Pretty Good

People are voting emotionally.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

For the benefit of those who haven't seen the film, 'The Spanish Prisoner' is a con game playing to a victim's vanity and greed. I didn't know that before watching the picture, but have seen the modern day, internet equivalent in action that goes by the name of a Nigerian Money Transfer. Same idea, you'll get rich if you shell out some cash to help out a 'rich' unfortunate in a foreign country. Sure, and there are bridges in New York City you can buy too. This was a compelling and intriguing story up to the point when Joe Ross (Campbell Scott) knew he was duped. Then it sort of fell apart under it's own complexity. What gave it away was one main thing. In a glaring unforced error in screen writing, Ross's contact at the FBI accepted his cold call and agreed to meet him at a questionable location. Ross, who was smart enough to come up with 'a process' that would control the global market for his company, didn't have an inkling that the odds of getting face time with an agent were virtually nil on the basis of an anonymous phone call. That one instance lowered the credibility factor of the story for me, and then it was a patient wait to see how it all played out. One thing though, I'd never seen Steve Martin in a serious role before and I thought he did a great job as the enigmatic Julian 'Jimmy' Dell. His role was critical in setting up the scam, the grift as it were, The Spanish Prisoner trap for Ross. I liked what he had to say about good people/bad people, that people generally look like what they are. I've often come to that same conclusion myself, it's sort of an intuition you get about someone who might not be playing it straight with you. I thought Jimmy Dell was giving off that vibe even while being generous to a fault with Ross. But if you're looking for that switch with the red bound book containing 'the process', you're not going to see it. The camera never leaves the book when it was positioned on the ledge by the phony FBI agent and then handed back to Ross. You just have to take it on faith that the scam was pulled off. So without analyzing things too thoroughly the film is a good enough mystery flick, but still, it's the little things that bother me. Like the switch Joe Ross himself made with the Budge tennis book. It turned out to be a maguffin of sorts with no bearing on the outcome of the story, just like Jimmy Dell's 'sister' ruse. And in the end, Joe Ross WAS the victim of an elaborate scam because his process notes were gone along with his expected big time pay day. Some days, it just doesn't pay to chew through the restraints.

I love a bit of Steve Martin. So I was very enthusiastic while looking through his movies when I found this one. A nice high-rated crime/mystery/thriller from David Mamet with Steve Martin! Sounds great!But, unfortunately, it was probably one of the least thrilling thrillers I've ever watched. Predictable, with plot holes, indifferent directing and naive scenario. ***Spoilers*** (Even though the whole movie was a big spoil)Just to name a few cringe moments: - why is Susan throughout the movie actively trying to convince the "hero" that Jimmy Dell wasn't actually on that hydroplane? She's in on it... you'd think she'd want to keep quiet about it. why did Susan help him escape the police from the NY airport and drove him to Boston, only to then slip him a gun so he'd be arrested by the police. The airplane ticket she had was a return ticket from St. Estephe back to NY... in her name. And he would use that ticket to fly himself from Boston back to St. Estephe. Its an airplane ticket not a refund coupon for Walmart.If everything was setup by his boss Mr. Klein why did he bail him out, not press charges and beg him to return the book? Ridiculous!!The worst of all... why are con artists still around chasing Joe on the airport and boat scene? They have the book... they've setup everything to accuse Joe... it's over. They need nothing else from him. Just leave and you're home free. But they hang around for some reason and chase him. Even though they want nothing from him. Monumental idiotic! And just think about it for a minute... The con artists didn't really need anything from Joe. They had the second key from Mr Klein, so they had the book at any time they wanted. They could setup everything to frame Joe without him even getting involved. What was all the other silly nonsense about? Creating a fake sister, a fake FBI agent, a fake apartment, club etc. All that to make him bring the book... which they had access to all along. Pathetic!And just to mention few completely silly and embarrassing moments: the woman shouting at the baby "You got your FINGERPINTS all over the BOOK" two or three times! Yes yes!! We got it!! We got it half an hour ago!! Joe painfully asking Susan a few times why she was a criminal. "Why"? Wow... talk naive scenario.They could however fix this whole movie with adding just one punchline. And I offer this free of charge for the "director's cut" version of the movie. When the US Marshals van leaves and he's left all alone on the pier at the end of the movie he could just turn towards the camera and say "Gotcha Suckers!". Then all the Steve Martin fans would understand this movie is actually a parody from Bowfinger productions!

The Spanish Prisoner (1997): Dir: David Mamet / Cast: Campbell Scott, Steve Martin, Felicity Huffman, Rebecca Pidgeon, Ben Gazzara: Compelling mystery with a title that is symbolic or a misdirection of terms. It stars Campbell Scott who encounters both Steve Martin and Felicity Huffman on the beach at separate times. Huffman takes his picture and Martin offers him a large sum of money for his camera. They get acquainted then Martin offers him a large sum of money to deliver a package to his sister. These characters come in and out of his life until he becomes a target of scandal and murder. One big flaw is that the actors seem to be speaking on cue so they talk at each other instead of with. Intriguing plot with uncertainty directed by David Mamet who preserves mood. Mamet previously made House of Games and Homicide, and is a capable filmmaker but his casting choices seem way off in this film. Scott is hardly sympathetic as the victim, and Martin, despite the fact that he is branching out from his usual comic self, plainly isn't convincing. Huffman and Rebecca Pidgeon are the true gems and keep viewers guessing and the plot tense and unpredictable. Its main theme seems to regard trust either for its hero or viewers facing reality and very real people. Despite its performances the mystery elements are on target. Score: 6 / 10

Joe Ross (Campbell Scott) is a brilliant designer who created The Process to control world market. He has come to this tropical island location with Susan Ricci (Rebecca Pidgeon) and George Lang (Ricky Jay) to sell it to his boss Mr. Klein (Ben Gazzara). He wants assurances of a big bonus. Then he's approached by Jimmy Dell (Steve Martin). There's also an FBI agent Pat McCune (Felicity Huffman).This is a very over written script from director David Mamet. It's all about the process (forgive the phrase) and not about narrative. The big money making Process is never explained. It's about manners and style. The Mamet dialog is sometimes so amazing because it fits the movie. This movie is like some kind of stage play on a Caribbean resort. It's all so very fake and somewhat stiff. This is a smart movie written by a very smart man except it's a little too smart for its own good.