Swimming with Sharks (1994)

Today, when kevin spacey has enough recognition and reputation that won't be tampered even if he'll star on "baywatch" for the rest of his life - my praises won't mean much. spacey is a superb actor, no doubt about it. but for frank whaley, appearences in the "right" films (natural born killers, born in the 4th of july, pulp fiction) as well as a undisputable talent did not turn him to a reknowned actor - which only goes to show that no matter how good you are, in most cases success is a luck depandant variable. On with the movie, the story of an ambitious youngster who wishes to engage in a key role of the film industry and starts to work as an assistant for a completely manipulating, ungreatful, demeaning movie producer george huang

(the writer and director) could come up with. the movie begins with guy (frank whaley) kidnapping buddy ackerman in his own house and concurrently whit guy's act of abuse to his hated boss, unfolds the story of a young kid with high hopes who was entangled both in the cynic world of his women loving, hair losing boss and in a relationship with a struggling movie producer - dawn (michelle forbes- now on "homicide - life on the streets"). the movie continues up to the point where guy has to decide which of those worlds to choose and now i won't add anything in fear of disclosing the end (and its unpredictable no matter which option you chose)

the movie is a complete delight and all i can say is - this may not be the best film you ever seen but it will sure leave enough of an impression to more than justify the two hours of your leisure time.

9 out of 10 in my scale

Fmovies: by Dane Youssef

Now here's a movie for those looking for an attack on white-collar corporate office life, the spinning gears of Hollywood.

"Swimming With Sharks" seems to owe more than a little something to "Dilbert." The movie is more about Corporate America than Hollywood. There are a lot of white-collar touches that apply to offices, cubicles and other such rather than the Hollywood spin machine. Like Robert Altman's "The Player," this is one of those thrillers about people in "the biz" who are driven to the breaking point by how cruel L.A. can really be.

The film's writer/director George Huang himself was a former personal assistant to some of the biggest names in Hollywood, has described the movie as "20% autobiographical." Much of this one is said to be based on his experience working for noted mega-mogul producer Joel Silver for Columbia Pictures. So it should come as no surprise what-so-ever that his first crack at film was his own life story.

Surprise, surprise, huh? Well, more or less.

Despite Kevin Spacey being the big name in this movie and him getting first-billing, Frank Whaley ("Career Opportunities") is the star of this one. Most of anything with him head-lining is a sign of a bad movie ("Cold Dog Soup" and "The Jimmy Show"), but this is one of those where he shines because he's allowed to. He's not the most versatile actor, the best-looking or the most charismatic. He's had a rep as being something of the life-long "bit player." But when he's given a movie, script and part which allows him any headway, he damn well manages to make the most of it.

Spacey, being one of Hollywood's finest and renown, is able to pull off the screaming antagonistic drill-instructor and the restrained, tortured hostage here pitch perfectly.

Whaley effectively plays the green, naive wide-eyed rookie to the Hollywood roulette wheel with his usual perfection, but when the other shoe drops, he doesn't quite pull off the scorned, disgruntled employee seeking revenge. His Jekyll isn't as convincing as his Hyde. He doesn't scare us. He never seems truly unhinged. Maybe that's why Whaley sticks to the youthful deer-in-the-headlights. Whaley doesn't really seem as demented and unhinged as he should in his captor scenes. He's best as a whipping boy--which is why he plays so many.

1994 was the official year for Spacey. He got his breakout with the TV series "Wiseguys," and made the big screen transition with worthwhile fare like his Oscar-winning supporting role in "The Usual Suspects," "The Ref," "Se7en" and this. Spacey monopolized himself in the '94 as "absolute talent" (my term).

Benecio Del Toro, the "Brad Pitt of Mexico" (someone else's quote, believe me, I never dubbed him such) has a quickie cameo as Spacey's assistant who's given his three weeks' notice and is on the way out, making way for Guy. But not before giving Whaley some final parting words of wisdom. "Protect his interests, serve his needs. What you think means nothing. What you feel means nothing. You have no brain. He yells all the time. It's a lose-lose situation." This job is a fast-track shortcut to the top and if Guy does right and keeps his mouth open wide to catch all of Buddy's crap, he may very well be someday on the same mantel as Buddy and his former

Kevin Spacey, perhaps the finest actor on the planet, is brilliant as usual in his hilarious turn as Buddy Ackerman, one of the nastiest characters that you'll ever see anywhere on film. Sure, the whole cast is great, but it is Spacey who really shines, and he is the reason that this film works so well. Watch this movie if you want to laugh your head off, or if you simply want to see a legend in the making at the top of his game, yet again.

