La guerra de los vendedores

I grew up with characters like Dreyfus and DeVito, hustlers out there selling anything. Somewhere between 1963 and the time the film came out, they disappeared from our streets, only to move into six story office buildings that dot the suburbs of Northeastern cities. Now they spend their time on the phone, trying to interest prospects that new windows will surely cut their fuel bills.

I came to realize this great truth one day in 1988 when I went to rent a car and was told to come to Executive Plaza 5, Suite 414. As I walked the halls, all I could see in open offices were the Tin Men of 1963 at it again.

The movie crackles and sets off sparks. You don't know who to root for, and for good reason. This is not a buddy movie, but I suspect a remembrance by Levinson of people he knew growing up.

Rival aluminum-siding salesman declare war in another of director Levinson's returns to his hometown Baltimore, with Dreyfuss and DeVito playing the two feuding parties who constantly try to one up one another in a series of silly and childish gags. That's where the film falters, but it is in the charming performance of Hershey where the film is successful. Considering she's the only character with morals in the entire piece, she's the one you care for and root for. (An especially wonderful scene with DeVito on the porch when the IRS has taken his house.) Dreyfuss and DeVito, with exception to the silly gags the writers engaged their characters in, are in fine form, as always. Stand out performances from Mahoney as a real "tin man," and comedien Jackie Gayle, who has a fixation with knocking "Bonanza," are excellent.

You can tell when you are watching a movie made by Barry Levinson. Diner, Tin Men and Rain Man all have a similar touch, even though they are different movies, they are made by the same artist. In Tin Men, the audience is treated to a comedy, and is rewarded with a hidden drama. Much like Diner and Rainman, the movie has its comical moments. Still, this is a story about people and a drama that they live. The comedy is the teaspoon of sugar that helps the drama go down. DeVito and Dreyfuss are nothing short of great. The supporting cast in Tin Men is just as good. You forget that you are watching a movie at times. The movie is at times up lifting as well as thoughtful with a strong ending that makes the rest of the movie great. A hidden gem / comedy. This is one of those movies that you can not go wrong with.

Tin Men is a funny film that really focuses on the theme of man vs. man. When I mean funny, I don't mean it in the term of the general laugh-out-loud sense, but more in the reins of a "smart" funny. What I'm trying to say is don't expect much slapstick from this film despite being labeled as a comedy. That being said, this film is your typical 80's drama/comedy and is reasonably entertaining. It has good acting, good writing, and a good script. However, the movie felt just a tad long despite it being under two hours.

This film, which is directed by Barry Levinson, is about two tin men who are both aluminum-panel sellers. After a fender-bender, these two men becomes ultimate rivals and do anything to create havoc with each other.

This film is well-acted thanks to the strong leads by Danny DeVito and Richard Dreyfuss. They have good chemistry between each other and each shows off their comedic chops. Personally, I felt the film is at it's best when we see problem after problem occurring to DeVito's character, whose life goes sharply downhill over the course of the film.

Overall, Tin Men is a solid film that talks about what happens when fate pit two rivals against each other. The back and forth between these two men are enlightening and often entertaining to watch. Not the best film on Levinson's resume, but it's still a solid, smart film. I rate this film 8/10.

Tin Men is one of my favorite movies of all time. The thing that always strikes me whenever I watch this movie is that while the characters of Richard Dreyfuss and Danny DeVito are seemingly feuding non-stop throughout the movie, in reality they are actually kindred spirits. It's like they see themselves in the other but don't really like what they see. Barbara Hershey is great as the haggard housewife who looks for something more fulfilling in her life. All the supporting cast is excellent. I love the diner dialog which is reminiscent of Barry Levinson's previous film "Diner." The background scenes of Baltimore landscape add to the realistic atmosphere of the movie. Overall, I think this movie is vastly underrated. I'd love to see a sequel with Dreyfuss and DeVito as partners in a VW dealership.