I just got done watching The Spanish Prisoner on video and, while there is a lot to like about certain aspects of the film, I found that the plot had just a few too many holes in it and the pacing and direction were uneven.
I enjoyed the performance of Campbell Scott as Joe Ross, the lead character. His character was subdued, but with something of an edge that you couldn't quite put your finger on. I also found that the twists and turns of the various plot devices were somewhat clever, but this was also the movie's Achilles heel. Without giving any plot devices away, there is simply NO WAY that even the most sophisticated organization could run such an elaborate con game. For every step that they would have to manipulate our Hero to, there are many potential problems that would crop up, and there are many contingency plans that would have to be developed. You would have to plan to have all the necessary people and resources available to achieve all your goals at every step of the way. For this plan to work the CIA and FBI combined couldn't have done the job. For the plot to work, you have to believe that Joe Ross would ABSOLUTELY make ONE particular decision at each juncture. If he makes any other decision (for example, he decides to even glance casually at the "Club Membership" agreement instead of just blindly signing it) then the entire plot falls apart.
I'm led to believe, by reading external reviews, that this is supposed to be a well made, film-noir movie and that the characters are meant to talk..in..measured..staccato..deliberate..voices. I found that annoying. That's not how people talk, and it takes my attention away from what they're saying.
The direction was peculiar in a number of instances. For example, some scenes were believable, following from events that came before. Others seemed out of place, as though inserted as an afterthought, the ambiance wholly different from the scenes before or after it.
Hey, I like mystery/thriller/con movies as much as anyone, and I liked this one (a little bit). But creating a successful con game for such a movie is a difficult job, yet it's the most important part of the movie. Mamet didn't quite develop his con game enough so, on a scale of 1-10, I'd give "The Spanish Prisoner" a 3.
I enjoyed the performance of Campbell Scott as Joe Ross, the lead character. His character was subdued, but with something of an edge that you couldn't quite put your finger on. I also found that the twists and turns of the various plot devices were somewhat clever, but this was also the movie's Achilles heel. Without giving any plot devices away, there is simply NO WAY that even the most sophisticated organization could run such an elaborate con game. For every step that they would have to manipulate our Hero to, there are many potential problems that would crop up, and there are many contingency plans that would have to be developed. You would have to plan to have all the necessary people and resources available to achieve all your goals at every step of the way. For this plan to work the CIA and FBI combined couldn't have done the job. For the plot to work, you have to believe that Joe Ross would ABSOLUTELY make ONE particular decision at each juncture. If he makes any other decision (for example, he decides to even glance casually at the "Club Membership" agreement instead of just blindly signing it) then the entire plot falls apart.
I'm led to believe, by reading external reviews, that this is supposed to be a well made, film-noir movie and that the characters are meant to talk..in..measured..staccato..deliberate..voices. I found that annoying. That's not how people talk, and it takes my attention away from what they're saying.
The direction was peculiar in a number of instances. For example, some scenes were believable, following from events that came before. Others seemed out of place, as though inserted as an afterthought, the ambiance wholly different from the scenes before or after it.
Hey, I like mystery/thriller/con movies as much as anyone, and I liked this one (a little bit). But creating a successful con game for such a movie is a difficult job, yet it's the most important part of the movie. Mamet didn't quite develop his con game enough so, on a scale of 1-10, I'd give "The Spanish Prisoner" a 3.