Pajiba's Underappreciated Gems
White Lies, Alibis, Anything But Say That it's True.
Sneakers / TK
1992 is an interesting year to use as a case study for movies. Looking at the top grossing movies of that year, we see Disney’s Aladdin skyrocketing to the top ($217,350,219). Following that is a mix of forgotten sequels (Home Alone: Lost in New York, $173,585,516), respectable sequels (Batman Returns, $162,831,698), and embarrassingly unnecessary sequels (Lethal Weapon 3, $144,731,527). After that, you’ve got what should serve as the prime example of overacting your way to an Oscar nomination (A Few Good Men, $141,340,178), a dreadful movie that led to the very first Pajiba April Fool’s prank (Sister Act, $139,470,392), and rounded out by the simply awful — The Bodyguard, Wayne’s World, and, God help us all, Basic Instinct. With a couple of exceptions, that is not a very good year for movies, at least popular ones. Yet in that same year, there was a wonderful, clever, insightful ensemble movie starring Robert Redford, River Phoenix, Sidney Poitier, Mary McDonnell, Dan Aykroyd, Ben Kingsley, and David Strathairn. A movie that somehow earned less than half what the 10th-highest grossing movie of that year, and seems to be drifting further and further into obscurity with every passing year. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to this week’s Underappreciated Gem: Sneakers.
Directed by Phil Alden Robinson (Field of Dreams, The Sum of All Fears), Sneakers is about a group of techno-geeks who make their living by “sneaking” into corporate security systems to find any weaknesses. There’s a beautiful bit of expository dialogue after the opening scene where someone asks ringleader Martin Bishop (Redford), “So, people hire you to break into their places… to make sure no one can break into their places?” “It’s a living,” he responds. Which it is — the perfect living for a group of ex-convicts, ex-government agents and misfits who can’t seem to find a part of society to fit in. The foremost of them is Bishop, who after a brush with the law in his college years fled the scene of a crime and changed his name, living on the edge of society ever since. His band of hi-tech merry men include the paranoid conspiracy theorist Mother (Aykroyd); ex-CIA agent and straight man Crease (Poitier); Whistler, a brilliant blind man with Daredevil-like hearing (Strathairn); and the awkward, gawky Carl (Phoenix). They make their living finding holes in systems, while simultaneously doing their best to fall through the holes in society, trying to stay unnoticed.
Things all change when two men, Dick (Timothy Busfield — Danny from “The West Wing,” playing well against type) and Buddy (Eddie Jones, Fighting Tommy Riley) come in asking them to steal a “black box” capable of threatening U.S. national security if it falls into the wrong hands. The box has been developed by an eccentric mathematician named Janek (Donal Logue — The Tao of Steve, Blade… trust me, OK? It works). In truth, the box is mainly a MacGuffin, simply there to set the events in motion. Bishop enlists the help of old flame Liz (McDonnell) to help him get close to Janek, and through a clever combination of gadgetry and subterfuge, Bishop steals the box. Unfortunately, once they get it back to their headquarters, they realize the box is much more dangerous than they thought, that Dick and Buddy aren’t who they claimed to be, and they have opened up a Pandora’s Box (ouch… sorry) that they can no longer close. Eventually, this leads to a confrontation with an old acquaintance of Bishop’s, Cosmo (Kingsley), a techno-anarchist intent on using the box to bring down the world’s infrastructure, hoping to cause societal collapse and the birth of a new, uncharted era. Cosmo is willing to do anything, even kill his old friend, to achieve his goals.
The plot of Sneakers is sharp — the technology went out of date probably less than two years after it came out, but because the writing is so good, you barely even notice it (DOS-based computer systems notwithstanding). This is mainly due to a brisk pace, intricate plotting, and excellent acting. The pace of the film moves things along, explaining enough so that it makes sense but not bogging it down with excessive blather. Everything you need to know is laid out quickly and evenly, using key scenes to provide background and motivational information for each character. The plot is full of surprises (which I’m hesitant to give away here) and while some of the twists are telegraphed a bit, they ultimately still satisfy. The movement of the story itself is part of the performance — a reliance on anagrams, puzzle-solving and deftly designed clues engage the viewer into wanting to find the answer to the movie’s secrets. Finally, the film carries with it some interesting foreshadowing, both in movies and politics, that we’ll get to in a bit.
Much like films such as Ocean’s Eleven, the cast is what sells the movie. One can’t help but feel that Soderbergh’s Ocean’s films drew some inspiration from Sneakers — they’re both clever, funny, non-violent heist films. They both feature an on-the-run leading man, with a scorned woman that was left in the wake of his poor life choices. They both have quiet, charismatic villains. Ensemble pieces like this feel like they come along rarely, so when is executed so skillfully it seems appropriate to give it your full attention. It’s hard to imagine that a movie with such an amazing ensemble came and went quietly, but that’s how I remember it. (It was also beaten by Beethoven, Under Siege, Boomerang, and Honey I Blew Up the Kid.)
