American Buffalo

"American Buffalo" is an excellent example of how a director with a breadth of vision can take an established, award-winning play and expand it to mesmerize big-screen and VHS audiences. All the action takes place in an inner-city junkshop, where Donnie (Dennis Franz) and Teach (Dustin Hoffman) plot to steal a valuable coin collection. From the movie's opening lines to the closing scene where one of the characters is being wheeled to the hospital, "American Buffalo" makes plain that, in America, people's business interests often turn them on one another, and sometimes turn them violent. The real star of the show is Dustin Hoffman's flawless and addicting interpretation of the character "Teach," once again showing Hoffman's dedication not just to the craft of interesting filmmaking - but to presenting the minute details an actor can reflect when given such a well-written character.

A film starring Dustin Hoffman, plus the chief super from the Hill Street Blues, from an adapted script by screen writing legend David Mamet, at a pocket-money price? Why hadn't I heard of it, what was wrong with it.

Nothing - except it's more a filmed play than a film, with almost all the talky dialogue taking place in a dusty old New York junk shop. Dustin Hoffman is superb, mixing a florid torrent of irrelevant comment, swearing and unease that is not a far cry from his brilliant turns in Rain Main and Midnight Cowboy. Dennis Franz, meanwhile is the shop's proprietor and is an almost opposite, a masterclass in understated body language as the rants from Teach (Hoffman) have become like water off a duck's back.

A third character, black youth Sean Nelson is the dog's body of the outfit and has his own agendas to deal with. The U.S coin of the title is one that might be worth a lot of money, or is it? Having sold it for more than they thought it worth, do they steal it back, just in case it's worth thousands?

Mamet's dialogue crackles with a crisp reality - Teach swears like a trooper, with F and C swear words jumbled up along with everything else. He's harmless, you conclude, if not obviously emotionally damaged. Donny, (Franz) says as much and as little as most shopkeepers say; only when it's needed to get a deal done; to clarify a point.

It undoubtedly would have had more impact and urgency within the confines of a set in an actual theatre, but on DVD it's OK. The shop, at least looks like a proper shop with a plethora of junk, the clutter adding to the feeling of messed up lives, somehow.

Sadly, this won't appeal to everyone. There's no real action to speak of, no pretty women to break up the squalid male-ness and like Teach's dialogue, the story goes round in circles. However, this tale of emerging bitterness and feelings of underachievement is palpable and engaging, if you let it. Personally, I'm glad I chanced upon it.

In a way this is almost like a pornmovie, but instead of sex you have talk. The movie is a 90 minute long filmed conversation. But to me the movie is more entertaining than many actionmovies. It's definitely not for all viewers hence the bad overall ratings, but I can still recommend it. The acting is over the top. Hoffman and Franz is a very funny combination. Seldom have I seen someone make so much out of so little. As oppose to other movies the climax isn't in the ending, every scene is equally important. Not as good as Glengarry glen ross though. GGR was both a character study and a good movie. This is "just" an excellent character study, but with these actors it's enough to make it worth watching.

Your average movie goer will not enjoy this film. With a small cast of three main characters, the majority of the film takes place in a single room. This alone may explain why the film never took off as the blockbuster it should have been with actors such as Dennis Franz and Dustin Hoffman. The direction of the film could have been much better that it turned out to be. Like other critics have said, the film was shot like it was being acted on stage. This is very true. The film has no unique directing style nor does it have any strong motif to add to the films creative look and style. The acting in the film, on the other hand, is wonderful. Franz and Hoffman are excellent together. With a stronger movie maker in the director's chair, the movie could have been much much better.

American Buffalo is an example of David Mamet's ear for dialogue and his way with the gritty underbelly of society. Perhaps no other movie has so deftly demonstrated Mamet's unique sense of rhythm in spoken language. The movie is engrossing and entertaining, all the while using only one location and three characters. Dustin Hoffman is revoltingly slimy as Teach, and Dennis Franz perfects the conflicted role of Don that he originated on stage many years ago. A must see for any fan of Mamet or student of the human condition.