Customer Reviews

Swingers

5 star:		(162)
4 star:		(43)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Swingers could be a hip movie, a Guys movie, great-sagacious-advice movie, a warm-amusing movie, this-is-what-friendship-is-about movie, or simply one of the most facetious for-a-lark flicks of the 90s. But whatever tag you wish to stick on it, this honest, low-budget humdinger from Liman is very very "money"!

Top 10 reasons to get your hands on this movie now:

(1) It's fast-paced, well edited (not one wasted scene) and frequently laugh-out-loud funny. If you hear people dismiss this as an inconsequential narrative about a "bunch of losers trying to get laid", I'm afraid they just have not watched the entire movie. I am not into the "Spy who shagged me" genre of humor, but this movie will truly grow on you.

(2) It'll ring a bell with almost anyone, particularly guys. Mike -- a crestfallen loverboy (Jon Favreau) is in the throes of a breakup, and his confidence has hit rock bottom. (Sidenote: Favreau is a very ordinary looking guy, which in fact imho is the power of his character.) Under the aegis of his friend Trent (Vince Vaughn, in top form, a lot better than his controlled acting in, gulp, The Psycho) Mike re-learns how to get back up on his feet and take reins of his life/emotions again. While this happens, we are treated to a bunch of every-day faux pas that we all can identify with in a blink. Interested yet?

(3) The boys' camaraderie is infectious. If you watch this movie with friends -- and this indeed is the best way to watch it! -- you'll know what I mean. This has to be one of the most honest portrayals of relationships between friends -- both the lover and the platonic variety.

(4) Call me weird but I loved the sound track, a delectable blend of underground jazz and triphop.

(5) Some of the "get back on your feet" dialogue for Mike is truly marvellous, and makes for better, more down-to-earth, more inspiring advice about life and relationships than Dr. Ruth and Oprah put together.

(6) An interesting look at the Los Angeles we never see in films, the underground life of the struggling actors and writers and less glamorous people, not living in Malibu opulence as seen in other weaker films.

(7) Some great Sega Genesis NHL ice-hockey "footage" (to use a dignified term) and an unusual preview of seeing Gretzky's head knocked.

(8) This is to men what "Sex and the City" is to women. (Ok, SATC has had a lot more time than Swingers to entice us with the workings of the Modern Woman, but you get the idea)

(9) A wide assortment of one-liners for you to conveniently plagiarize from. Not seen in a single movie since Roxanne with Steve Martin.

(10) Oh, and it's so laid back, its horizontal. No spiffy visual FX, no crash boom bang, no cheap frills. But still a high handsome homerun.

Required Viewing.

I may not be able to relate to it as well as I can to, say, The Truth About Cats and Dogs, but I have never laughed so hard at any movie in my life. And relating isn't so important if you can understand and empathize the characters. I saw a little bit of me in Trent (loud, outspoken) and a little of my friends in Mike and Sue. It helps the average girl understand the not-so-normal thinking of the not-so-average guy that we all end up falling for. And besides all that, it's realistic. Name another '90's movie that is more realistic. The story is great, the acting perfect, the direction great. Buy this or rent it. No matter what your gender.

It's shocking to see, here on Amazon, that this movie only grossed $5 million in the theaters. Swingers has gone on to become an incredibly popular movie. It made Vince Vaughn's career as an actor and defined Jon Favreau's career both as an actor and as a writer.

This is the kind of movie that every man can relate to on at least one level. Most men can probably relate to both of the main characters: each representing one side of us in our dealings with women. On the one hand, the sensitive man who isn't afraid to reveal himself - and on the other hand, the player, who doesn't have any pretentions and makes no apologies for his brash behavior. Both are real and both have their pros and cons. They are both well-represented in Swingers.

I first saw this movie when I was about 17 years old. I loved the characters and I loved the flow of the movie, but I find that when I watch it now (in my mid-20s), I appreciate it on a whole different level. For those of us who are shy and reserved, this movie almost makes you want to come out of your shell. It can almost be called "inspirational" in how it will goad you to get the hell out there are let it all hang out. Great lines are delivered throughout the script. Mike and Trent compliment each other very well and they have some great scenes together.

This is an indie-film classic. The kind of movie that you never get tired of.

"Your Money, your so Money, you don't even know your Money!"
Classic, great everyday, anyday movie. If your in a rainy day mood its "Money", break-up with your girlfriend mood, its "Money", and last but not least ... Showing allllll the "Pretty Babies" you have this movie in your collection ... "MONEY" !!!!!

One day I saw a glimpse of a scene from the movie Swingers. It was the "is she looking at me now? No. She hasn't looked at you all night..." scene. That was the only scene I saw and I thought, "That looks kinda funny. I should see it one day." When I finally saw it, "That looks kinda funny" was a definite understatement. That movie kept my friends and I in stitches all night. It wasn't for sale on video yet, so I spent a small fortune renting it about three times a month. All my friends and I could see ourselves in that movie. I was the Mikey of my group because my girlfriend had broken up with me six months before I saw this masterpiece and I was still broken up about her. If you can't get over your break up with a girl, and are looking for a replacement, but with no luck, you MUST see this movie. It spoke to me and now I use it as my guide for life. Whenever you feel depressed about beautiful babies not going for you, flip this movie on and check it out. You'll feel better, guaranteed.

