Customer Reviews

In the Soup [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

With a stellar cast including indie film fave (sorry for the chintzy language!) Steve Buscemi, Seymour Cassell, Stanley Tucci, Will Patton, Carol Kane, and filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, Alexandre Rockwell's In the Soup takes the tried and true tale of a guy wanting to make a film and manages to make this story decidedly fresh and original.

Seymour Cassell's Joe is a consummate con man who knows exactly how to squeeze, steal, and/or cajole money out of a whole plethora of situations. Joe the slickster with a sexy Asian girlfriend is a perfect match for Steve Buscemi's close-to-broke Adolfo the intellectual bumbler (who dreams of his neighbor Jennifer Beals' Latina Angela), whose 450 page film script--Unconditional Surrender--sends Joe into a rapture of delight at the prospect of financing a real film. Of course the way Joe raises the dough to make the film is not exactly, shall we say, kosher.

The juxtaposition of naivete, dream, imagination, and petty crime, along with Will Patton's menacing hemophiliac brother and Stanley Tucci's French ex-husband should be seen to be believed. This is one film that truly deserves to be on DVD. As of this writing (August 2003), it ain't. A shame.

A great picker-uppper, a lot of fun, and an all around hoot. Put In the Soup on your shelf. You won't be sorry.

The title to this review is one of my favorite movie lines ever, EVER. This movie came out right before Steve Buscemi had a part in literally every movie that came out for 2 straight years. As cool as he is, I must admit I got a little over-Buscemi'd there for a while. This is one of my favorite roles he's done but the main reason I have always remebered this film is Seymour Cassel. His role as the fatherly, mysterious and awesomely spontaneous gansgter is pure freakin' genious. I've yet to see him in a role I didn't like but this has got to be one of his best. Another classic Seymour Cassel line: "20 minutes, what are they gonna do, read it in brail?" You'll just have to see it but trust me, if you even remotely enjoy films by Hal Hartley, Jim Jarmusch and the like, you will love this film.

I accidentally ran into this movie on Bravo. It greatly potrays the innocence and struggle of a young artist, Adolfo Rollo, who wanted to create something unique-in the realms of Goddard etc. In contrast we find Joe, an old man of experience with a no-nonsense attitude towards life. Joe jumps into Adolfo's movie project- pretending to be interested in producing it- to exploit the young man's desires and half baked plans to his own benefit.

This is one of those rare jewels one finds by accident: the original and evocative music sound track by Madden, the original development of the drama, and the obsessions and misinterpretations of innocence add up to movie which is full of spirit and heart.

In The Soup is a fine modern indie-styled film. The story features Steve Buscemi (Aldolpho) as the bedraggled screen-writer, or screen-writer hopeful, who is infatuated with his neighbor, but at the same time willing to do almost anything to get his script published or rent paid. In fact, I believe it is whatever comes first.

This is Aldolpho's way till interest peaks in his script from an apparently rich man named Joe. But money sometimes charades with smiles, and Aldolpho is tossed into a more-then Hollywood plot of his own.

I personally find this really quite funny. At times you kind of question what's happening, and really why, but as long as you run with it you should end up really enjoying the film. The characters are interesting, and quite match the relativeness of the sleazy apartment complex, but that adds all to the interest.

My favorite portrayal was that of Seymour Cassel's character as the more then eccentric 'fool' that is Joe. Why at times the craziness of his actions makes you just so curious, while other times he makes the audience purely laugh out loud.

All though you may find the black and white disturbing, this was yet another nice impression to enhance the style of the film; and, as long as you can look past it and the oddity of it all, then please do relish the film.

The movie takes more than one viewing to really enjoy. Rather good commentary and extra features; 3 commentaries and interviews. I love the group commentary it's insighful and funny.

"In the Soup" is a nice little gem of a movie. If you liked Steve Buscemi in "Ghost World" you should like him here because he is basically playing the same perpetually dour and befuddled character. And if you liked "Ghost World" in general you should like "In the Soup" because they have a similar theme and storyline. They both focus on a character being taught how to live by the example of another character. "In the Soup" does not have "Ghost Story's" ironic twist (where the teacher is the one who actually learns how to live). It is more straightforward and not as clever but is still light years more intelligent than most mainstream films.

Buscemi's character needs a producer for his 500-page screenplay with quirky features like beginning with a 20 minute black leader (just a blank screen) to introduce his lead character's blindness. He intends to cast his neighbor (and unrequited love interest) Jennifer Beals who barely acknowledges his existence although he sleeps with her shoe under his pillow. Buscemi gets "in the soup" when he hooks up with a gangster who wants to produce the film. Seymour Cassell plays the gangster with an infectious gusto that deservedly won Sundance Festival's Best Actor Award. All three performances are excellent, as is a brief appearance by Carol Kane as the co-producer of an access TV show featuring nude interviews (The Naked Truth).

If all this sounds to you like it could be fun you are this film's target audience.

Shooting in black-and-white on a tight budget Director Alexandre Rockwell has put together a funny feature with a lot of charm. The production values are first-class. More importantly he has told a worthwhile story and communicated useful lessons to apply to the process of living.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

This is one of the most hilarious, craziest stories I've ever seen. I can't see why people just never heard of it. I am Jim Jarmush fan, but still, I saw this movie without knowing he was the director. It's permanent fun, great casting, great story, excellent direction. You can't miss it!

I saw this movie when it came out in theatres when I was ten years old. Even at that age I really enjoyed it but not as much as I appreciate it now. I actually got to meet Seymore Cassel the second time I saw it. He was really great to take his time and talk to the crowd at the theatre. This was a really smart film. A movie about making a movie. I really hope this comes out on DVD. Some other great Seymore Cassel movies are Rushmore and the new release in theatres The Royal Tenenbaums.

I'll keep this short and sweet. The film is funny, the camerawork is fantastic, the actors brim with chemistry and the film works overall. The DVD is great too, 3 commentaries and some interviews which are very informative. Highly recommended.

quirky, yes. but that doesn't quite say it. this is a step beyond quirky. pure unpredcitable fun. i will love this movie all of my life. i hope to be reunited with it in the great beyond. my kinda stuff.