Product Details

• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• VHS Release Date: January 4, 2000
• Run Time: 112 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305388091
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #445,956 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Gary Starke (Andy Garcia) is New York City's supreme scalper. Tickets for the Knicks, MOMA, the pope--you name it, he can get it. To mainstream society, however, Gary doesn't exist. He doesn't work 9 to 5, he doesn't have either a driver's license or a Social Security number, and he isn't even sure he was born in a hospital. Just the Ticket, Richard Wenk's wonderfully understated, well written and ultimately touching romantic comedy, is the story of how Gary finally finds identity. The movie's central premise has Gary trying to score big by scalping tickets for the pope's New York City appearance in order to win back his ex-girlfriend (Andie MacDowell). Both MacDowell and Garcia have been mired in career ruts, so their sexual chemistry is Just the Ticket's biggest surprise. Wenk knows and loves these characters (he based the protagonist on a scalper he met 20 years ago, and he spent five more years pitching the script to numerous studios), and that warmth provides an energy that's so often missing in many Hollywood romantic comedies. Also engaging (and at times heartbreaking) is Richard Bradford, who plays an aging runner who serves as Gary's father figure. MGM inexplicably dumped this picture in the dead of winter in 1999. The DVD--which features audio commentary by Garcia and Wenk, deleted scenes, and a four-page booklet about the making of the film--gives the film the second chance it deserves. --Dave McCoy

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another fantastic performance for Garcia!, August 25, 2000

By 

Marcel Morejon (Miami, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Just the Ticket (DVD)

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this film on cable for the first time. What surprises me is how underrated this film is. This is a story about a ticket scalper, (which I don't remember seeing to often in other movies)and his troubles trying to get his life together for his love interest. The film offers a unique insight to the world of the "ticket scalper", which although not a big crime, it is a crime. Living in the city I my self have witnessed the ticket scalper on many occasions, and trust me, the hustle and bustle life style portraid in this film is for real. Being the film buff that I am, I've seen all of Andy Garcia's films, and I feel that his performance in this film is one of his best. Just the ticket contains, Drama, Romance, Comedy and best of all Garcia's charm.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Just a cute movie..., August 5, 2001

By 

mariea stella (philadelphia, pa United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Just the Ticket (DVD)

Nothing heavy here! This is one movie I enjoyed with Andy in because he does show a comedic side to himself. He is actually quite good in this and Andie Mcdowell is just as cute as she can be. This is a chick flick, especially if you are an Andy fan. A light romantic comedy with a sprinkle a seriousness thrown in for good measure.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Andy & Andie: Two Stars Really Shine... and That's All About, March 4, 2002

By 

Tsuyoshi (Kyoto, Japan) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Just the Ticket [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Our editorial review tells me that "Just the Ticket" was dumped into theater in the winter of 1999; well, Japanese release was much worse. It never received a theatrical release, going straight to video, and worse still, we had to wait until February of 2002! Does this lukewarm reception mean two stars' recent career decline? Whatever the reason may be, "Just the Ticket" is not as bad as those cold reaction suggests.

The best part of the film is, surprise! the two leading stars. Andy Garcia is well-cast as a ticket scalper with cute "puppy's eyes" while Andie MacDowell succeeds in exuding enough sexual chemistry to convince you that they were, and are going to be, lovers. Whenever those two likable actors share the screen, the film sparks with fire ... in the bedroom, in the kitchen, and wherever they are. I don't know how many faithful fans are watching this, but they deserve a chance to play a big role (no more "Town and Country" for Andie, please) in the film again.

Negative impressions of this romantic comedy come from, I think, two following reasons: supporting players and overlong script. Except for the good performance of Richard Bradford's Benny, who is clearly playing a losing game in front of powerful newcomers, none is memorable. And the film's tone is very uneven; it sometimes takes itself too seriously to be philosophical, but at other places it resorts to incredibly silly things -- see Andy Garcia disguised as ... a nun, for instance. No wonder the studio could not be confident in its release.

As a whole decent romantic comedy, "Just the Ticket" manages to deliver what movie fans who love this genre want to see. And the dog is cute, too. We have no fresh insider look on the world of ticket scalpers, nothing new as a romantic comedy, but two leads are so good that it is hardly possible for me to nag, though maybe I should.