Atlantic City

Review #93
Canadian Film Development Corporation, 1980
Mov No. 10157
Genre: Crime Drama
Rated: R
Directed by: Louis Malle
Staring: Burt Lancaster, Susan Sarandon, Kate Reid
Oscars: 5 nominations (Picture, lead actor (Burt Lancaster), lead actress (Susan Sarandon), director,
original screenplay)
AFI 100 years, 100 _____ tributes: None
Runtime: 1h 44min
Best quote: "Yes, Atlantic City used to be beautiful- what with the rackets, whoring, guns..." - Lou

Lou (Burt Lancaster), a small time numbers man, lives across the hall from a very attractive woman, Sally (Susan Sarandon), with whom he is infatuated with. He stares at sally through his window often... some times for minutes on end. He just can't get enough of her.

Unexpectidly one day, Sally's husband and sister show up at the casino she works at. They want a place to hang out for a while. Trouble is, Sally's brother stole some cocain from a drop site, and must get ride of it.

Lou quickly makes friends with Sally's brother, Jospeh, only to get closer to what he really wants. He quickly realizes that the brother is trouble, and can only watch as joseph is murdered to get the stolen drugs back.

Stealing the drugs for himself, Lou sells part of them for a high price: $4,000. He uses the money he makes to try to woo Sally in her time of distress, first by sending the body home to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada, and then by sending roses to the deceased's family.

Things really heat up when Joseph's murderers learn that Lou has drugs, and they will stop at nothing to get them back...

Personal Comments

I thought Burt Lancaster was exceptional in Atlantic City. He really was. He plays the part calm and cool; never too stif and never too loose.

Likewise, Susan Sarandon was great chemistry for Lancaster. I saw shades of Sigourney Weaver from Ghostbusters in her role (or maybe shades of Sarandon in weaver's role?)

Atlantic City is quirly little film, and the best part of all is that it is a Canadian film!!

Plot:

Visual Effects:
Few visual effects shots, but cinematography is top notch.

Sound:
Very little score was used in Atlantic City; what was there was good. But on the other hand, you have got to love Robert Goulet's singing.

Character Development:

Atmosphere:
Fairly easy to get into.

Realism:
Fairly un-Hollywoodized, which is a quality that makes any good movie even better.

Warren’s Rating:

Movies it was nominated with for Best Picture:
*Chariots of Fire; On Golden Pond; Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark; Reds

FINAL RATING

Is the movie worth your time to watch?

29-5-04