Simply put, the performances are riveting. It’s full of the type of wry, laconic dialogue that makes the people on screen actually seem real. Bishop’s team is like a mildly dysfunctional family — they’re sometimes too close to each other, so they get on each others nerves, they rib each other and bicker. But they also clearly care for one another, and despite their secrets — if there’s one thing this movie teaches us, it’s that everyone has secrets — they risk everything when one of their own is in jeopardy. It’s hard to believe, given the preponderance of acting juggernauts such as Redford, Poitier and Kinglsey, but for the most part the remaining actors are given ample time to flex their own abilities. River Phoenix’s sweet yet goofy misfit is sadly given less time that I would have liked, but perhaps that’s just because I always find myself wishing that there was more of him to be seen in general, not just here. David Strathairn, one of the most under-utilized actors of his generation, plays Whistler as a sly genius that Bishop finds himself turning to more than the others. Dan Aykryod plays Dan Aykroyd for the most part, but it’s him at his best, giving a smart-mouthed, adroit performance that reminds us that Aykroyd at his best (The Blues Brothers, Grosse Pointe Blank) is still a comedic force. His repartee with Poitier’s Crease, wherein he constantly brings up outlandish conspiracies partially due to his own deranged paranoia, and partially just to rile him up, is particularly effective, not to mention damn funny (“Cattle mutilations are up!”). The others — Kingsley, Redford, McDonnell and Poitier — are simply amazing to watch as always. McDonnell’s Liz is the type of eye-rolling, patient mother figure that this group of lost boys wandering through their technological Never-Never Land so desperately needs. Poitier is full of a calm intensity — he’s quiet, he’s the only married, stable-seeming one, but he loses his cool at Mother repeatedly, and eventually shows his true, badass potential.
Redford and Kingsley are both excellent, but then, they’re excellent in everything (Bloodrayne and Thunderbirds never happened, you hear me? NEVER HAPPENED). Redford has that twinkly-eyed intelligence that’s so alluring, and Kingsley is always so goddamn fierce that you feel like he’s in the room with you. This isn’t on par with, say, Sexy Beast, where every time he looked towards the camera I flinched. Instead, he plays the megalomaniacal, chaos-loving Cosmo with a surprising amount of reserve. It’s the kind of role that, given to a lesser actor, would have resulted in some serious, and grossly misplaced, scene chewing. Instead, Cosmo is quiet, intense and focused on his mission — the kind of restrained zealotry that is actually disturbing on a much deeper level. The scenes the two of them share, however, are nothing short of fantastic. They are brief and sparsely set, but filled to the brim with emotion — conveying the long, hard relationship the two characters have had, and somehow quietly showing you how they reached this now-adversarial point. The sets are designed to force you to concentrate on them — barely anything happens in the backgrounds, letting the two virtuosos fill the screen instead.
Sneakers also has a surprisingly subversive agenda: Cosmo, despite clearly being somewhat crazy, makes some effective points about the nature of money and systems and the effect on people. It’s hard to argue with points like this: “Pollution. Crime. Drugs, poverty, disease, hunger, despair; we throw GOBS of money at them and problems only get worse. Why is that? Because money’s most powerful ability is to allow bad people to continue doing bad things at the expense of those who don’t have it.” Cosmo sees himself as a revolutionary, and Bishop can’t help but agree with the fundamental premise of his argument — it’s his tactics they disagree on. But the movie makes a powerful and prescient statement about government invasiveness, the dark nature of agencies such as the CIA and NSA and the effect that they have not just on other countries, but our own as well. Perhaps my favorite creepy moment of foreshadowing is when Bishop encounters a homeless man asking for change and complaining about the government. Bishop sardonically replies, “Talk to him,” while pointing to a poster of George Bush 1.0. It’s a moment that brought out a chuckle at the time, but has a whole new implication now.
Sneakers is one of the more tragically overlooked films of the 1990s. It’s the kind of smarter-than-you-think, subtle filmmaking that can easily get lost among the explosions and cheap laughs that pervade so many popular movies. While it lacks the glitzy veneer of ensemble movies like Ocean’s Eleven, it’s overall a better movie with better performances. It manages to make some important statements about how we view money, structure, society and the ways we can sometimes even accidentally affect the future. The ending… I refuse to give away the very end, but it is nothing short of delicious — I guarantee you’ll find yourself grinning uncontrollably during the final scenes. Regardless, Sneakers is one of the rare, near-flawless movies. Sure, some of the technophiles among you might be able to quibble about the technology, but it’s 16 years old — cut it some slack. Every single performance is a success (I haven’t even talked about the sublimely dorky Stephen Tobolowsky), and by the end, you wish it would just keep going, just so you could watch the actors work. 1992 was quite a year for films, but one of the gems of that year somehow disappeared. Well, I say screw that. Polish this one off and enjoy yourself.
