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No consensus yet.
All Critics (14) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (10) | Rotten (4)
[Larry] Cohen cannily mixes social satire and genre twists in his clever screenplay of an unlikely friendship between two men with more history than they realize... May 22, 2016 | Full Review…
[Larry] Cohen cannily mixes social satire and genre twists in his clever screenplay of an unlikely friendship between two men with more history than they realize...
Sean Axmaker
Ingenious big city cop film. Apr 7, 2016 | Rating: B | Full Review…
Ingenious big city cop film.
Dennis Schwartz
Best Seller wouldn't amount to much without Woods' foul, sadistic, gleefully profane edge. Mar 30, 2015 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
Best Seller wouldn't amount to much without Woods' foul, sadistic, gleefully profane edge.
Scott Tobias
Concentrate(s) on character interactions, shootouts, and chases, with things like plot and motivation taking a back seat. The slick, 1980s design does the rest. Mar 27, 2015 | Full Review…
Concentrate(s) on character interactions, shootouts, and chases, with things like plot and motivation taking a back seat. The slick, 1980s design does the rest.
Jeffrey M. Anderson
A knockout. An intense, imaginative and exciting multilayered thriller. Woods and Dennehy are both outstanding. One of the unsung great movies of the 1980s. Oct 8, 2005 | Rating: 5/5
A knockout. An intense, imaginative and exciting multilayered thriller. Woods and Dennehy are both outstanding. One of the unsung great movies of the 1980s.
Chuck O'Leary
One of the edgiest, most suspenseful thrillers of the 1980's....Woods is amazing Mar 31, 2005 | Rating: 3/5
One of the edgiest, most suspenseful thrillers of the 1980's....Woods is amazing
Clint Morris
This Best Seller is a fabulous read...slick, taut, and involving. Woods and Dennehy make for an unconventional crime-chasing pair. May 31, 2003 | Rating: 4/5
This Best Seller is a fabulous read...slick, taut, and involving. Woods and Dennehy make for an unconventional crime-chasing pair.
Frank Ochieng
The two leads make Best Seller easy to sit through, but the wandering script by Larry Cohen and the dreary pacing offered by director John Flynn sink what could have been a can't-miss b-movie hoot. Feb 21, 2003 | Rating: 65/100
The two leads make Best Seller easy to sit through, but the wandering script by Larry Cohen and the dreary pacing offered by director John Flynn sink what could have been a can't-miss b-movie hoot.
Scott Weinberg
Best Seller is a stunning well crafted dramatic thriller that boasts a strong cast and great directing from director John Flynn. James Woods gives a blistering performance as Cleve a contract killer who tells his story to Dennis Meechum, a cop and true crime author. Meechum is also very well acted by Brian Dennehy. This is a well constructed film that is highly engaging from start to finish. The plot is very engaging and in the end it delivers a cat and mouse angle to the plot which is riveting. James Woods' performance alone makes this film worth seeing and he is simply psychotic with a certain charm that adds a lot to the film. Of course the film could have been better and it does fall flat in a few areas. For the most part however, Best Seller is a very good picture that showcases two standout actors at their best. I really liked the conflict that Dennehy brought to the role as he tries to balance the author and the cop part of himself. Best Seller has its flaws, but due to a very good script, it manages to overcome its shortcomings and deliver something quite memorable. This is a film that didn't deserve the flack it has received and it is one of the better dramatic thrillers of the latter half of the 1980's. Best Seller is a film worth checking out and is definitely a film that the critics were wrong about. The performances are great and with that being said, it's what makes this one standout above other movies in this caliber. Don't believe the critics, if you love James Woods, you'll surely enjoy this. Far from perfect, but it is nonetheless a well constructed picture that will grab your attention from the first frame onwards.
Super Reviewer
Another underrated gem from the 80s.
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