Things Change

While I am not a huge fan of David Mamet I liked most of the movies he directed that I saw and since he directed often one of my favourite actors, I knew that I had to see THINGS CHANGE.

Gino (Don Ameche) is an old Chicago shoe-shiner that one day is approached by mob boss Don Green for taking the blame for a murder committed by another gangster. Gino agrees on the condition that he can have a fishing boat with the money he'll receive after a three year sentence. While preparing for the confession Gino is approached by Jerry (Joe Mantegna), a gangster in trouble because he failed to execute orders properly, and they spend a week of thinking in lake Tahoe. At the casino, Gino is mistaken for a powerful mafia boss by a Sicilian who happened to be there and they are mistaken for vips. After the confession fails Gino risks his death but will be saved by Jerry who then joins him in his shoe-shine store.

The plot looked a bit confusing (and it took me long for understanding it) but the acting was good by all (including Mamet's frequent co-stars) and there were some funny moments. Not exactly a masterpiece but still a decent time passer if you are stuck at home.

Mamet is not an unalloyed mastermind in my book. He hits and misses.

Here, he (and Shel Silverstein) crafted a story that explores a few clever plot concepts, such as the vaguely "Inspector General"-style false-identity gimmick. No spoiler, there: It kicks in pretty early on and dominates things for most of the flick. Most of the comedy/tension of the flick revolves about that idea.

The truly touching stuff involves the ensemble work, and it's worth taking the flick in of an evening just for that.

Other than that, the structure/storyline of the flick is about 80% good, but about 20% sprinkled with confusing side-events that don't quite seem to mesh.

Mamet and Silverstein tried to engineer a truly compelling denouement, but it doesn't feel quite whole and organic and... compelling, to me. It's merely adequate, in my book.

But if you want to see truly inspired acting, driven by adequate direction, check it out.

"Things Changes" is a light-hearted look at what happens to an old Italian shoe shiner (Ameche) who's a naive patsy for the mob when a mafia flunky (Mantegna) takes them two of them to Tahoe for a last blast. This Mamet film has a lot of pluses not the least of which is Mantegna and Ameche together in one of Ameche's last films. The story is a cute comedy with a kind of sentimental "feel" to it. The kind of movie that's hard not to like.

I loved this picture. Mantegna and Ameche are so opposite and I really can't share the view of other people that Ameche is performing a "Being There." Ameche is much smarter, he realizes from the start something is wrong. First he declines the offer but he knows perfectly well these people will shoot him (remember the scene with the smoking lady). Then, the movie starts, and he's in charge, and he keeps in charge, he accepts a luncheon with a Don in LA., he finds money to get back to Chicago, he uses his coin to call the Las Vegas mob.

Nice, entertaining, two and a half stars. I laughed quite a bit. Must be my Italian roots.

Obviously, by my rating, you know I love this film. It is a desert island disc.

I read the other reviews and have some comments. These are not criticisms of others criticisms or accolades, just my own thoughts after having seen the movie so many times.

Having never been in the mafia myself (and I suspect that none of the other people rating this movie have been either), I find this work consistent with our cinematic understanding of the mafia. First of all, if the mafia does ask you for a favor which it thinks is fair sounding and you decline, depending upon the favor asked, security may demand that you be silenced (killed). Secondly, our cinematic understanding of the mafia also says that very few people, even in the mafia, truly know who, as it is put in the movie 'the man behind the man behind the man' might be. So, when the hotel staff and low level mafia flunkies (hooray for the blond WHM!) at the other end of the country, who are expecting to meet people they don't know, accept DA as someone very important, this is realistic. And with such a classic mafia stereotype as JM's character as front man, DA as shoe shine turned mafioso really sells. After all, DA is Italian and distinguished looking... as well as very old school. As for DA's new mafia friend, it is quite clear in the movie that the luck and skill of DA's character actually traversed some very high barriers to survive and flourish in the situation.

While the premise of the circumstance of the ending may be predictable (I don't want to give it away), the actual final actions and outcome are definitely not expected.

As for comparison to Mamet's other works, stage and screen, perhaps this isn't his "best." But in terms of appeal, it reaches many more people than most of his work... and in such a pleasing way without being daft. Entertainment and emotional appeal are not vices, even for Mamet.

And just because a movie makes you smile and laugh, that doesn't make it a comedy... merely comedic. This is a dark drama, a human study, and features friendship and betrayal. Perhaps the comedic and light-hearted aspects are merely the glue that holds this piece so well together. The glue may be on the surface, but that doesn't mean it doesn't function here. Frankly, I absolutely love House of Games, but a little more comedic treatment might have even improved that masterpiece. One can like Mamet and like smiling as well.