TK can be found wandering aimlessly through suburban Massachusetts, wondering how the hell he got there while yelling at the kids on his lawn. You can find him raising the dead in preparation for world domination over at Uncooked Meat.
CBS' 2008 Fall Schedule | | Pajiba Love 05/15/08
Comments
"Be a beacon?!"
"Give him head?!"
Posted by: twig at May 15, 2008 2:36 PM
YES!
Sneakers is one of the movie loves of my life!
Posted by: Alice at May 15, 2008 2:38 PM
Ohhhh! You just made my afternoon! Bringing up "Sneakers" and "Dead Poets" in conversation was one of my first forays into movie snobbery. (I was ten, but still.)
Posted by: LB at May 15, 2008 2:44 PM
I lovelovelove this movie. An AMAZING cast, an amazing script. I also couldn't believe how little attention it got when it came out, but my family about wore out the VHS copy we had. So many quotable lines. The whole thing is delicious.
"I'm Carl."
"I'm Mary."
"I'm going to be SICK."
Posted by: Lizzie (greeneyed fem) at May 15, 2008 2:45 PM
I have not seen this movie in such a long time, but it has not been completely forgotten. In fact, it was one of my and my friends' favorites back when we were in college in the early 90s (I feel old now). An underrated and underseen gem indeed. Thanks for reminding us of it, TK.
I leave you with what is perhaps one of the best lines in the movie: "I want peace on earth and good will towards men." "We're the United States government. We don't do that sort of thing!"
Posted by: Armando at May 15, 2008 2:46 PM
"I leave message on service but you do not call!"
Also.
MAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHTTTTTTYYYYYYYYY!
Posted by: coveredinbees at May 15, 2008 2:48 PM
You what word has always turned me on...
Passport
So awesome, well chosen TK
Posted by: MG at May 15, 2008 2:48 PM
I have not even read the review yet, but YAY SNEAKERS!
Now on to the review.
Posted by: Catherine at May 15, 2008 2:50 PM
For serious I have loved this movie since I saw it in theaters.
It is simply NOT aired on basic cable (or otherwise) often enough and Angelina Jolie's stupid Hackers movie is shown far too often. Down with Hackers! Let's have more Sneakers!
Posted by: Jen Vegas at May 15, 2008 2:57 PM
I LOVED this movie back in the day. It was one of my family's quirky favorites but I have not seen it in well over ten years - to the Netflix queue it goes! Thanks for bringing it back.
Posted by: soulfusion at May 15, 2008 2:57 PM
Good call. It's a great movie that I can watch over and over again.
And that ending is sublime.
A spoiler-free reminder:
"Wait a minute...you can have anything you want and you're asking for..."
Posted by: Simon B at May 15, 2008 2:58 PM
Bravo! Love, love, love this movie. Owned it on VHS, pulled it out whenever I needed to wash the taste of something awful out of my mouth (I'm looking at you Titanic). It's like perfectly cooked comfort food.
Posted by: random at May 15, 2008 2:59 PM
great pick. in addition to loving this movie, i have a vivid memory of my best friend getting his arm stuck in the drink holder at the movie theater in the middle if this movie. he finally wedged it out during the credits. we were in junior high.
Posted by: dg at May 15, 2008 3:01 PM
Now THIS is what I call an "underappreciated gem." I have loved this movie since... well, since 1992, I guess, because I saw it in the theater, and I still pop in my old VHS copy now and again. (Mental note: Get the DVD!!!)
I love the music in this movie. There's a spare little piano piece that plays when Redford is walking towards their surveillance van (or whatever) during the Janek job that gets me every time. And the background stuff when Kingsley and Redford talk sets the tone perfectly. Kingsley's just great, a real-life supervillain who could and would destroy the world.
"Who's gonna save the world, Marty? Greenpeace?"
Todd, great call - I was going to include a bit about James Horner's wonderful score, but in the interest of brevity... regardless, thanks for pointing it out. - TK
Posted by: Todd at May 15, 2008 3:02 PM
"The man who folded this tube of Crest is looking for someone meticulous...refined.... Anal.
...What?"
Posted by: Catherine at May 15, 2008 3:03 PM
Really? This movie has always been (for me anyway) one of those cases where you wonder how such an amazing cast can come together to make something so underwhelming. It's not that I think it's particularly bad, but I just don't think it's particularly good either. Also, to have River Phoenix playing a socially-retarded dork is kind of strange. He said himself that he found the role embarrassing. Shrug.
Of course, I can't help but smile when Carl decides the one thing he wants most is *******
(sorry, edited for spoilers! -TK)
Posted by: Lannie at May 15, 2008 3:08 PM
Thanks Lannie - Good job I went to the effort not to give that away...
