5 stars) It's not everyone's cup of tea, but it is a fantastically acting and engrossing story. Bonus: Thomas Newman's score is fantastic and perfectly compliments the mood of the film.

"American Buffalo" is a rare example of the theater play adapted from stage to the big silver screen. Watching it, you might have an impression that you watch your TV. Fortunately, the quality of the disc is one of the best I have ever experienced. Unlike your average TV program, the image is crisp and the sound is superbly engineered. Not to mention that there are no ads to divert you from what happens on the stage.

And there happens very little. As expected, the plot is designed to go on in only one room, the junk-shop, and there are basically two actors, with the small guy thrown in from time to time. Hoffman and Franz engage in a prolonged, fast dialogue with their stage potential showing off much more than in any action movie they participated in during the last decade. Quite fast into the play, we get to familiar with their personalities. Not only the script helps us in that, but also their mimics, their body-language. And this play is all about personalities.

What will long-time male friends do if confronted with external money-earning possibility? Will one let another to the secret? Will they share the task? The answer seems to be mutual trust. We are no angels, however, and some of us are short-tempered, testosteron-full, irritable, restless, self-unappreciating, blabbering life-losers. Some of us are stoic, trusting yet suspicious, naive, irritable life-losers. Hoffman masterly portrays the first type, and Franz illuminates the second.

Have you noticed the use of gadgets? The junk items and furnishings of the shop play an important role, indeed. Hoffman, while talking non-stop, touches them, moves them, looks at them without looking, concentrating on the words he speaks. Sure that this feature is overdrawn here, exaggerated. But have you thought whether you touch items while talking to others? It helps us concentrate if we are insecure and restless. On the other hand, this irritates our interlocutors beyond description. Franz does not really care about his items for sale or anything else for that matter. He is irritated by Hoffman, by his personality, incompatible with his own, disconcerted by Hoffman's inability to stay calm. He fight the irritation in the name of friendship.

The same applies to the dialogue - they get mutually irritated at each other. They challenge themselves with accusations, play these little instruments in ourselves that force men to stand up and go for something that pure reason advises against.

In the end, what matters is the friendship. People who have found themseleves in a situation where trust plays an important role - may have difficulty with loyalty. The bottom line is that some things are valued more than others. Friendship.

In summary, I have been delighted to watch this play adapted for the silver screen. It's so much different than the rest of movie production. It's refreshing, spirit-uplifting and very, very well-played. Outstanding!!!

Yes, David Mamet is a fine playwright with an ear for crisp dialogue - Glengarry Glen Ross is a testament to that fact.
American Buffalo is something else.
Ninety minutes set almost completely in a junk shop with Franz and Hoffman bantering back and forth, does not make for interesting drama.
The movie goes nowhere.
I kept waiting for a payoff of some kind that never came.
Disappointing at best - worthless at worst.

Although Dennis Franz and Dustin Hoffman are, in my opinion, great actors, the plot to this movie was a real piece of garbage, and I don't think Franz and Hoffman should ever have agreed to participating in it.

This came and went with nary a peep back in '96, but it deserved more attention than it got. Adaptations of David Mamet's work are not for everyone, I realize, but at least in this case the playwright did the adapting himself. Hoffman is a treat as Teach, a small-time hood who is all talk and very little action. The entire film is essentially a three-person, one-set ensemble piece, but Hoffman, Dennis Franz, and the young Sean Nelson pull it off. Franz wisely chose to underplay his role as Donny, who listens semi-patiently to all of Teach's endless bluster, and Michael Corrente's direction is mostly successful in keeping the film from feeling too stagey.

It isn't one of Mamet's strongest plays, and even though I generally like the aggressive, choppy Mamet-style of dialogue, it is maybe a bit overdone in this one. The direction is very cramped, intentionally, I think, and with obvious purpose, but it does get a bit dreary after an hour or so. Still, Mamet fans will find plenty to love, here. Amusing, chatty, somewhat oblique comedy, with a dark dramatic intensity that very slowly bubbles up from underneath, creating a startlingly gripping climax.

The action is in the words. Those that are a fan of the writer must see this.

Some of David Mamet's plays turn out awesome on screen: "Sexual Perversity in Chicago," "Glengary, Glenross". Others, like "Oleanna" and "American Buffalo" just drag on. This probably is a great play to see live in a more intimate setting but on screen it is just painful to watch.

These are some of my favorite actors, and they have their moments. Dennis Franz goes on a couple of good rants, like when he realizes he got ripped off. But overall this is just too freaking dull. Pick another film.

Saw this on t.v. a while back. Had to have a copy. I like the fact that it's like a play and doesn't include a lot of scene changes and characters. In fact, you'll notice you hardly ever see anyone on the street when they're filming outside. There are actually "3" characters. BUT, even with so few characters it was one of those films I had to watch again to really follow the scheme that was going on. Since ordering my own copy I've watched it over and over again. It's interesting to read behind Dustin Hoffman's eyes and see the con man he is. He knows when to push buttons and when to pull back. Interesting movie. Recommend everyone giving it a watch.