Glengarry Glen Ross is possibly the worst name for a film ever imagined, but boy what a film it is. Al Pacino's real-estate salesman Ricky Roma slags his manager, John Williamson (Kevin Spacey): "You stupid fucking c**t. I'm talking to you shithead....whoever told you you could work with men"?The sound of David Mamet- Vulgar, tinged with mirth and malice. Mamet's words lit up his 1984 play Glengarry Glenn Ross. Now Mamet and director James Foley want to get to the urgency of those verbal pyrotechnics onscreen. They don't always make it, but when they do, this brilliant black comedy stings.
Glengarry Glen Ross is a rare delight, a film that works better on the small screen. It doesn't need to be all cinematic and out in the open space of a city. The full intensity of the play can be fully recaptured in one stinking office. Mamet has refused to compromise with Hollywood about the realistic dialogue. The characters say everything twice, quite a bit of being exactly the same nonsense we talk about every day. But the cast here are simply brilliantly and make all that bullshit talking worthwhile. First off there's Jack Lemmon, one minute he can be this slimy salesman who's trying to sell real estate to people who have no intention of buying, the next giving the impression that he's about to completely lose the plot. Jack has stated that this is the best ensemble cast he ever had the pleasure of working with and I'd definitely agree as he has the support of some of the greatest actors around. We have Pacino, Spacey, Harris, Arin and Baldwin. Baldwin especially who turns up for a 10 minute cameo as a bully boy brought in from head office to rustle some feathers ("First prize is a Cadillac, Second prize is some knives, third prize is....you're fired"). 
Alan Arkin and Ed Harris bring wry depression to their roles as former sales champs. Johnathan Pryce gets unglued as a sucker who tries to evade a closed deal, with Kevin Spacey giving the management side the right amount of self-loathing and self-love. Pacino again is on top form, especially when he tries to encourage Levene to relive a tough sale in a woman's kitchen. Together these poor schmucks go about their soul-destroying way, gradually losing the will to live, as each attempted deal falls through. It's actually quite funny to find out the actors referred to the film as "Death to the Fucking Salesman".Glengarry Glen Ross is a film that will remind most people exactly what it takes to make it through the day. A thoroughly enjoyable black comedy with great performances all round.
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