Posted by: Simon B at May 15, 2008 3:11 PM
Agree, agree agree! on everything except Wayne's World. I loved it. I'm unappologetic in my loving. I own it( the loving and the movie). I watch it often. I can't listen to Bohemian Rhapsody without headbanging. Wayne's World is joy.
Posted by: JustMo at May 15, 2008 3:11 PM
"Come on. The CIA would give him twins."
Posted by: mightygodking at May 15, 2008 3:18 PM
Saw this while on a visit home - it's the first time I ever saw a movie get a standing ovation. Of course home is in Cincinnati, and the 'O' was just after Dan Ackroyd did his riff on Pete Rose...
Posted by: funtime42 at May 15, 2008 3:20 PM
sneakers.
great ride. nice recap.
Posted by: kikz at May 15, 2008 3:20 PM
"Cattle mutilations are up..."
Posted by: MG at May 15, 2008 3:24 PM
This is one of the DVDs that Mr. McGee brought to the marriage. Since he also brought Contact, Frequency, and the second Mission Impossible to the marital assets, I have not watched Sneakers. I suppose I'll have to give it a chance now. Secretly, of course, while Mr. McGee is at work.
Posted by: Dangle McGee at May 15, 2008 3:24 PM
Ooh, my bad- sorry TK! I didn't even think twice about it, I guess because it's not a major plot point.
... and to think of all the times I've resented someone for spoiling.
Posted by: Lannie at May 15, 2008 3:25 PM
Too many secrets...
Posted by: Mike R. at May 15, 2008 3:27 PM
I love love love love love love love this movie. LOVE IT.
Posted by: Cady at May 15, 2008 3:27 PM
This was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid. I haven't seen it since I was probably 12 years old, and I've been meaning to watch it again for quite a while now. Thanks for the reminder.
Posted by: Claire at May 15, 2008 3:30 PM
I go to the doctor's and you're discussing SNEAKERS??!! TK, you are the fucking MAN.
:skips off to read the review:
Posted by: Julie at May 15, 2008 3:30 PM
This looks good, but to be honest, the wikipedia article about the origins of the "McGuffin" is just as interesting to me as seeing this movie. That is, if any of it is true.
Posted by: Joel D at May 15, 2008 3:32 PM
"MacGuffin", sorry, its been a long day
Posted by: Joel D at May 15, 2008 3:35 PM
Yes! Finally, someone else who loves this movie!
Posted by: idiosynchronic at May 15, 2008 3:35 PM
This is one of my all time favorite movies!
Posted by: Tereasa at May 15, 2008 3:35 PM
Speaking of underrated movies... The Tao of Steve, anyone? Stupid plot, but brilliant dialogue plus Donal Logue.
Anyway, I have loved Sneakers since I first saw at 12 years old. Every once in a while when I call a friend I am tempted to say "I leave message on service but you do not call" and just hand up. Only my brothers would get it, though. My friends just aren't nerdy enough.
Posted by: AM at May 15, 2008 3:37 PM
SNEAKERS!!!
This was my family's film for years. Great one liners. And my River Phoenix crush was in full flow... Remember "Be a beacon."
Posted by: CarpeJugulum at May 15, 2008 3:37 PM
It's full of the type of wry, laconic dialogue that makes the people on screen actually seem real. Bishop's team is like a mildly dysfunctional family
Such a great assessment of what makes this movie so amazing...they're so damned natural with each other that you can help but be sucked into their little family.
My favorite line reading, after Mother tells Marty about how slow he has to move in Cosmo's office: "You get all the fun stuff... "
I laugh my ass off every time, it's the look on Poitier's face when he says it.
Posted by: Julie at May 15, 2008 3:38 PM
Halle-fuckin-luia TK! I love you!
We have a pretty regular movie night round our apartment, and usually we're all on the same page, but sometimes we just can't decide. Someone wants and action movie, someone wants a comedy, someone else wants a drama. Whenever that happens we always end up on Sneakers.
We have come to dub it The Movie Everyone is Always in the Mood to Watch.
Posted by: Bistro at May 15, 2008 3:58 PM
always loved Sneakers. Thanks TK.
Posted by: wsapnin at May 15, 2008 4:03 PM
Such a crush on River Phoenix when I was young. Loved this film.
Posted by: bree at May 15, 2008 4:07 PM
I was in Germany in '97 with a couple of friends for a high school foreign exchange program the first time I saw this gem. Luckily it was still in English with German subtitles. There is no better heist/international caper flick to get you in the mood to run around former east Berlin.
Posted by: X at May 15, 2008 4:22 PM
I hadn't really thought of the Ocean's Eleven parallels until now.
Man I feel silly for not realizing that was David Strathairn. I loved the scene with the birds. I still go over bridges counting the thumps (Tappan Zee Bridge especially).