I had to be talked into renting this movie, thinking it would be something along the lines of "In the Company of Men," and just wasn't interested in spending two hours watching a bunch of self-absorbed hipster wanna-be's smarm their way across by TV screen. More wrong, I could not have been. Engaging, always surprising, tender, funny, extremely funny, sad. A movie guys will love, a movie gals will love. The hip, Rat Pack-esque language will stick with you, and somehow the guys don't come off as pretentious for using it. Makes you want to learn how to drink scotch and swing dance. The relationship bewteen the guys is THE best thing I've seen. Relationships between intelligent guys are simple on the surface, but truly are complex. The characters do the usual guy stuff, but they really care about each other deeply as friends. A fascinating study. Reminded me of my boyfriend's dorm in college. The cast obviously works so hard to make it feel real, but they understand their characters so deeply, you can't tell how hard they're working until after the movie is over. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll spill your popcorn.

"Swingers" really reminded me of "Good Will Hunting" in that it was written by and stars struggling actors who decided to go out and create their own success. It is a low-budget gabfest type movie, with no real action taking place; but it is a fun, highly entertaining film nonetheless. The plot revolves around five struggling actors in L.A., who go from party to party looking for "beautiful babies" and career opportunities. They are sort of a modern "rat pack", led by the fast-talking and charismatic Trent (Vince Vaughn, who carries the movie with a star-making performance). "Swingers" features hilarious, witty writing and some enjoyable performances from its up-and-coming stars. We are so entertained by their antics that we forget that nothing really signifficant is happening. Credit is due for spawning some great catch phrases too. The DVD doesn't come with any great special features. It comes in widescreen format with a theatrical trailer. The soundtrack is worth owning for lovers of great swing-jazz music. Overall a great movie and a good investment.

I recently bought it because I found it to be one of the best films I have come across in years only to find that the DVD version of the movie was horrible. I have over 60 DVDs in my collection and I have to say this is the worst one I have EVER bought. The picture quality is just unbelievably bad... and to think that this movie was so good. What a wasted opportunity. Please pass this info on to other prospective buyers of this DVD. I think they have a right to know how bad the picture quality is before they lay down a 20 dollar bill and some change for it.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this movie really has nothing to do with the early-`90's L.A. lounge revival. Frankly, it could have been set in Disneyland, while the characters were really dressed up as Goofy, Pluto and Donald Duck. Sure the hipster dialogue would have to be adjusted some, but it really wouldn't have mattered much to the overall story.

Writer/Star Jon Favreau (Mikey) has created an entertaining and -- dare I say it? -- educational look at one man coping with a recent breakup, and how to best get back up on the dating horse. His script gets most of its recognition for the creation of memorable catchphrases (I still hear people calling each other "money" or "beautiful babies"), and that's all well and good. But it also contains tremendous insights into how we as men and women meet and get to know each other. There are some wonderful scenes here of heartache and joy.

The cast is, for the most part, amateurish. Obviously, this is a function of the film's meager budget. Everyone gives a gung-ho effort, but most fail to hit their marks dead on. Favreau himself comes off as little more than an actor playing an actor. Even his walk feels forced at times. Thankfully, it doesn't hinder his likability, or the rest of the cast's. The one standout, of course, is Vince Vaughn as "best friend" Trent. Vince has charisma to spare here, taking his role as the smooth-talking Don Juan to the outer limits. He embodies Trent completely. It's one of those parts where whenever he's not in the scene, you find yourself wondering: "I wonder when Trent's coming back!" I'm sitting here thinking of all his great scenes, and frankly, they're too numerous to mention.

Director Liman does a good job with what he's been given. I suppose he had no choice but to shoot the film as a self-conscious, "hey we're making a movie over here" kind of documentary. At times he resorts to gimmickry to catch the audience's attention (like the cognizant answering machine giving Mikey dating tips, or a blatant slo-mo Tarantino rip-off that follows a scene where the characters talk about Tarantino's tendency to employ blatant Scorsese rip-offs), but for the most part he's quite laid back, letting the camera catch the conversations quite naturally. The music, however, is in your face, and justly so. And don't go in thinking that's it's all going to be `50's swing. There's a particularly effective scene where Trent does some nifty seduction work while Heart's `Magic Man' plays in the background.

But by far the most memorable scene in the movie is Heather Graham's. Her dance number with Favreau is very visceral, and beautiful. There's a moment in there when the song ends, and she is in the middle of a dip, looking up at Mikey with those big eyes, and she's just divine. I dare you not to fall in love with her.

So if you're skeptical of the whole swingers scene, not into the Frank Sinatra mystique, and have never had a Glenlivet, a Glenfiddich, or a Glengarry, don't worry. There's still much about "Swingers" that you'll find enjoyable.

They dont even try to understand that this is a guy movie and its all about guy trials and tribulations. I wouldnt expect feminists to understand that. Click agree if you feel the same!