Customer Reviews

Mad Dog and Glory

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The opening scene of director John McNaughton's 1993 low-key-comedy Mad Dog and Glory is quite deceiving. We witness some kind of a drug deal happening in a car, followed by one of the guys getting a bullet in the head spraying his brains all over the passenger side window.

I immediately double-checked the DVD box to make sure this was listed as a comedy. But I stuck with the movie and that opening scene really doesn't have much to do with the overall plot and instead serves as an introduction to the main character, a police photographer named Wayne "Mad Dog" Dobie (played in brilliantly understated fashion by Robert DeNiro).

The movie is quite funny at times, and is very low key and relaxed in its pacing. The film doesn't boast what I would call a ton of laugh-out loud moments, but it has a gentle and relaxed sense of humor that is natural and quite refreshing in this day and age of in-your-face gross out comedies.

The film involves Wayne (or Mad Dog as he's called by his friends/co-workers), who is a police photographer who really would like to be a true artist someday instead of a policeman. While in a seedy convenience store one night, he ends up saving mob boss Frank Milo's (Bill Murray) life when a thug holds up the store and almost shoots Frank.

Frank says that he will show his appreciation for what Mad Dog did for him, and ends up inviting him to Frank's club that he runs as sort of a cover for his mob organization. While in the club, Mad Dog meets the beautiful waitress Glory (a radiant Uma Thurman), who accidentally spills scalding hot coffee on Mad Dog's hand. Disgusted by her clumsiness, Frank scolds her in front of Mad Dog and says that he'll make it up to him in the near future. His way of doing that is by sending Glory to stay with Mad Dog for a week as sort of a present (since Mad Dog is a pretty lonely guy). Glory is a naive woman who has ended up being in some sort of debt to Frank, as he sort of "owns" her. She immediately makes it known to Mad Dog that she's not a prostitute, but instead wants to just be good company for him. Mad Dog ends up falling madly in love with her, as she does with him, and when the week is up he refuses to let Glory go back to Frank. Things get interesting when Frank comes looking to get her back in a most laid back and hilarious fashion. (Bill Murray is brilliant.)

What I found most interesting about this movie is that it's a unique mixture of styles. While there are some elements of a love story, the romantic aspect isn't played up nearly as much as it could have been. The movie also has some surprising outbursts of violence that strike a perfect balance between being intense and extremely funny. One interesting thing, is that other than Frank's club, we don't see him in action that much, but instead we hear about stuff that he's doing and/or done in the past. The story about why Glory is in debt to him is actually quite chilling. The movie has a quirky feel to it that was refreshing and genuinely entertaining. I was constantly not sure about what was going to happen next. There is one fairly strong sex scene between Uma and DeNiro, but it fits in with the story and actually has a point in the overall proceedings.

I particularly liked the scenes in which Mad Dog is trying to keep secret from his co-workers the fact that he's accidentally befriended a mob boss and was given Glory as a "present" from Frank.

The whole cast does superb work. Robert DeNiro and Bill Murray play their characters in hilarious understated fashion. Uma Thurman manages to come across as naive, sexy and extremely sweet and really gives the character of Glory a lot of depth and substance. People who seem to always unjustly write Uma off as not being able to act would do well to check out her nuanced performance in this film. One of the funniest characters in the movie though is David Caruso (ex. NYPD Blue) as Mad Dog's best friend and overzealous co-worker. His fist fight with one of Frank's goons in Mad Dog's apartment near the end of the movie is one of the comic highlights of the film.

The film has a very laid back feel to it. Nothing is rushed and scenes are given as much time as they need to expand. There were a few instances near the beginning where I thought that the film felt just a tiny bit lethargic, but it wasn't nothing that greatly diminished my enjoyment of the movie.

Director John McNaughton brings a light, but gritty touch to the proceedings and manages to make a couple of shifts in tone smooth and not jarring. Compare this movie to some of his other films like underrated Wild Things and the infamous Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and it's really quite striking how he managed to bring a proper light touch to the script. He really shows how deep his directorial talents can go.

This is one of those little, unheard-of films that entered and exited theaters without hardly a sound back in 1993. It's truly an underrated gem that is worth checking out especially to see the wonderful ensemble acting by the entire cast. If it's a really quick, snappy in-your-face comedy that you're wanting to see, Mad Dog and Glory will disappoint. But if you're wanting to check out a realistic, refreshingly low-key and original comedy that will keep a steady smile on your face throughout (after you get through the violent beginning), than I highly recommend this film.

Mad Dog and Glory is rated R and contains sexual content, nudity, violence and strong language.

Police are not known for their artistic sensibilities or intellectual acumen while on the job. Mad Dog (also known as Wayne) breaks the mold by having these qualities and being very shy. By the way, he has never used his gun in his fifteen years on the police force.

Loan sharks are not known for their generosity or quick wit on the stage. Frank, a sleeze-bag loan shark also breaks the mold. What possibly could these tow men have in common? Glory and the need of being something that they aren't.

You see, Mad Dog save Frank from a robbery. Out of the goodness of his hear, Frank gives Dog his bartender, Glory, for a week to make his new found friend happy. Let the laughs begin. Robert DeNiro plays a fine role as the unassuming Wayne, caught in the rut of police work and security while his artistic soul flounders. Bill Murray is his usual self with an undertone of laughable seriousness as a loan shark whom no one knows.

Before the week is over sparks begin to fly and Dog must stand up to his mirror image and see if he will fight for the woman he loves. Join in the hilarity of these two opposite characters who will have you rolling.

Police are not known for their artistic sensibilities or intellectual acumen while on the job. Mad Dog (also known as Wayne) breaks the mold by having these qualities and being very shy. By the way, he has never used his gun in his fifteen years on the police force.

