House of Games (1987)

[balthazar_bee]

Originally Posted by thatguamguy

"Precisely crafted" is about the writing. "Poorly delivered" is about the acting/directing. They're not contradictory. While I do like Mamet as a director, I can't argue with anybody who finds the lack of inflection that he deliberately elicits from his actors to be unengaging.

While I won't claim it's to everyone's taste, I still think "poorly delivered" is wildly off-base, particularly in the case of House of Games. Mantegna's performance is probably the best of his career, and even Crouse -- who takes a lot of shit generally, to the extent that anyone knows who she is -- is terrific.

The way she withholds conventional emotional responses makes her

[Show spoiler]final scene with Mantegna a showstopper, because for all the wrong he's done her, his character does understand her. He's done a better job of analyzing what makes her tick than she has with her patients. She's coming to understand that she's capable of terrible actions, and her deadpan delivery of "Beg for your life or I'm going to kill you" is go-straight-to-the-front-of-the-line ownage.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Hi Def Digest's review for the Criterion blu ray talks about this in their review for the film. I highly recommend reading it. It's an interesting read.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...m-cu2fSOFal847

[thatguamguy]

Originally Posted by balthazar_bee

While I won't claim it's to everyone's taste, I still think "poorly delivered" is wildly off-base, particularly in the case of House of Games. Mantegna's performance is probably the best of his career, and even Crouse -- who takes a lot of shit generally, to the extent that anyone knows who she is -- is terrific.

I am half with you, I think Mantegna knows how flourish under Mamet's style of direction, but I've never responded to Crouse in this role. I don't want to argue about the movie, I wouldn't say "poorly delivered" myself, but I see where he's coming from.

[MifuneFan]

A lot of the dialogue is delivered nearly exactly like lines read by Tommy Wiseau in The Room, and that's not hyperbole. I don't care if it's by design for it to be so painstakingly wooden, but it really took away from my enjoyment. I actually don't have probs with the dialogue, but the delivery, and I just can't get behind Crouse's performance.

(Possible spoilers)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPv4...ature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIko...ature=youtu.be

[Hoke Moseley]

Originally Posted by balthazar_bee

While I won't claim it's to everyone's taste, I still think "poorly delivered" is wildly off-base, particularly in the case of House of Games. Mantegna's performance is probably the best of his career, and even Crouse -- who takes a lot of shit generally, to the extent that anyone knows who she is -- is terrific.

You're right on the money... except I'll say that Mantegna is even better in Mamet's Homicide. One of the best and most underrated performances of the '90s (as well as Mamet's best film imo).

[nitin]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

A lot of the dialogue is delivered nearly exactly like lines read by Tommy Wiseau in The Room, and that's not hyperbole. I don't care if it's by design for it to be so painstakingly wooden, but it really took away from my enjoyment. I actually don't have probs with the dialogue, but the delivery, and I just can't get behind Crouse's performance.

(Possible spoilers)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPv4...ature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIko...ature=youtu.be

The issue with that comparative example is that the first clip is in sync with the tone of the movie, the second is most definitely not. That is why whether or not is is by design matters.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

I've always felt that Lindsay Crouse was a misunderstood actress. I remember the late great Roger Ebert going pretty hard on her for her interesting performance in Cimino's Desperate Hours as basically a terrible performance on their show (and his written review as well I believe). I highly disagree. She has actually been my favorite thing about that film ever since the first time I saw it. A very interesting and unique performance IMHO. She's also great in Slap Shot, Between the Lines and Mr. Brooks as well. I even felt she did a good job with her Irish accent in The Verdict. I've read some brutal criticisms on her acting career though.

[Hoke Moseley]

I don't know wtf Lindsay Crouse was doing in Desperate Hours but it was definitely entertaining.

I don't love her in House of Games but it's far from a bad performance and it's definitely the exact performance that Mamet wanted for the character and film.

I do think that she's legitimately pretty great in Lumet's Daniel, though.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Just watched my copy. It's been a long time since I've seen this and I forgot how great it is. Kept me glued the entire time. I thought Lindsay Crouse was fine in this. I don't know if I call it a great performance but like Hoke Moseley said she definitely wasn't bad IMHO. Joe Mantegna was excellent though along with the rest of the cast with honorable mention to the late great Ricky Jay. The indebted patient was bad though IMO. Sounded like he was a foreign actor really struggling with doing an American accent and just came off bad. Great noir look and feel and Seattle was the perfect place to film it just like the excellent film The Fabulous Baker Boys and the great Stakeout films. Underrated city! Criterion's blu ray is nice too. Pleasing transfer and audio. Highly recommended.

[Ray Jackson]

I bought this today...blind buy.

Might watch it tonight for the first time.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

I bought this today...blind buy.

Might watch it tonight for the first time.

Enjoy Ray! Let us know what you think.

[Hoke Moseley]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

I bought this today...blind buy.

Might watch it tonight for the first time.

Tomorrow:

Like new Criterion...FREE SHIPPING.
House of Games - $16

[Ray Jackson]

Just finished this.

Thought it was pretty good, although it can’t hold a candle to Glengarry.

The only thing I didn’t like, as others have mentioned, was Lindsey Crouse’s performance, which I found to be borderline absurd.

Maybe that’s the way Mamet wrote the character and directed the actress.

...but she still comes across like an unintentionally comedic automaton.

[Eschenpod]

I absolutely love this movie, but like others have stated, Crouse's performance comes across as very "wooden". Perhaps that is what Mamet wanted, don't know why though.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Just finished this.

Thought it was pretty good, although it can’t hold a candle to Glengarry.

The only thing I didn’t like, as others have mentioned, was Lindsey Crouse’s performance, which I found to be borderline absurd.

Maybe that’s the way Mamet wrote the character and directed the actress.

...but she still comes across like an unintentionally comedic automaton.

[Hoke Moseley]

Originally Posted by Ray Jackson

Thought it was pretty good, although it can’t hold a candle to Glengarry.

Just because they're both written by Mamet doesn't mean they're comparable in the slightest.

[captainron_howdy]

I prefer the films he's written and directed over the films he only has screenplay credit for. The one film he's written but didn't direct I loved was The Edge. Still, House of Games and Homicide will always be my favorites.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by captainron_howdy

I prefer the films he's written and directed over the films he only has screenplay credit for. The one film he's written but didn't direct I loved was The Edge. Still, House of Games and Homicide will always be my favorites.

If you didn't love (or really like) The Verdict, The Untouchables, About Last Night or Wag the Dog, I don't know what to tell you.

[captainron_howdy]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

If you didn't love (or really like) The Verdict, The Untouchables, About Last Night or Wag the Dog, I don't know what to tell you.

Ohh, of course I like-love all those also. I should have wrote I "really" loved The Edge.

[Ray Jackson]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

If you didn't love (or really like) The Verdict, The Untouchables, About Last Night or Wag the Dog, I don't know what to tell you.

Wag the Dog might be the most underrated film of the 90s.

...can’t believe it still doesn’t have a blu-Ray release.