To me, this movie is perfection.

Powerful

A Masterpiece!

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

I love films with different ideas or an interesting title to boot. Best Seller has both that, although Wood's kill count does get a bit annoying, or is too much. If you can remember Dennehy and Woods worked on another film years earlier, Split Image. Both fine actors, real good friends off set, work well together, yet in this cop tale with an almost unique spin put on it for it's time, here they're enemies who do slowly become friends, of course Dennehy taking longer time to warm up to Woods. Cleve (Woods, great as usual) was was involved in a police heist, where Dennehy's partner, was killed. Cut several years later, Dennis (Dennehy) now an ex cop, who's also a novelist, is approached by Cleve, who wants revenge, against the guys who screwed him. He asks Dennis to work with him, giving him his people on a platter while also giving him heaps info, for him to write a book on him and the baddies. Dennehy, also grasping an opportunity to gain revenge. It's no holds barred, Woods, even pestered by Dennehy to meet his parents. As you know, to write non fiction, a lot of research is involved. Somehow, I found this movie, utterly enjoyable from beginning to end, on the account it's different, although I enjoyed Wood's other film at the time, Cop, more. They're are some unpredictabilities in the characters, which I found engrossing, with an end I found tragic, on Woods's behalf. Wood's character especially, is a dangerous guy you don't underestimate, as you really don't know what this dude's capable of. And as I'll reiterate, Wood's excessive use of violence by gun, kind of spoils it. It was fun, watching Cleve itching to know or being suggestive of how the books going, it's overused title, a bit of a let down. One scene that really didn't make sense, was Woods barging into Dennehy's agents bedroom, and tearing up her wardrobe, getting fresh and dangerous with her. Check out the fitting song too. It's not bad. Watch Cop, then this.

James Woods plays a hit man named Cleve, who contacts a successful true crime author & former cop Dennis Meechum(played by Brian Dennehy) who got his start after he was the sole survivor of a deadly holdup at the police evidence department years earlier. Cleve wants Dennis to write his life story, which he feels is most interesting, and as a way to get back at his former employer, a powerful corporation he helped build. Meechum is intrigued but also skeptical, so Cleve takes him on a tour of his past, both with his parents and also his "assignments". Dennis learns that Cleve has a deeper connection to him than he realizes, and that some powerful forces don't want this proposed book published...Little-seen thriller is quite well done, with fine acting by the leads, and efficient direction and story. Almost goes wrong toward the end with the expected violent finale, but is still exciting enough to compensate, with the well-plotted story unfolding most effectively.Worth catching on DVD.

Writer Larry Cohen concocts this interesting, entertaining movie that mainly hinges on the often antagonistic relationship between two strong personalities. Brian Dennehy stars as Dennis Meechum, a cop who also writes books based on true crime stories, who is approached by Cleve (James Woods), a professional hit-man for an unscrupulous businessman, David Madlock (Paul Shenar). The hit-man feels inadequately compensated for his years of service, and is now an incredibly disgruntled ex-employee, enough to approach the cop / author to propose writing a book that reveals all the ugly details of the businessman's rise to the top. Capably directed by action specialist John Flynn ("Rolling Thunder", "Lock Up", "Out for Justice"), "Best Seller" tells a pretty good story in slick enough fashion, with some effective moments of very nasty violence. It also has very strong subtext about portraying a dark side to capitalism and corporations, as well as Cleve's own very dark version of The American Dream. It's well paced, with some potent scenes that establish what kind of man Cleve is. Yet, for a man who most of the time comes off as pure scum, he has definite intelligence and a real presence, and in the end does have a redemptive quality; it's the kind of role meant for an actor of Woods's abilities, and he plays it for all it's worth. But Dennehy is equally his match as the dedicated cop both disgusted with and intrigued by his new associate. Appealing Allison Balson plays Dennis's daughter, although supporting players Shenar and Victoria Tennant ultimately end up with not that much to do, and Shenar's character is not what you'd call subtle. Other fine players in the movie include George Coe, Anne Pitoniak, Mary Carver, Sully Boyar, Kathleen Lloyd, and Charles Tyner, with a too brief, uncredited appearance by Seymour Cassel as one of the bodyguards. Reasonably engrossing, with an ending that at least isn't 100% predictable, although some viewers may not find it terribly satisfying. But the interplay between two experienced and reliable movie stars makes it all worthwhile. Seven out of 10.

This thriller is a better than average action film. "Best Seller" tells the story of Cleve (James Woods), an ex-hit man who decides to do the dirty on his old boss by telling his story to cop/author Dennis Meechum (Brian Dennehy).John Flynn's film is not a great deal better than average though, and it is only the entertaining action sequences that are really worth the wait. Dennehy and Woods are enjoyable, but unfortunately one never believes that killer Cleve is ever really genuine about anything, which was something that both John Flynn and James Woods tried hard to convey. Predictable ending leaves audience a little flat. Okay viewing.Thursday, February 20, 1992 - Video