Swimming with Sharks fmovies. While through the ages, many noteworthy motion pictures detailing the film industry itself have been made, the majority concentrated on a highly positive tone, portraying Hollywood as the organization which "brought dreams to life", or similar self serving platitudes. However, in the early 90s, a new trend began to emerge - films which delved below the glossy exterior of Hollywood and began to expose more negative aspects of the industry. One would be hard pressed to find as fitting an example of this Hollywood introspective neo- realism as writer/director George Huang's semi-autobiographical (but hopefully only to an extent...) Swimming With Sharks - a biting, cynical look at the interior of the film industry which challenges the preconceptions of the industry and its bleak aims.

Like Robert Altman's The Player, Swimming with Sharks offers a harshly critical commentary on the corporate moneymaking machine that is Hollywood, but from the opposite end: the perspective of a low level assistant striving to rise in the ranks. However, similar to Altman's work, Huang's film dabbles with the notion of being a black comedy or darkly satirical take on the business end of the film industry, but ultimately lacks the acerbic wit needed to succeed on such a front. As such, while the occasional moment of darkly gleeful comedic insight may derived, for the most part, the film falters on attempted darkly ironic comedic moments which come across as too heavy handed to be truly funny. The film's main strength is in its strictly dramatic climax; its harrowing and powerful turn of events toying with notions of all consuming ambition and free will in a truly gripping fashion. Combined with a numbingly unexpected and chilling ending scene, the film's finale is easily its strongest point - enough so to carry the occasional botched comic moment from earlier in the film. However, Tom Heil's understated and affecting single piano score and the occasional moment of intriguing cinematography also add to the overall quality of the work.

Kevin Spacey is the main pleasure to behold here as the film's main selling point, the "boss from Hell" figure Buddy Ackerman. Alternating between wryly funny, starkly powerful and disconcertingly human, Spacey, though disappointingly denied the ability to chew the scenery quite as much as one might hope for, easily walks away with the picture with his top notch work. Frank Whaley gives an adequate performance as the constantly put upon assistant who finally seeks revenge, though his character is given next to no development and Whaley lacks the engaging charisma needed to really sell the role. Michelle Forbes also comes across as disappointingly flat as an ambitious business woman caught between Spacey and Whaley, though she shines in certain scenes. Watch also for an early appearance by Benicio Del Toro in a tiny role as Whaley's predecessor.

While it may falter as the black comedy it clearly wants to be throughout, the film excels as the harshly critical drama it becomes by the end. An undeniably maliciously enjoyable performance by Spacey keeps the film afloat, and while it may occasionally come across as lopsided or falling short of its potential, Swimming with Sharks keeps enough surprises up its proverbial sleeve to remain interesting throughout as a cynical treatise on ambition and the film industry which thrives upon it.

-7/10

This film just sums up what it is to be a flunky in Hollywood. Buddy Ackerman is your normal high flying film producer, from the sharp suits down to the aggressive approach to anyone below him. Guy is flunky who has the job of dealing with Buddy's every whim, and then there's Dawn Lockard who is stuck in the middle. With an explosive relationship between all of them, the film is set at the home of Buddy. Guy has taken him hostage, and is annoyed that Buddy has fired him. Set with a series of flashbacks starting with an appearance with Benicio Del Toro, it tells the tale of what Guy has had to put up with in working for Buddy and all the hell he was put through to get to the place that he was before being fired over nothing. Very under-rated film and Spacey is amazing. Also applause to go to Frank Whaley for his great conflicting work with Spacey. A+

From Sunset Boulevard (1950) through to The Player (1992), the dark side of Hollywood has given up juicy material for filmmakers looking to bite the hand that feeds. Not that there is any secret to be revealed here - pretty much everything you need to know about the soulless, spirit-crushing side of movie-making is contained in Raymond Chnadler's 1945 essay "Writer's in Hollywood", which contains more horror than any of the celluloid parodies it has since inspired.

Swimming with Sharks is the tale of innocent Guy (a freshly scrubbed Frank Whaley), whose monster boss is tinsel town king-maker Buddy Ackerman, a screaming, mood-shifting bully who dangles just enough opportunity before Guy to keep him on his leash. But payback is due, and comes in spades.

It is all very dark and delicious, and Spacey gets to rip loose as the psycho boss, the joke being that it is his very lack of sanity and compassion that allows him to thrive in the business. Love interest is supplied by producer Dawn (Michelle Forbes), who allows Guy to stay grounded as he negotiates his way to the top. Dawn and Guy show us that even in Hollywood true love can conquer all - or can it? It is received wisdom that movies about movies don't travel very well. Swimming with Sharks is about delusion and corruption, and how much the human spirit can take. It just happens to be set in Hollywood, but Buddy Ackerman could be Gordon Gecko in a different market. Worth watching to see Spacey enjoying himself in a role where he gets to say pretty much whatever he likes, and does so with relish.