The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest

Not that it was in the 'so-bad-it-was-good' category (though close in some ways), but it wasn't the cinematography, or the dialog or anything of that sort that I liked. What did it for me were things like the sneaky insertion of some good concepts, and topics I'd thought about years ago but didn't believe anyone else ever had.

Back in 1985 I was thinking about a cigarette-box-sized computer with holographic display and voice i/o, while frustratedly assembling 256k(!) 8088 machines with full-height 5-1/4" 10MB(!) hard-disks and 12" amber CRT displays. I didn't think of the space-touch interface, but hey that was almost 20 years ago.

Where these guys really shone was in their 'when life serves up lemons, make iced tea because everyone else will be making lemonade' approach to problem-solving. It's like looking at a boating magazine and seeing an idea that helps you with a home design. Synergistic cross-pollination beats idea theft and cro-magnon style greed in this film and that's refreshing no matter what vehicle it's riding in.

Anyway, that's my 2¢ worth.

I enjoy the writing of Po Bronson, with Bombardiers being right up there with Catch-22 as one of the funniest books I have ever read. I remember enjoying The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest as well, although I think I keep confusing it with Microserfs by Douglas Coupland. When I saw this movie was playing on Showtime, I had no idea that it was made into a movie. I guess it was only released in L.A. and New York in 2002. Well, it's certainly a cheeseball interpretation of the book, with sub-par writing by Jon Favreau, who adapted the screenplay. But, being a movie about the dot-com generation, I can't resist. It's not horrible, and having Rosario Dawson cast as the female lead certainly doesn't suck.

Remember reading those nice adventure stories when you were about 10, where a bunch of kids invent something from their garage and it costs less than their weekly allowance combined? Replace the kids with four old guys, the garage with a lab and you get this movie. You'll love this movie if you don't have a clue about "computers", otherwise, you'd have to try very hard to keep yourself from banging your head on the wall until the movie ends!

Boy, the reviews of this film are terrible, but I think it was a fun movie, with clever characterizations and satire. Okay, it's not a top-notch film, but come on, it's a blast to watch, and does not deserve such evil comments that have been made. I think Adam Garcia keeps the movie running smoothly with an amiable personality. Farce is a tough nut to make, so I guess people can't handle some of the silliness. But this film is not as bad as many are led to believe.

Ignore the low rating, flames by computer geeks and bad reviews. The First 20 million is always the hardest is an excellent tale of backstab business, living the dream and starting over.

The actors work wonderfully together to produce a high quality of wit and light humor not seen in many of the movies of 2002, and the producers did an excellent budgeting job, seeing as the movie was made on a small budget. The cast are a diverse bunch, and it can only be a matter of time before they all hit it big.

I recommend you at least see it before judging it, remember, it's been badmouthed around the web by geeks who believe the technology in this movie is impossible, remember, the movie is not about computers... but about living the dream!