Mamet: Playwright or Film Dabbler

[K. M. Kirby]

Mamet, the memorable playwright, seems intent on ruining his good name by trying his hand at the task of film direction. Missing somewhere between Malle and Mankiewicz on best-of lists, his mechanistic lack of style has led from big productions to the dregs of direct-to-cable sensationalism. It's somewhat interesting that this particular filmmaker cares not whose toes will be trodden upon by this latest slander fest:

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The true psychology of his latest subject will almost certainly be sullied by attempts to portray some sort of sort of normal guy, rather than the suicidal drinkard, whose wild and antisocial behavior earned notoreity rather than an upstanding image.

[Steve Evil]

Why try and make a fictional character less interesting than their living alter ego?

[Lori Koonce]

Well, when it comes to the living, isn't the whole idea of fiction showing what may have been and not what is.

If Mamet wanted to show him as he IS don't ya think he'd be making a documentary?

[Chuck Messer]

Yes, but that would be...what's the technical term here...a GOOD movie.

And we can't have that, now can we?

Chuck

[K. M. Kirby]

The thing about it is, Mamet's talents do stand out in the crowded market. It seems unlikely, to me anyway, that he actually believes the "Aging B-girl Suicide Theory" but, in the view of his imagined audience, all we have now is a superstar mix-board jockey languishing in a cell, another victim of the System's evil machinations.

Perhaps it's all just a metaphor for life in general. Try to pull the unregistered .38 of The Rich from out your mouth -- and watch what happens. In the end, the cops will have no other choice but to help wipe the fingerprints off and get back to their suckling.