Gary & Linda

I was surprised at this film's low ratings and poor critical reviews. This is a really, really good film! A unique piece of filmmaking like nothing I've seen in a while! First of all, it has a great sense of realism. Writer/director Richard Wenk does a brilliant job at capturing the hustle and bustle of New York City streets. And unlike in many films, where directors decide to cut corners and shoot part of the movie in Canada, "Just the Ticket" possesses an authenticity of the Big Apple that only NY-based directors like Martin Scorcese and Sidney Lumet have captured better. There are no gimmicky attempts at style (in the words of Mr. Lumet: what's style?); we're not bombarded by pretentious shots of the Statue of Liberty or anything like that. A film like this perfectly captures the essence of New York, without patronizing the city.

Andy Garcia possibly gives the best performance of his career! I've always admired him as an actor, and I respect almost all Hispanic actors who make it big in show-biz (most of them happen to be great actors, too). Garcia displays an unrelenting energy in his performance as ticket scalper Gary Stark. After watching this film, I'm surprised if he doesn't get approached to star in a Broadway play. He has enough energy to light up the stage! Yet he's charming all the way; never obnoxious. We fall in love with his character. We fall in love with the supporting characters as well. Andie McDowell (though I don't think she has an attractive presence; hey, beauty's in the eye of the beholder!) is charming as his love interest. The two Andys have a perfect chemistry together--a real chemistry. The kind of chemistry that real lovers would possess; and not "Hollywood lovers." You can't help but smile every minute they share the screen. Though they quarrel at times, you just keep thinking "They were meant for each other." And best of all (especially considering it's an R-rated film) their relationship is not based on sex. There's not one sex scene in this movie. If it weren't for some naughty street language, you can take the whole family to see this movie. Richard Bradford is amazingly likeable as Gary's friend for life/father figure. You feel more and more sympathy for him (which is ironic for a guy who scalps tickets and tells lies for a living) and their father-son relationship as the film goes along. I was touched by the subplot between Gary and his heroin-abusing pregnant friend Cyclops (Laura Harris). Their interactions, including his attempts to stop her from abusing drugs, are very moving. I was also glad to see a male-female friendship that doesn't end in love or sex. You don't see that too much in the movies. Rob Liebman (who co-starred with Garcia in "Night Falls on Manhattan") makes a few short appearances. He's a terrific, underrated actor and it was great to see the two of them share the screen again.

Some may find this film uneven. I can predict there's going to be a lot of complaints about the way "it can't decide whether it wants to be a comedy or drama." I liked the balance between the comedic and dramatic elements, with romance rubbed into the equation. This is not one of those over-the-top, slapstick, screwball comedies that many are probably used to. It has a good sense of maturity. And most of the humor is used for comic relief. There's a good deal of drama in the story, so don't expect to be laughing all the way. So if you want to blame someone--blame the ones who marketed this film. But I was so engaged in the story and characters that I didn't feel a need for laughs. This is an interesting, moving piece of storytelling that never goes over the top and keeps its feet on the ground. Never once was I uttering, "this only happens in the movies." Wenk didn't take any cheap shots, and I admire him for that. So why--oh why was this film so poorly rewarded?

Not to mention this the first film to provide insight into the world of ticket scalping. And I don't think they could've done it any better. I saw Garcia on Conan O'Brien's show when he was promoting the movie, and he said that he did actual field research and posed as a ticket scalper to help get into the shoes of his character. I'll also mention that a famous celebrity (a living legend to some) makes a brief appearance. I was amazed when he appeared on screen. It wasn't one of those predictable cameos, where you had a feeling that person was going to show up anyway. Face it, brace yourselves. And don't read the complete IMDB cast list before watching the movie; it'll ruin the experience. :)

"Just the Ticket" is a charming, engaging, unique, touching film that'll fill your heart with good cheer. It's definitely one of those overlooked flops that'll amaze you. Plus, the soundtrack's great! Andy Garcia helped compose most of the music for the score. I developed the biggest smile on my face when they played "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" at the final scene. This is a film that captures your heart from all angles.

My score: 8 (out of 10)

I was in a huge hurry and basically just grabbed this off the shelf for lack of seeing anything else that sparked my interest. I saw the trailer for this movie at the theater and thought that it looked incredibly stupid. I don't particularly like Andy Garcia or Andi McDowell, but I just watched on a whim and the next thing that I knew I was laughing (and crying). I was really surprised by how well I liked this film!

The plot was a tad silly, but the characters were so colorful and likeable (even the junky pregnant girl) that I got past the immaturity of the story line. It showed a small bit of the dark underbelly of NY ticket scalping, but the good intentions of everyone counteracted the negativity and the result was very optimistic. Andy Garcia was so good as the romantic lead, I particularly loved the scenes preparing for the big catering and the the kitchen destruction...too funny!

Bottom line, I think these two made a great on screen couple and I would recommend this to anyone who like me, enjoys these kinds of films, or to anyone who might need a little cheering up.

In England they are known as Ticket Touts, but whether you know them as Touts or Scalpers the character is the same. Unpleasant. So an unlikely candidate as a leading character in a romantic comedy? Maybe so, but this is one of the things that sets this film apart from the average romantic comedy. Another is the performances. Not Oscar winning stuff maybe, but they all seem to be getting the most out of their roles. While the focus is on the relationship between Garcia and McDowell, the relationship between Garcia and his pal/father figure Benny underpins the film and ultimately is the catalyst which is the reason for the ending. Benny is ably played by Richard Bradford, at last being given a chance to stretch his wings outside of the corrupt coppers he is usually asked to play, and you would have to be a hard hearted person not to be touched by his portrayal. It is such a shame that so much of "Benny" ultimately ended up on the cutting room floor and so we are only given a glimpse of why Garcia takes him under his wing.

If you want your intellect stretched, look elsewhere. But if you want to curl up on the sofa armed with a box of Kleenex and a box of chocolates, you could do a lot worse than let this film into your living room.

This film must have been the best-kept secret in movies, because I never heard of it before. It's a charming and well-acted little comedy romance, I don't know why it was brushed under the carpet. Andy Garcia is extremely funny and energetic in the lead role of Gary, he and Andie MacDowell have a good romantic chemistry, and some of the supporting characters are great. It's not a brilliant film, but it's certainly well worth watching, and I think Andy Garcia should be very proud of this amusing and very good film.

A charming guy, Gary, played by Andy Garcia is an irresponsible but an irresistable goodhearted soul; all of his friends are Runyoneque. Trouble is Gary is a 'scalper'. His 'Guardain Angel', Benny, played by Richard Bradford, buys his tickets and sells them off at highly increased prices. Gary falls for Linda, played by Andie MacDowell, but he is awkward and afraid to say he loves her. She puts him off and then he tries to win her back by selling tickets to the Pope's visit to town, but ends up in jail because he lost the cash - funny film, but cute and exciting, and there are a few forgotten famous actors including Abe Vigoda and Ron Leibman. I recommend it highly! 7/10