Loan sharks are not known for their generosity or quick wit on the stage. Frank, a sleeze-bag loan shark also breaks the mold. What possibly could these two men have in common? Glory and the need of being something that they aren't.

You see, Mad Dog saves Frank from a robbery. Out of the generosity of his heart, Frank gives Dog his bartender, Glory, for a week to make his new found friend happy. Let the comedy begin. DeNiro plays a fine role as the unassuming Wayne, caught in the rut of police work and security while his artistic spirit flounders. Bill Murray is his usual funny self with an undertone of laughable seriousness as a loan shark whom no one knows.

Before the week is over Dog falls in love with Glory, Frank has a fit and the sparks are about to fly. Dog, for the first time must stand up to his mirror image and see if indeed he will fight for the woman he loves. Join in the hilarity of these two opposite characters who will have you rolling.

Odd, interesting, and sometimes funny -- probably more of a four, but the one below is so ignorant it needs to be balanced.

1st off let me say I have alot of trouble with the reviewer whom
said that "Cape Fear" "really hurt DeNiro's career."

To me nothing could be further from the truth! I also disagreed
vehemently with the 'professional critics' whom said things about
DeNiro's performance in "Cape Fear" like the one whom said DeNiro's performance was "overboard" & that, "He was chewing the
prop scenery, up, with his over the top performance."

This is ridiculous, and DeNiro's performance as the unstopable
Max Cady, to me is one of his finest performances! But to the review:

I always thought "Mad Dog and Glory" was a great film & a great vechicle for the great DeNiro...& a superb performance!

What a novel idea to switch roles from DeNiro's 'always'(seemingly)playing the hated bad guy, & allowing him to play a somewhat cowardly policeman, & to have the
similarly always used for comedy, Bill Murray play the underworld figure!

DeNiro's work as that other than a 'tough guy' or 'mobster' was always dismissed by 'critics' & film goer's until his roles in films "Meet The Parents" or "Analyze This". I knew DeNiro could play ANY role in a great way ever since I saw the early film "Bang the Drum Slowly"(where DeNiro plays a sickly southern
boy baseball catcher)or an even earlier film that 'apparently" NO
ONE else saw, "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight", a low budget film based on the Jimmy Breslin novel, that DeNiro actually saves!!

The plot of "Mad Dog & Glory" is a solid one, and gets2 fine
actors(DeNiro & Murray)to play roles the viewer's are unacustomed
to seeing them in! I thought DeNiro's Mad Dog was brilliant, as was Murray's 'gangster! Also, Ms. Thruman's role is very good as is that of David Caruso(who's career has really been mostly in the tank after he left "NYPD Blue", a curse that seems to follow
everyone that leaves!(Just look at Kim Delaney-Nick Tuturro-Jimmy Smits, to name a few!) Caruso's part of the tough as nails
partner to Mad Dog is 1 of his best!

This is another of my many favorite films by Mr. DeNiro, and there are ALOT of them out there. Unfortunately DeNiro, much like his friend & cohort director Martin Scorsese,often have had their great performances & directorial jobs, slighted by the
snobbish "Academy Award" people! That's not that big a deal because this is usually offset by both winning awards from either the Cann Film Festival, or NY & L.A. film critics awards
along with others!

If you love a good story, & fine acting check out "Mad Dog & Glory" it's a film worthy of praise. I'd give you my list of other great film performances by DeNiro, & films by Scorsese, but we be here all day! Steven

Written by the same guy who wrote "Sea of Love", with Al Pacino, this somewhat remeinded me of that movie, even before I knew the connection. Stranger, but good. Bill Murray is a marvel; you can't take your eyes off him, and that is saying something in a movie that also has Robert DeNiro, who plays a real mouse. Murray is indeed the "Expediter of his dreams".

I found MAD DOG & GLORY completely by accident. I didn't even know it existed and, judging from the little written about it on this page, not many people do. However, a bored look into DeNiro's filmography got me interested in watching this.

I wasn't disappointed. DeNiro plays a quiet cop (ironically nicknamed Mad Dog) who saves a small-time gangster (played with zest by Bill Murray) during a holdup. As thanks, Murray "lends" one of his bar girls to DeNiro for a week. However, DeNiro's character falls in love with the girl (Glory, played by Uma Therman) and refuses to let he go back to Murray.

That's the premise. It seems like a basic love story, but the complexity of MAD DOG & GLORY lies in its characters and dialogue. Scenes that would otherwise drag with tedium are injected with a strong script and characters that are well crafted.

Hey everybody, i just want to say how much i enjoyed this film the performances were outstanding!, especially De Niro's, I could watch any of his movies. If u aint seen this movie get out and rent it! its fantastic..and if Robert De Niro ever reads my reveiw *YOU R THE MAN!* :) I think this was one of his best movies throughout ninetys along with my personal favorites, Goodfellas, Casino & Jackie Brown.
...Big Robert De Niro Fan...

Cape Fear really damaged Robert De Niro's career in 1991, but he makes up for it in this facinating comedy. He is great as Maddog. Though Bill Murray goes through most of the film with a Band-Aid on his head, his goofy face will still make laugh out loud. Uma is also facinating as the girl De Niro and Murray are both in love with. I don't care what anybody tells you. Just see it and I guarantee that you will be out at the video store right after you finish it, asking them to order it for you.

If this movie did not have Robert DeNiro and Bill Murray in it, you probably wouldn't finish watching it. It's hard to understand how someone would have read the script or seen the rough cut and said "people are going to come see this." The plot is standard-issue "man falls in love with hooker with heart of gold and has to save her from the mafia" stuff. DeNiro's character is not really likeable and Murray's is overplayed a little, though still fun to watch. If you don't love either of these two actors, skip it.