CommentsXp
Best movie ever!
KnotStronger
This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.
Married Baby
Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?
runamokprods
"Death of a Salesman" meets "Glengarry Glenn Ross" on acid, this portrait of the empty, horrible life of door-to-door selling was made on the cheap in 20 days for the BBC. It has Boyle's characteristic energy, and playful eye and a great, if occasionally over-the-top performance by Timothy Spall as a salesman brilliant at his craft if without a shred or morality or self-worth left, along with a solid performance by Michael Begley as the young 'rookie' assigned to apprentice with Spall. All that good stuff said, I just wish this was deeper. It's dark, certainly, but there's a certain familiarity and even glibness to it's manic attack on capitalism. Enjoyable, fun, sad, but it feels like inside this good movie was a great one looking to get out.
MisterWhiplash
Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise - isn't that one of those rare titles for a movie that you just have to ponder over for a little while, like Duck You Sucker! or Pillow of Death? If the movie doesn't quite live up to the its title like 'Sucker' did or 'Pillow' definitely did not, then it's to director Danny Boyle's credit that he keeps it moving fast and maniacally but with his own kind of sensitivity to the characters that doesn't make us see them as too pathetic or too "out-there" to care. He also films this story of a wannabe DJ working as a vacuum salesman (Michael Begley), paired as a rookie with the veteran/hard-bitten and ranting and raving man (Timothy Spall) who could definitely tangle with Alec Baldwin in Glegarry Glen Ross to see who wins out in selling something to a reluctant or just not-there customer, like it's a movie on the run for $100.In a way that makes it an amazingly brash affair in a good way; we see these guys in their car or Spall making a sale or just Begley at home freaking out when his girlfriend leaves him as if it's all candid or on the run. He shoots with several little cameras in a car or shoots with a dirty filter in a dance hall, and if one has seen Slumdog Millionaire or 28 Days Later you may notice a similar lucid insanity (if that makes sense) of style. In another way it can be distracting to the actual plot, or whatever of it there is, but he thankfully allows his actors to take over much of the control throughout.While Begley, a British TV actor I've never seen before and may not see again, was very good in that fresh-faced "what-is-this-world" perspective (with a breathless freak-out after finding a dead body that is priceless), it's Timothy Spall's show. An actor who's been in plenty of Mike Leigh films and some big blockbusters like Harry Potter, Spall imbues his character with purpose and drive and a deliberate knack for getting people with him killed while driving, playing outrageously simply and funny motivation tapes with hardcore music and "Sell! Sell! F***ing Sell!" blasting away, and acting totally out of control but devilishly in control at the same time. It's remarkable work considering it's just a TV movie, but any moment he's on screen, especially those last moments that (un)intentionally echo La Strada, you can't look away for the better.
maryturzillo
I just finished watching this movie with my husband, and it was a real mind-bender. We both loved Timothy Spall, and the other characters were also divinely funny. De Kid was a special treat. Jim Cartwright? Wow. I am astonished at how Spall managed to maintain that level of demonic energy. Oh my word what completely bizarre stuff: dead old ladies by candlelight, tragic scenes played in underpants and cat ears, shagging a woman to get her to buy a vacuum cleaner. The opening alone was worth ten times the rental cost! The totally disgusted, annoyed stripper dancing to a dying man: "All right! You want me to take off my bra!" I see the only other critic here didn't like it, and I'm not sure why. Tastes vary, and I do admit I like things that are a little different. Scratch that: I like things that are a lot different!
cameron_au
This is a new favourite of mine. Timothy Spall's Tommy Ragg was brilliantly repulsive and hilarious to watch, while Pete swayed violently from being in awe of his mentor's drive for a sale, to wet-yourself fear of his driving skills. Two very convincing portrayals of two very bizarre characters - one incredibly foul and the other oddly likable. I watched it with my brother and we cacked ourselves. It's great.
