5.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Joey O'Brien is the stereotypical car salesman: enterprising, aggressive, and desperate to make enough money to spend on his high-maintenance girlfriends. But suddenly the pressure is really on: he owes money to the mob, his ex-wife is nagging him about not spending enough time with their teenage daughter, and if he doesn't sell at least a dozen cars by the time the big sale is over on Saturday, he's going to lose his job. As Joey attempts to placate several potential buyers, his day is interrupted by Larry, the insanely jealous husband of dimwitted showroom receptionist, who's been having an affair with someone who works at the dealership. With the police surrounding the place, his job (and life) on the line, Joey realizes that it's up to him to use his wits to persuade Larry not to kill anyone.
Starring: Robin Williams, Tim Robbins, Pamela Reed, Fran Drescher, Zack NormanComedy | 100% |
Crime | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.84:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
The cruel reality is that while Robin Williams was a brilliant performer, arguably one of the funniest men around, his taste in film scripts left much to be desired. We all have fond memories of “Aladdin,” “Good Will Hunting,” and “Good Morning, Vietnam,” but 1990’s “Cadillac Man” is an excellent reminder that Williams couldn’t always spin gold from lackluster writing, starring in what seems to be some type of madcap hostage comedy, but mostly emerges as an unfunny, unfocused mess, and one that’s depending on the lead actor to do some heavy lifting in the joke department. Perhaps director Roger Donaldson was looking for a change of pace after achieving more sobering box office hits with “No Way Out” and “Cocktail,” but he’s not the guy for levity, keeping “Cadillac Man” frustratingly muted when it comes to punchlines and inspired insanity, gifting the feature a sense of darkness that’s all wrong for the manic mischief it’s hoping to communicate.
The AVC encoded image (1.84:1 aspect ratio) presentation is a fairly flat look at the limited scope of "Cadillac Man," employing an older master to bring the picture to Blu-ray. Softness is common, but detail emerges with sweaty close-ups, getting an adequate look at the age of the actors and their individual expressions of panic. Dealership interiors retain decoration and distances. Colors are slightly muted, missing period snap, especially with costuming efforts, which offer merely passable hues. Skintones are too pink at times. Delineation isn't challenged in full with the daylight movie, but remain satisfactory. Source is in fine condition, without any pronounced points of damage.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix offers a basic listening experience, putting emphasis on dialogue exchanges, which range from carefully worded salesmanship to all-out chaos when the hostage situation takes over. Nothing is lost in the commotion, with defined performances supporting comedic efforts. Scoring isn't remarkable, but it handles acceptably, delivering mild instrumentation and amplification for suspense sequences. Sound effects are sharp, giving shattering glass and gunfire some life. Atmospherics are clear, surveying the mounting police presence and bustle inside the dealership.
There are a few oddities in "Cadillac Man" that pull attention away from the story. The most befuddling choice from Donaldson is to include Joey's inner monologue as a way to understand his thought process without the need for spoken exposition. However, there are a few moments where Williams breaks the fourth wall in-character, as though Joey is being followed by a documentary crew. Perhaps this was a bad idea abandoned early on, but it remains in the film, adding to the confusing tone of the picture, which always plays like it wants to be a lot zanier than it actually is. Some fumbled storytelling ideas don't exclusively tank "Cadillac Man," but they add a disorientation to the viewing experience that's already crippled by poor direction and feeble screenwriting. It's certainly not the worst movie Robin Williams has made, but it remains a deflating reminder that he was always better than a projects he often picked for himself.
2009
Extended Edition
2010
1997
1993
2013
Warner Archive Collection
1990
2001
Jane Austen's Mafia!
1998
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1989
1989
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