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American Buffalo

Play trailer Poster for American Buffalo R 1996 1h 28m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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72% Tomatometer 25 Reviews 45% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Pawn shop owner Don (Dennis Franz) discovers that a rare coin he has just sold for next to nothing is actually worth a small fortune, so he enlists his loyal teen employee, Bobby (Sean Nelson), to help him get the item back. Unfortunately, it now sits in another store, and the men will have to stage a holdup in order to retrieve it. Don's loser pal, Teach (Dustin Hoffman), believes he can make the heist work and talks his way into joining the scheme, but Don starts to get nervous about the plan.

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American Buffalo

American Buffalo

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Critics Consensus

It lacks the dynamism of other adaptations of his work, but American Buffalo still offers the tenacious characterizations and hard-hitting dialogue that are hallmarks of David Mamet's writing.

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Critics Reviews

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Daniel M. Kimmel Variety Apr 29, 2005
A three-character, one-set chamber piece, pic lacks the bravura moments of the film version of the playwright's Glengarry Glen Ross Go to Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Jan 1, 2000
2.5/4
Because the film never really brings to life its inner secrets, it seems leisurely, and toward the end, it seems long. Go to Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews Oct 2, 2025
2/4
...predominantly comes off as a persistently lackluster endeavor that confirms some plays just aren’t suited to the silver screen. Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Oct 1, 2010
C+
Dustin Hoffman channels his Ratso Rizzo character from the 1969 Midnight Cowboy. Go to Full Review Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault Jul 23, 2007
B
Mesmerized by the trademark Mamet gutter poetry, Corrente directs unobtrusively and respectfully. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Feb 12, 2007
C
In this overly theatrical version, Hoffman gives a mediocre performance in a role that Al Pacino excelled with on stage. Failing to open up Mamet's play, confined to one locale--a junk store--the film is claustropobhic and dull, lacking emotional payoff Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Zee S @ZeeSal74 Mar 21, 2026 2.5 Hours I'll never get back. Didn't like Dustin's performance, storyline was all over the place. Not many movies make me feel frustrated - This did! See more Jelisije J @jjosifovic Jan 4, 2026 A film that is carried by its two leads starring Dustin Hoffman and Dennis Franz trying to earn one big score to make the big bucks where loyalty, friendship, and business are discussed and tested basically in one singular setting. See more alan g @agenser Dec 20, 2024 Waste of David Mamet. Godot it is not. Dustbin Hoffman is his usual horrible self. He is a long wayfrom "the graduate". See more Shioka O @RT54204327 Dec 10, 2022 I didn't follow after 15 min because nothing happen. Considering the fairly short running time, 1h28m, something should happen in the beginning. See more Jan 26, 2022 "En attendant Godot…" It's from a theatrical piece and you can feel it. Better on stage I suppose, it gets boring at some point when you start to get the message, then the end is not unpleasant but it lacks of energy and something new that cinematography could have brought to this. See more Jeffrey P @vanillavoodoo1 Jan 23, 2022 The fact that this was not off putting with as much dialogue as there was, is an achievement in and of itself. There's so much dialogue that it's almost impossible to not get lost or lose track of what it is they are talking about, but it still managed to not lose my attention. The end, however, left a lot to be desired. I can see why the critics like it, and I can see why audiences... not so much. If one watches alot of movies they'll probably enjoy it enough to give it passing marks, if they don't then they will possibly hate it. See more Read all reviews
American Buffalo

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Cast & Crew

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Michael Corrente

Director

Dustin Hoffman

Walt 'Teach' Teacher

Dennis Franz

Don 'Donny' Dubrow

Sean Nelson

Bob

David Mamet

Writer

John Sloss

Executive Producer

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American Buffalo

American Buffalo (1996) American Buffalo (1996) American Buffalo (1996) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Pawn shop owner Don (Dennis Franz) discovers that a rare coin he has just sold for next to nothing is actually worth a small fortune, so he enlists his loyal teen employee, Bobby (Sean Nelson), to help him get the item back. Unfortunately, it now sits in another store, and the men will have to stage a holdup in order to retrieve it. Don's loser pal, Teach (Dustin Hoffman), believes he can make the heist work and talks his way into joining the scheme, but Don starts to get nervous about the plan.
Director
Michael Corrente
Producer
Gregory Mosher
Screenwriter
David Mamet
Distributor
Samuel Goldwyn Company, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co
Punch Productions, Samuel Goldwyn Company
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 13, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 14, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$632.1K
Runtime
1h 28m
Sound Mix
Surround
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