Posted by: Amanda47 at May 15, 2008 4:32 PM
My God, I adore this movie! TK, thank you for brightening my otherwise dreary-as-of-late existence by reminding me of this film! Onto the Amazon wishlist it goes!
"...My.Voice.Is.My.Passport?"
I've actually had some wonderful friendships born of that quote :)
Posted by: ShinyKate at May 15, 2008 4:34 PM
I love love LOVE this movie. There are not enough words. Poitier in particular is fantastic, but the whole cast is wonderful, and the result is a movie that's almost nothing but quotable dialogue.
"Try this--a buddy of mine sent this to me during Desert Storm. Of course, he was on the other side..."
This is one movie I wanted a sequel to, or (Godtopus help me) a TV series, since the premise would make a fantastic series. Trouble is, you'd never recreate what went into this film; I don't know of another ensemble that could carry it off as well.
Posted by: Snorklewacker at May 15, 2008 4:38 PM
Great choice here; this has been a favorite ever since it came out, and it's nice to see it get some love. Just when you think it can't get any better, ***** shows up ; )
Fun story: back in the mid 90s, my grandmother knew I loved this movie, so for my birthday she decided to get me the book (which doesn't actually exist, but she didn't know that). At the store she got "Sneakers" mixed up with "Sleepers", so at age 11 I got a novel about child molestation from my grandma. She really did mean well, I swear...
sorry Lance, edited for spoilers. I'm determined to keep it fresh for those who haven't seen it. - TK
Posted by: Lance at May 15, 2008 4:41 PM
Snorklewacker...
...that is the most glorious name ever. Typing it made my keyboard happy.
By the way, I should give credit where it is due - Julie, in a comment from way back, gave me the inspiration to pick this as a Gem. So thanks, Goollee. -TK
Posted by: Julie at May 15, 2008 4:45 PM
Love this movie. McDonnell has chemistry with Redford that not too many other actresses have managed. Plus, David Strathairn and Poitier who are always fascinating.
My favorite scene is the one in which the Scrabble game is going on while Whistler is playing around with The Box. Both sides come to realizations at the same time. Very fun.
Posted by: Louise at May 15, 2008 4:59 PM
Oooh! Ooooh! I would like to take a tiny, tiny bit of credit for this movie being chosen as an Underappreciated Gem.
If I recall correctly, it was during another Underappreciated Gem piece, for L.A. Confidential, wherein I commented on my love for David Straitharn, which got other Pajibans going on their love for him, which quickly led to his performance in Sneakers and how much Pajibans loved that/this movie.
And it was because of those comments, that I recently rented Sneakers--I was one of the few who actually saw it in the theatre when it came out--thanks Pajibans for the reminder! And I'm happy to see it getting attention as an Underappreciated Gem.
Consider yourself credited! - TK
Posted by: tamatha at May 15, 2008 5:08 PM
Glad Stephen Tobolowsky got a mention! Always a solid dork.
Posted by: slouchmonkey at May 15, 2008 5:14 PM
Eeeeee! I have found my people. Love the shit out of this movie. Note to self: unearth well worn VHS copy for mandatory viewing this evening.
Posted by: Kristen at May 15, 2008 5:14 PM
Exactly Tamatha, you were the catalyst. I went home and rewatched Sneakers that night, and I may just do so again tonight. After 30 Rock, of course :p
Posted by: Julie at May 15, 2008 5:15 PM
i love this movie. i can't believe i don't own it on DVD yet! i, too, count the grooves on the highway and try to hear the "cocktail party" when driving by large flocks of...what were they? geese? it's such a great cast; i don't remember what attracted me to the movie in the first place. i think i was going through a robert redford phase, but came out of the theater going through a david strathairn phase!
Posted by: kelley at May 15, 2008 5:37 PM
tamatha, i saw it in the theater too! It was tough talking high school freshman into seeing it so I saw it with my Dad. Dorky? Sure, but well worth it :)
This movie was also my first introduction to Sidney Poitier which may not have exactly the best introduction to his body of work, but you know.
"verify me."
Posted by: lilianna28 at May 15, 2008 5:45 PM
One of the great things about Sneakers is that you can easily find the DVD for around $5. Watta bah-gin!!!
The comparison to perfectly-cooked comfort food was spot-on.
Posted by: alone in the dark at May 15, 2008 5:56 PM
I love you people. This is one of my favorite movies, and I have to agree with Bistro that it's "The Movie Everyone is Always in the Mood to Watch." My parents and I could never agree on what movie to rent... except for Sneakers. So we rented Sneakers. Often. Like once every 6 weeks. And you know what? We never got sick of it. Dad was happy 'cause there was no swearing and almost no violence, Mom liked that it was funny, and I liked the whole caper aspect (I think Sneakers is what made me such a sucker for caper movies--even bad ones).
