Spenser: Small Vices

I loved how true to the book the film stayed, thanks to Parker himself writing the script. My only problem is that none of the actors from the original series and Lifetime movies were brought in to reprise their roles. I could live with the recasting of Frank Belson, (done once before) Susan Silverman (done twice before) and Martin Quirk, (Richard Jaeckel's (qv) dead) but not bringing back Robert Urich (qv) and Avery Brooks (qv) made the film suffer. Sheik Mahmud-Bey (qv) struck me as someone I'd like to marry into my family rather than as a mysterious mercenary/crimeland enforcer. I was even hoping they'd bring back Carolyn McCormack (qv) to play Rita.

Y'know, my wife and I have EVERY Robert Parker book ever published. We've even read a few of them several times. We've seen EVERY "Spenser for Hire" TV episode at least a few times I think. So....it's awfully hard to sit through this decent outing thinking "Geez, Joe Mantegna isn't bad, but he isn't Robert Uhrich!" And Hawk: we REALLY miss Dr. Brooks! Couldn't Rutgers free him up from his teaching long enough for ONE more project?!

On the flip side, Vinnie and Gino were lots of fun, and it was cool seeing Mr. Parker himself (and possibly his very own canine, playing Pearl, the Wonder Dog?) in cameo roles.

The movie was pretty faithful to the book (after all the author also penned the screenplay). By the way, we're glad we videotaped it: A&E is AWFUL with commercial breaks (but aren't ALL broadcasters these days?!)

So 7 of 10 is all it gets from us. 9, if it's Uhrich/Brooks in the remake!

My dad and I are both huge fans of the Spenser novels, TV show, telepics, et al. Because we both agree, Robert Urich's cast a long shadow over the role of everyone's favorite Boston P.I., he (dad) didn't buy Joe Mantegna as Spenser at all - too ethnic, he said. "Small Vices" was the first of three TV movies with Mantegna. My dad couldn't get past it. I, though, think Mantegna nailed Spenser's dry wit and sense of humor. "Small Vices" certainly was the best of the A&E trilogy - just try watching Eric Roberts as Police Chief DeSpain in one of the others without cringing. But in a world where Warner Bros. has left "Spenser: For Hire" to languish on its AOL site, and all we have on DVD are the Lifetime TV movies, my investment in a region-free player has paid off again - "Small Vices" was released in Australia on home video and I picked up a copy from Amazon.

Cast-wise, Small Vices is an intentional break from the "Spenser: For Hire" TV series and Lifetime movies. Spenser author Robert B. Parker adapted his book for the A&E movie and had some say in casting. Though Urich's loyal fans cried foul at the casting of Mantegna for Spenser, more hardboiled fans (such as myself), and Parker himself, believed Mantegna better portrayed the gritty hero. Mantegna's Spenser is more relaxed, more subtle--his delivery guided by an authentic, wry Parker script. Those looking for a harder edge to the character were pleased. Viewers were less kind to Shiek Mahmud-Bey's portrayal of Hawk. Series actor Avery Brooks cast a long shadow as the mob enforcer sidekick. In that shadow, many believed (myself included) Mahmud-Bey lacked presence, that he was too young, cheerful, and chatty for the part. Small Vices is above average for its closeness to Parker's original plot and--for the most part--his characters; however, the Boston atmosphere vital to the books and series is missing, too obviously replaced by Toronto for budgetary purposes. For a different spin on Spenser, with some of Parker's personal touch, watch Small Vices.

Mantegna and Harden are very good as Spenser and Susan, the by-play is good. Mahmud-Bey makes a good Hawk, though he does not seem to have the sharp edge that Hawk in the books does. The story is followed as closely as time permits for a 90 minute production. An enjoyable two hours.