An intriguing blending of genre tropes, from noir to romance to comedy into a drama that is both unique and utterly conventional. The parts have all been done before and the whole is often underwhelming, but there's an undercurrent of a life of hopes and opportunities seized and lost that makes something out of all the pieces.

Lancaster gives what may be his best performance as an aging gangster gofer who romanticizes the old mob days and inflates his own part in their history. The low-key direction and taut, pointed screenplay played out against the backdrop of a dying city combine to make this a genuinely moving, elegaic film.

I can appreciate the ending and most of the early bits, but as soon as these characters got fleshed out, my interest sank. A rare disappointment from Malle.

I appreciate the depth of character here, and the show-don't-tell attitude of the whole film; it's a good story and I tend to like this type of drama. On the other hand, I found Lou to be a totally unappealing if not downright icky person, so following him around for 90 minutes wasn't an all-around terrific deal. Some of the writing is just plain weird, too, and somewhat sexist, with Sarandon and her sensual lemon ritual, the incredibly stupid sister, the bedridden nagging lady...

One usually expects movies of this ilk to be darker and hard-edged. This is Louis Malle however, so it's accordingly soft and reserved, and Lancaster plays his withered old man role nicely. Despite these admirable qualities, this came off as terribly unremarkable. Many of the characters are generalizations who lack necessary, sympathetic details. Their connections to each other are tenuous, and consequently I found myself struggling to care.

An interesting film for various reasons. Burt is phenomenal.

So boring. Looks terrible, the actors feel miscast, one dimensional characters, etc. It's called Atlantic City but really it could've been set anywhere and the story would be exactly the same. Has a lot of subplots that don't really ever go anywhere too. Enjoyed Sarandon's titties though.

Wonderful drama, with a sublime Lancaster as ageing gangster looking for final redemption; Sarandon matches him as local woman yearning to break free. Malle assembles the film using Altman-esque overlapping dialogue and scenes in the first half which gives a marvellous sense of the community, while gradually dragging all threads together for a quietly moving second half and finale. Love Goulet's cameo, and supporting cast (especially Reid) breathe life into a colourful array of characters.

83.250

I loved it.

A crime thriller/romantic drama, a little lackluster but redeemed by its heartfelt, bittersweet ending. Burt Lancaster is terrific as the delusional, wannabe big-shot... Susan Sarandon is merely passable, but she's saddled with an inconsistent, poorly-defined character. It's rather amusing that Wallace Shawn plays a waiter here, and a diner in Malle's next film (My Dinner With Andre).

# 830

Just outstanding

Unheralded gem. Burt Lancaster does a perfect parody on Burt Lancaster. Opening scenes set the stage well.

Not bad. As a drama it's presented in a way that's rather easily digestible - it's not the subtlest or most nuanced film around, there aren't a lot of dimensions to the protagonists emotionally... but it's not as ham-handed as to be unenjoyable, like most American dramas are. The story itself is fairly interesting, and in the bottom line, I recommend it as a somewhat light drama if you're up for that.

Out of this elegiac comedy on Old Age and the Changing Times, Lancaster's fans ought to get the same sort of sentimental tingles that John Wayne's got from _True Grit_. The sentimentality of Guare's script is alleviated not so much by the occasional touches of absurdism, which occasionally become touches of just plain silliness, but by the solid, old-fashioned craftsmanship. And Malle brings an always tasteful eye to an environment that entices and encourages a vulgar one.

749

Malle's film is about the ways in the which the glimmers of remaining light at the end of the day can lure the most desperate into believing it's actually the unexpected emergence of a new dawn. Malle keeps it all grounded as the people onscreen go through the motions against the backdrop of a city marked by crumbling vestiges of brighter, bolder times. The seediness of the film is overpowering and genuine, the perfect visual manifestation of the crumbling existence of the main character.

A peculiar dramedy hybrid. The stabs at humor often seemed pretty lame (especially at the beginning). The two leads very good throughout. Poor Burt is living upstairs from Ernestine Borgnine in this one. Joy is miscast (and rather inept). Not sure I got the point of the finale...was it some sort of spoof of a Hollywood ending? On the whole, the film seemed rather slight. Much ado about...something.

Elegiac character drama which often achieves the mood it seeks but on the whole remains too understated for its own good.

Okay Movie

Great role for the great Burt Lancaster. Very realistic crime drama. Strongly recommended.

I remember this being almost aggressively meh. I should probably watch it again -- now knowing who Malle is -- and observe as my opinion of the film wildly transforms into one of an intense appreciation of social subtlety. *self sigh*

A cogently sorrowful drama from Malle, undressing the dark and drab realities of a supposedly glamorous capitalism through a thoughtful portrait of a nostalgic, caring, but ultimately "lost" protagonist, doomed by his own twisted view of fame and manhood. Although too restless, the camerawork manage to establish an effective sense of claustrophobia, focusing on the desperation of the character through some touchy-feely close-ups and curious use of zoom-ins. Beautiful stuff.