I saw this one in the theaters, too... I think I was like 10 or 11? Anyway, it's been a family favorite ever since. When I saw the review and went: "SQUEEEEE! OH MY GOD, SNEAKERS!", I found out that my husband has never seen nor heard of the movie. I then realized that it's one of the maybe 5 movies ever made that I do not own on DVD and I almost cried. I'm off to place my Amazon order now! Must have it. I actually don't think I've seen it since I moved out of my parents' house 8 years ago...
Posted by: AnnArrogance at May 15, 2008 6:05 PM
"Just remember to...go real slow!"
Love.
Posted by: hb at May 15, 2008 6:05 PM
Holy buckets I love Sneakers! No one else I know has seen it or heard of it. Dang! Clearly everyone in my life is fundamentally lacking.
Posted by: VeryKerry at May 15, 2008 6:13 PM
How about MY SOCRATES NOTE? No? COOTYS RAT SEMEN? Nah...
Posted by: rickdanger at May 15, 2008 6:31 PM
Wayne's World is bad?
Huh.
Yes. Yes it is. Go back and re-watch. That sumbitch doesn't hold up at all -TK
Posted by: Brett at May 15, 2008 6:35 PM
I love, love, love Sneakers - everyone was obviously having so much fun, and yet...Hey! Grownups!
Mary McDonnell brought the serious hott.
Posted by: Meander at May 15, 2008 6:46 PM
I imagine Dustin wrote the headline for this one too.
That is, of course, not a complaint.
HEY!. For your information, that headline is all me. -TK
Posted by: Jay at May 15, 2008 6:53 PM
However, my only complaint is that Timothy Busfield is credited with "The West Wing" and not "Revenge of the Nerds".
Cause....come on! That violin, man!!
Besides, I doubt either of us watched "thirtysomething" (though ogling of Melanie Mayron is the best reason to have done).
Posted by: Jay at May 15, 2008 7:04 PM
I LOVE YOU SNEAKERS
(just had to get that out)
Posted by: zh at May 15, 2008 7:06 PM
Man, it was such a happy accident that I ended up watching this movie a couple years ago, but I've now had it in my small at-college DVD collection ever since. It really is one of those movies that you can never not be in the mood to watch. Hooray for others recognizing the awesome!
Posted by: kalexal at May 15, 2008 8:18 PM
This is the one of the most enjoyable comment threads I have read in awhile! By the time I got through it, everything I wanted to contribute had already been expressed - especially the intense love for David Straitharn! How about a Pajiba series on Underappreciated Actors? He should be the first one featured!
Posted by: SCG at May 15, 2008 8:46 PM
Sweet Jesus, this is just a wonderful film. And this was a wonderful review. It's rare I read something so well written AND I agree with every word.
Posted by: Robert Sims at May 15, 2008 8:52 PM
Mr. Pink and I have a great shared affection for this movie (Probably one of the reasons we make such a rockin' couple.). "My voice is my passport. Verify me" and the bit about "Honorary blind man" are part of our marital language.
All the love overflowing for this awesome little flick has definitely solidified the notion that Pajibians are my people. My chosen people anyways.
Frakkin' killer review, TK
Posted by: Alabamapink at May 15, 2008 9:22 PM
This was the first and only movie I ever went to where my group was the only one in attendance. Smoking in the theater, drinking vodka and squirt, and a fan-freaking-tastic movie. It is still one of my favorite movie-going experiences.
Posted by: Soupysales at May 15, 2008 11:02 PM
I love that you love this. I adored this movie!!!
I travel a lot and every time someone asks for my passpost, I swear I hear her sexy voice in my head "passport...."
Good review, and thanks for the shout out to one of my fav character actors, David Strathairn.
Posted by: frogirl1978 at May 15, 2008 11:06 PM
Great choice! My best friend had a small role in the movie, so of course I watched it endlessly when it first came out. I totally agree with you, one of the best casts ever. David Strathairn in particular (one of the greatest actors of all time!).
Posted by: Kate at May 15, 2008 11:18 PM
Oh, freakin' sweet! It's on VOD on my U-Verse!!! Now I don't even need to wait until the Amazon box comes! SCORE.
Unfortunately, my husband is asleep. But I will watch it now and then force him to watch it with me Saturday afternoon. There will then be one less person in the world who has not experienced the gloriousness of this movie.
And I'm sorry, but all of you have forgotten the best line in the whole movie (well, after the cattle mutilations): "I cannot kill my friend. [turns to guards] Kill my friend."
Posted by: AnnArrogance at May 16, 2008 12:00 AM
I first saw this during the summer of 93 or 94 on HBO. Stupendous flick but considering that it came out before the time when geek was chic (couldn't help it, sorry) it didn't surprise me to find that it wasn't a major blockbuster.
