Things Change (1988)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

David Mamet

Writers (WGA):

David Mamet (written by) &
Shel Silverstein (written by)

Release Date:

21 October 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Dealing with the mob is always a gamble.

Plot:

Gino, an Italian-American shoe-shiner with a remarkable similarity to a certain mafia don, is paid to take the rap for a murder...

Plot Keywords:

Italian American | Friend | Hotel Room | Mafia | Gangster

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Don Ameche	...	Gino
Joe Mantegna	...	Jerry
Robert Prosky	...	Joseph 'Don Giuseppe' Vincent
J.J. Johnston	...	Frankie
Ricky Jay	...	Mr. Silver
Mike Nussbaum	...	Mr. Green
Jack Wallace	...	Repair Shop Owner
Dan Conway	...	Butler
Willo Hausman	...	Miss Bates (as Willo Varsi Hausman)
Gail Silver	...	Housemaid
Len Hodera	...	Ramone
Josh Conescu	...	Bellenza
Adam Bitterman	...	Marcotti
Jack Merrill	...	No Pair (as Merrill Holtzman)
William Novelli	...	Willie

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | West Germany:12 | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | Spain:T

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Goofs:

Continuity: After they leave the airport, Jerry and Gino stop to talk with Billy Drake. Then Gino stays in front of the others, holding the overcoats, with Billy on his left-hand side and Jerry on his right. In the next shot Billy appears holding the overcoats and leading Gino with his right hand to the car. For this to be possible it would be necessary that them both had changed their places.

Quotes:

Jerry: Just when things were going so well...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Swingers (1996)

Great Entertainment

I loved this picture. Mantegna and Ameche are so opposite and I really can't share the view of other people that Ameche is performing a "Being There." Ameche is much smarter, he realizes from the start something is wrong. First he declines the offer but he knows perfectly well these people will shoot him (remember the scene with the smoking lady). Then, the movie starts, and he's in charge, and he keeps in charge, he accepts a luncheon with a Don in LA., he finds money to get back to Chicago, he uses his coin to call the Las Vegas mob.

Nice, entertaining, two and a half stars. I laughed quite a bit. Must be my Italian roots.