
Jerry and Tom
1998, Crime/Drama, 1h 46m
8 Reviews 250+ RatingsYou might also like
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Cast & Crew
Tom
Jerry
Billy
The Guy Who Loved Vicki
Vic
Karl
Critic Reviews for Jerry and Tom
Audience Reviews for Jerry and Tom
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Jul 19, 2014I think this movie, while not great, certainly blends Tarantino-style dialogue with Scorsese execution. In many ways this is like watching a more modest and smaller version of GoodFellas. Neither Jerry or Tom are really that far up on the mob ladder, they're really two-bit hitmen. The story is deceptively simple, Tom brings Jerry into their business. At first Jerry is apprehensive and nervous about doing a job. As time progresses, Jerry becomes a little too reckless and cocky for his own good, so Tom has to rein him in, to keep both Jerry and himself safe and out of trouble. Simple enough. Problem is the film feels more like a series of skits than a full-fledged narrative. Yes, Jerry does go through a change and his change from nervous rookie to ruthless killer is the thread that's holding all of this together, but it's not great. It's just barely a narrative. Thankfully, the dialogue, which feels like something out of a Tarantino movie, is very good and Sam Rockwell and Joe Mantegna have great chemistry together. That certainly makes the film's structure a little more tolerable and I do find the script really well-written, with plenty of clever lines, but I don't think that the movie is probably as fully realized as it could've been. I can imagine everybody raving after reading this script for the first time. Maybe not raving vociferously, but definitely feeling very positive about it. It doesn't come that way on screen unfortunately. I don't blame the script, I don't even blame the treatment itself, but it just didn't come together as well as it could've. Still this was a good, solid movie with great dialogue and good acting, these elements just don't come together to make a great film.
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Dec 04, 2011"Jerry and Tom" is a wholly unknown work of cohesive directorial vision, showing us independent cinema at its absolute best. The director, Saul Rubinek, exhibits a largely unexpected amount of talent. Scenes will transition from one setting to another without cutting a single time, blending perfectly together. It's utterly magnificent and will no doubt leave you in question. As for the acting, Mantegna and Rockwell are great and funny in their lead roles and the supporting cast is phenomenal as well. I only had a problem with the flashbacks, which I could've done without, but overall, I was pleasantly surprised. The mood was just right and most of the violence was kept off-screen. You got wonder why the best films are the ones that no ones ever heard of, but that's a good thing. Movie lovers tend to feel accomplished when they find a hidden gem. I know I do.
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Aug 12, 2011Though often funny as a black comedy, with stylish direction and a great visual sense, it lacks a narrative and back story befitting of the actors involved. I loved both Sam Rockwell and Joe Mategna in it, but it was hard to relate to either of them with the unorthodox shifts in scenes and time, which did look good but sometimes gave the film an overall disjointed feel. Certainly unique enough to make it worth checking out.
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Oct 06, 2009Sadly overlooked film about an older hitman teaching a younger hitman the ropes. Saul Rubinek's direction is impressive, and very visual considering he is an actor. It brings to mind George Clooney's debut as director, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (oddly enough, also starring Rockwell). Scenes blend in and out of each other and some of the transitions between scenes will leave you scratching your head wondering just how they did that. And talk about an all star cast. Mantegna and Rockwell are predictably amazing in the lead roles, but Ted Danson, William H. Macy and everyone else does fantastic jobs in supporting roles. A constantly entertaining watch that leaves me scratching my head wondering why it doesn't have some sort of fanbase.Christopher B Super Reviewer
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