Cheap Hoffa (DVD) (Danny DeVito, Jack Nicholson) (Danny DeVito) Price

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Customer Reviews of Hoffa

Terrific, underrated biography of a controversial man
A woefully underrated biography of the controversial Teamsters union president that deserved better than it got in 1992. Director Danny Devito and writer David Mamet clearly admire their subject, depicting Hoffa as a hero, a leader who has earned the loyalty of the working men he represents, rather than a self-centered puppet whose strings were pulled by organized crime. Whether or not Hoffa was deserving of such admiration is debatable, but the film offers a convincing argument that he was. As an actor, Devito has little to do but push people around and gape at Hoffa in awe, but behind the camera he performs admirably even if he seems a little too pretentious at times. As for Nicholson, this is one of his most challenging roles, one requiring more than an arch of those famous eyebrows and a flash of that killer smile. With the aid of a hairpiece and a few other modifications to his appearance, he gives one of his best performances in years. This is a fine, memorable film that seemed to have disappeared upon its release as thoroughly as Hoffa himself did in 1975. I don't know the whereabouts of Hoffa the man (and believe it's in my best interests not to know), but the film is on the video shelf. Check it out or buy it, but see it.

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Why isn't this on DVD?? It's brilliant!
One of Jack Nicholson's best performances is in this story of former Teamsters leader James R. Hoffa. The film shows Hoffa's rise through the ranks of the Teamsters, his battles with management, RFK, and his fellow Teamsters, and climaxes with his mysterious disappearance. The supporting cast is excellent as well, especially Danny DeVito as Hoffa's aide and best friend. This movie is a "must-own", and hopefully will be available on DVD before too long...If not, it's a shame....

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Over the Top - and Disappointing
I remember the great hype that surrounded the release of "Hoffa" a decade ago. Jack Nicholson was considered a given for an Oscar nomination and Danny Devito was heralded as "The next Robert Redford," a true Actor's Director. But as is often the case, the hype does'nt translate to results. Part of the problem lies in with the profanity-laced script. The "f" word is used so often that it seems like a parody of "Goodfellas." Devito, playing a fictionalized character, pales in Nicholson's shadow, and his role seems like an afterthought. The ending is also flawed: Hoffa's body has never been found but Devito and Co. assume an ending that seals Hoffa's fate. Nicholson, perhaps the greatest Actor of a generation, flounders here. He overacts grandly in most scenes and fails to win any sympathy for Hoffa. In the few scenes with his family, he overdoes the sentiment and comes off phony. Even the much-anticipated face-off with Bobby Kennedy fails to charge this film. If you want to learn about Jimmy Hoffa, check out A&E's excellent biography.