Posted by: AngryLagomorph at May 16, 2008 1:17 AM
I was pulling Pentagon duty when this one came out, so I went with some buddies from the FBI and a friend from the CIA...we all loved it, the guy from the CIA (Heya Mike B.) kept ranting how accurate it was after the film ended. When a professional intelligence analyst likes your film, you must be getting something right. And casting ***** as the NSA heavy-hitter was a stroke of genius!
Posted by: Adam C at May 16, 2008 2:46 AM
I haven't seen this since I was about ten, and thus can't remember a thing about it. I'm going to have to revisit this one, based on the unreserved fawning going on here!
Posted by: Dill The Devil at May 16, 2008 3:57 AM
Excellent taste in films; saw this one when it came out, introduced my friends to it, and own it on DVD. I always consider knowing about this film to be one of those secret signs that You're a Cool Person.
(BTW, this remains one of Ben Kingsley's favorite roles, and he can still quote dialogue from it to this day.)
Posted by: John Seavey at May 16, 2008 6:44 AM
Okay, yeah, I forgot about Sneakers. It is a good movie, but you can't expect it to do better than a movie with the "classic" line:
"A sphincter says what?"
Posted by: JTG at May 16, 2008 8:04 AM
That was very good, TK. Remind me to make you an honorary blind person.
Some of my favorite non-spoiler quotes
"Tahiti is not in Europe."
"We're the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing."
"Di-SAS-ter"
Posted by: WestCoastPat at May 16, 2008 8:21 AM
As an ex-hacker who was working for a gov't agency at the time this movie came out, I can tell you that the technology in it, not surprisingly, is a complete load of crap.
Unfortunately that's about all I remember from watching it.
I should check it out again now that it probably won't annoy me as much.
Posted by: xxx at May 16, 2008 9:14 AM
One of the films that made me love film. Had a poster on my 11 yerar old wall and everything - next to the ones for Under Seige and Wayne's World as it happens.
Also a film I saw with me da, which makes it extra special - wow that review has brought up so many awesome memories - excuse me I must go buy that movie - or hopefully convince one of the librarians that the media department really needs it.
Posted by: PyD at May 16, 2008 9:16 AM
I forgot to mention yesterday what a great review this is TK. Really fabulous. The tone of the review does an excellent job of capturing the tone of the film. And I'm so glad to see the love that it's getting from the Pajibans
Posted by: tamatha at May 16, 2008 9:41 AM
I saw them on "S e e k i n g R i c h . c o m",too.Maybe they want to make more new
friends.You can contact them on that site.
Posted by: Nana at May 16, 2008 10:00 AM
TK, let me guess.... You watched the Mythbusters' "Crimes and and Mythdemeanors" show on Wednesday, and that was the inspiration for this review.
The Mythbusters crew had to sneak past a motion detector alarm and an infrared heat alarm. I turned to my husband and said, "All you have to do is move really slow and heat the room to body temperature. Duh. It was in that movie, Sneakers."
Posted by: melissa at May 16, 2008 10:01 AM
TK, thanks so much for reviewing this! I love Sneakers, and it also holds a special place in my marriage. My husband and I watched this on our first date, and have probably watched it 5-6 times since. We can never turn it off when we see it on TV. Awesome review!!
Posted by: jillster85 at May 16, 2008 10:17 AM
When i finally got a DVD player in late 99, early 2000, this was one of the first DVDs i bought. granted it was a bootleg (the actual release wasn't out yet i think) but still....what an amazing fucking movie! it also started me on my obsession with David Straithern (who clinched it as one of my favorite actors when he did Dolores Claiborne).
Posted by: Scott at May 16, 2008 11:11 AM
It's Aykroyd.Not ACKroyd.
Sigh. There's always one of you. -TK
Posted by: J at May 16, 2008 12:43 PM
Just sayin'!
Posted by: J at May 16, 2008 12:46 PM
While I agree with everything you said about Sneakers and was delighted to see this review, if I ever see you mention The Bodyguard and Wayne's World in the same sentence, I'll hunt you down like piss - poor dog you are. Seriously? Wayne's World was simply awful? You sir, are daft.
Posted by: M at May 16, 2008 1:31 PM
For giving props to the wonderful movie that is Sneakers I will forgive you for making me watch Dark City again (it was still crap).
I knew there was genius at work in this script when the camera cuts to a shot of Whistler (David Strathairn) reading a braille book. He needs to act on what he's been told, so he notes his place in the book, closes the cover, and we get to see what he's reading. You'll have to watch the movie to catch it, coz I'm not going to spoil one of the great sight (forgive me) gags of the 1990s.
This was the first time I'd seen Strathairn in a movie, and I didn't realize until later that he's not actually blind...
And the rest of the cast is equally good.
Props to Dan Akroyd for rocking a Tragically hip t-shirt through parts of the film.
