Cheap Things Change (DVD) (Don Ameche, Joe Mantegna) (David Mamet) Price

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Customer Reviews of Things Change

Much More Than A Comedy
Don Ameche is an immigrant shoe shiner who also happens to be a dead ringer for an important mob member on the hook for murder. The Chicago outfit makes Ameche a deal, confess to the homicide and when you get out there will be a big payoff. Joe Mantegna is the low level mob soldier given the dull task of babysitting Ameche in a hotel over the weekend while they rehearse his testimony. Mantegna soon decides Lake Tahoe would be a more pleasant hide-out and then the problems set in. Upon arriving in Tahoe they find themselves at the same resort where the mob is holding a crime confab. Mantegna passes Ameche off as "the guy behind the guy, behind the guy". They both enjoy the perks. You might think this plot line would result in slapstick or farce but instead we are treated to a subtle, gentle humor. A true delight with some unexpected twists.

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A Reflective Ballad
In the year 1979 a little film called Being There came out. Now an acknowledged masterpiece, that film chronicled how a mentally retarded gardner, through a bizzare series of coincidences was mistaken for a political kingmaker, a caring friend and a potential lover. The synopsis of Things Change does not sound all that dis-similar; A simple Italian shoemaker(Don Ameche) agrees to confess to a murder commited by a Mobster in exchange for a boat in his native Sicily when he gets out of prison. Jerry(Joe Mantegna), a low ranking mafioso assigned to watch him for the weekend and coach him on his confession, feels sorry for him and decides to take him to Lake Tahoe for one last fling. There, through a series of coincidences, the shoemaker is mistaken for a mafia don, and recieves the royal treatment from the hotal at which they are staying, and more dangerously from the head of the Vegas mob, Joseph Vincent(Robert Prosky). Yes the synopses are similar, but Being There and Things Change are infact the opposite.

In Being There, Peter Seller was a human vacuum in which people projected their needs and wants. They molded him into whatever they wanted him to be. And since he was white, middle aged, impeccably dressed and decent looking they mistook his simplistic musings about the seasons "Autumn follows Summer and Spring follows Winter.." for profound metaphors. He unwittingly confirmed their learned prejudices about what a thoughtful man would look like. In Things Change, Ameche is loved by the head of the Vegas mob(who would kill another man in Ameche's position), draws heartfelt affection from a pair of women(who would snub another man in his position) and is befriended by the goon gaurding him(who would probably humiliate another man in Ameche's position). This simple Italian immigrant draws out the best in people, appeals to their humanity which is sometimes against their better judgement. Both Being There and Things Change are studies of human nature, but while the former is a pessimistic satire, the latter is an optimistic fable.

The film was directed and co-written by David Mamet, a playwright and a film-maker noted for creating low key yet highly charged verbal confrontations in a world of macho-posturing. If his dialogue is a dance(as it is often called), then Things Change is his slow romantic one. As a director his films have often been rather claustrophobic(even his highly acclaimed House Of Games could have used some visual trickery), but here, with the cinematographer Juan Ruiz-Anchia's aid, he was able to create a film of remarkable visual beauty. One scene in the early morning hours of Chicago(Mamet's native city) has Ameche walking 10 feet ahead of Mantegna and another Mafioso. The mob has backed out on its deal and now they just want Ameche dead. While Mantegna feverishly argues for the old man's life, Ameche's walks into a tunnel, the early morning sun casts a visible ray of light over him, and his long shadow all but touches the debating mobsters. Alaric Jans's beautiful music plays and Ameche walks on, oblivious to the fact that his life is being defended by his captor. Its a beautiful moment of inexplicable emotional resonance. And like the rest of the film it is perfectly judged.

Mamet has two aces up his sleeve in Joe Mantegna and Don Ameche. Mantegna has been almost all of Mamet's films and has a complete command of his idiosyncratic rhythms. Ameche, with his perfect equipoise and his literal honesty is a contrast to him, and I never doubted people's reaction to him for a second. Both of them shared the best actor award at the Venice film festivel that year. Things Change is a delicate highwire act that could have easily degenrated into farce or melodrama, Mantegna and Ameche's believable relationship prevents it from doing so.

Things Change has a special place in my heart for a scene that has absolutly nothing to do with the its hypnotic charm. You see, in film after film I've watched characters on the run break into a car, kick open a compartment under the steering wheel and put two wires together starting the car and going on their way. Where did they learn this skill? Were they all car thieves before they were whatever they are in that particular film. The priceless moment I've been waiting for years to see comes when a desperate Mantegna, dragging Ameche along finds an unlocked car they could steal. They get in the car, there is no key. Mantegna looks at Ameche and says "I know, I'll hotwire the car." And then a moment later he looks at him again and asks "How the hell do you hotwire a car?". A film character who can't get a car to conviently start without a key. It had to happen.

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Three thumbs up!
Undoubtly David Mamet lived a glorious decade in these eighties. House of games , the untouchables a scripter and this one.
Don't wonder if this movie belongs to cult movie status. It's a witty comedy about an inept , poor experienced and low level gangster who suffers the consequences of his acts when he goes against the orders to take an old shoe - shine boy on one last fing just before the latter goes to prison being not guilty.
Notice this disfunctional state of mind of this rookie gangster, follows the ancient rule about the wisdom of the experience , despite this statement is not always true all the times , but it does in this case.
The laughable side about the sordid universe that surrounds the underworld has been so irreverently told as in this case.
Don Ameche (Coccon) and Mantegna (House of games and Alice) give a fine performance.
Don't miss this funny comedy. A winner film.