In the Soup

"In the Soup" is a nice little gem of a movie. If you liked Steve Buscemi in "Ghost World" you should like him here because he is basically playing the same perpetually dour and befuddled character. And if you liked "Ghost World" in general you should like "In the Soup" because they have a similar theme and storyline. They both focus on a character being taught how to live by the example of another character. "In the Soup" does not have "Ghost Story's" ironic twist (where the teacher is the one who actually learns how to live). It is more straightforward and not as clever but is still light years more intelligent than most mainstream films.

Buscemi's character needs a producer for his 500-page screenplay with quirky features like beginning with a 20 minute black leader (just a blank screen) to introduce his lead character's blindness. He intends to cast his neighbor (and unrequited love interest) Jennifer Beals who barely acknowledges his existence although he sleeps with her shoe under his pillow. Buscemi gets "in the soup" when he hooks up with a gangster who wants to produce the film. Seymour Cassell plays the gangster with an infectious gusto that deservedly won Sundance Festival's Best Actor Award. All three performances are excellent, as is a brief appearance by Carol Kane as the co-producer of an access TV show featuring nude interviews (The Naked Truth).

If all this sounds to you like it could be fun you are this film's target audience.

Shooting in black-and-white on a tight budget Director Alexandre Rockwell has put together a funny feature with a lot of charm. The production values are first-class. More importantly he has told a worthwhile story and communicated useful lessons to apply to the process of living.

A neurotic nebbish (Steve Buscemi) lives in two worlds: the fantasy of winning his dream-girl (Jennifer Beals) via a hit movie, and the meager existence he scrapes out from very odd jobs, such as thesping in an arty no-budget flick.

How fitting that Jim Jarmusch has a cameo, because this film is very much a Jarmusch type of movie. Had his name been under the "directed by" heading, I would never have doubted it. Which, I suppose, is a compliment to the real director. You also have to hand it to them for getting such a stellar cast. Buscemi is an indie darling, but Beals had already gone big by this point -- it was brave for her to take this role.

This is not so much a movie about making a movie as it is an underworld film. Not a mob movie, exactly, but definitely people of loose character who walk on the edges of society. And yet, there is something rather charming about them.

What a refreshing movie! Fans of oddball movies should definitely put this on the to-watch list. Aside from a hilarious cameo by Jim Jaramusch and Carol Kane, Steve Buscemi and Seymour Cassell team play the roles of wanna-be filmmaker and questionable money man like they were born to. Shot in glorious black and white, the film makes a half-hearted serious turn at the end but it is too late to really make a difference in the movie. Also watch for Will Patton's turn as yet another bizarre person.

Thanks for Amazon and their: people who bought this... also bought "In the Soup",

I ordered it. I am a fan of Steve Buscemi, so "hey you got no complaints".

What a delightful surprise this movie turned out to be. The lovely Jennifer Beals has aged so gracefully (she looks even better here than in Flashdance; more rounded out character too) and Seymour Cassel should have been nominated for an Oscar in this, I believe, mostly ignored movie. Can't even find a Roger Ebert review of it, and he usually has a nose for unusual, but good movies.

Speaking of noses, Cassel is a delight who delights in existing from day to day, always ready for an adventure, a surprise, or a bit of crime and a bit of a ca-noodle. Poor Buscemi, who is a dreamer with a script for the "great American movie" and hasn't had much of a life, is at first thrilled to meet the potential film financier (Cassel), then becomes a bit frightened of him and in the end realizes he grew as a person and made some friends and possibly can make a more simplified version of his movie after all.

Don't want to give much more away. The lovely black and white vignettes, following each other quickly give you a taste of life in a squalid part of New York. It is European in execution, a bit film-noir-ish, but unique, entertaining, and touching.

The singing rent collectors are a hoot-!

Don't miss it!

Sometimes you're kind of reluctant to watch a movie because you don't really expect anything of it, but then you end up being so pleasantly surprised! I had that experience with "In the Soup". This film truly is a little gem as mentioned before. This strange, offbeat movie grew on me with every scene I watched. Steve Buscemi is brilliantly funny as script-writer and 'wannabe' director Adolpho. Seymour Cassel is great as well but I definitely shouldn't forget to mention Jennifer Beals.. my god, how this woman made me laugh! She was pitch perfect for her role as Buscemi's cranky Latin-American neighbor Angelica, his secret love interest who he wants to star in his movie. I can highly recommend this movie, if you're a Buscemi fan, it's a "must-see" !