And shout-outs to Stephen Tobolowsky who went from an all-business cop in Thelma and Louise to an uber-nerd in this movie in the space of one year!
Posted by: bud at May 16, 2008 2:44 PM
Ah Werner...
"Would you like to have breakfast tomorrow?"
"...sure."
"Should I call you or nudge you?"
Skeevy.
Posted by: Julie at May 16, 2008 2:46 PM
"My name. is. Werner Brandeis. My voice. Is my. Passport. Please. Verify. Me."
from memory.
Also: julie from above: very skeevy!
Posted by: bud at May 16, 2008 3:37 PM
what a wonderful review! my mom was watching this the other night and I was pleasantly reminded of how much I dug this movie. thanks for a further reminder.
Posted by: melissa at May 16, 2008 5:00 PM
Re: "Wayne's World being simply awful."
Talk about revisionist history. Just because it's oh so hip and with it and chic and cool to rip Mike Myers to shreds now, when Wayne's World came out he and Dana Carve were the hip and cool and with it thing, even for all of the hipster doofuses assholes, including all y'all here at Pajiba.
Just because a performing artists current work is bad or horrible doesn't retroactively render all of their previous work uncool and stupid and trash.
It just doesn't work that way.
Fair enough, Ben. There's a thread of sense through your comment. I will concede that I LOVED WW world when it came out. I also loved to pleat my pants at one point. And dye my hair funny colors. Tastes change, as do perceptions. I've seen WW recently, and frankly, I hated it. Not because Myers is a douchebag (though he is), but simply because I see the movie differently than I did as a friggin' teenager. I'd be stunned if everyone still loved what they loved 16 years ago. -TK
Posted by: Ben at May 16, 2008 5:23 PM
Sorry, bud, but there's no 'Please' in Werner's pass-phrase. And you missed a 'Hi' at the beginning. Other than that, spot on!
Posted by: rickdanger at May 16, 2008 5:29 PM
LOVE this movie (and the score). Not sure if it counts as a spoiler, so I'm playing it safe, but anytime I had a project that required a password I used the one from this movie. Nobody ever got the reference - they just thought I was being subversive.
Posted by: hanna at May 16, 2008 6:09 PM
Damn it posted before I was finished.
Having seen Wayne's World recently, it doesn't hold up well at all, and the self-awareness is overly smarmy and snarky.
As for loving what they loved 16 years ago, I still ove The Beatles, and Guns N' Roses and I guarantee you there are millions of people who still love Star Wars 30 years after the fact. Yeah, they may not like the Special edition of Star Wars and they may loathe the prequels, but they still love A New Hope.
Posted by: Ben at May 16, 2008 6:52 PM
"Can you guarantee my safety?!"
Own this film. Love sharing it with newbies.
Posted by: Drew at May 16, 2008 9:29 PM
In the last month, 3 different people have told me how much they love Sneakers. I have the feeling it's turning into a cult film -- deservedly so! Thanks for the great review.
Posted by: cabri at May 17, 2008 3:29 AM
def. one of my top 10 movies ever...I have the whole thing memorized but still reading this review makes me want to go watch it again. Boustrous! "If you love him...if you really love him...then just keep on loving him. And never let him know -- what he thinks you don't know -- that you know what you know. You know?"
Posted by: eliza at May 18, 2008 12:47 PM
I saw this opening night in Austin with a bunch of hacker types. There was open laughter at some of the tech, but everyone LOVED the movie. I did, too!
Posted by: Darlene at May 19, 2008 10:10 AM
been at a convention, so WAY late to the game, but I just have to say
I
LOVE
THIS
MOVIE!
this is what the Boy and I were watching the night we first hooked up, but we still watched the whole damn thing
that right there should prove how good it is
our VHS is way worn out and it is probably about time we bought the DVD
great review TK!
Posted by: Bethy at May 19, 2008 11:01 AM
I rented this sight unseen yesterday based solely on this glowing review and because normally Pajiba is always right about everything. What a mistake. This is a TERRIBLE, boring, predictable mess. The NY Times review says it best:
"Sneakers" is jokey without being funny, breathless without creating suspense, in part because of the feeble plot. Any 11-year-old film buff will be ahead of its revelations. The characters are more often described by the dialogue than they are defined by what they do. The two exceptions are the fellows played by Mr. Strathairn, who is blind and has developed phenomenal hearing skills, and Mr. Phoenix, who is easily identifiable because he is so much younger than anyone else in the movie.
The performances are generally quite bad. Among other things that date "Sneakers" is its abiding faith in technology. Everything in the movie works perfectly, the fancy electronic surveillance equipment, the voice-identifiers, the computers, the little black box. Nothing crashes except the movie.
http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9E0CE6D6103EF93AA3575AC0A964958260&partner=Rotten%20Tomatoes&oref=login
Posted by: Seattlest Hater at May 19, 2008 4:05 PM