Garmento (2003)

27% of critics liked it
(22 reviews)
25% of users liked it
(133 ratings)

Writer/director Michele Maher makes her feature debut with the satirical black comedy Garmento. Set in the garment district in N.Y.C. during the early '90s, fashion rookie Grindy Malone (Katie MacNichol) gets a job as an assistant to Ronnie Grossman (David Thornton), executive for Poncho Ramirez… More Writer/director Michele Maher makes her feature debut with the satirical black comedy Garmento. Set in the garment district in N.Y.C. during the early '90s, fashion rookie Grindy Malone (Katie MacNichol) gets a job as an assistant to Ronnie Grossman (David Thornton), executive for Poncho Ramirez Inc. She meets the other industry players, including haughty Franca Fortuna (Saundra Santiago), assistant Rimi Stone (Gretchen Cleevely), flamboyant Jasper Judson (Jason Butler Harner), and designer Poncho Ramirez (Juan Carlos Hernandez) himself. After the company loses money from a failed line of padded men's underwear, Grindy suggests they bring back their line of jeans from the '70s. Poncho Ramirez then merges with rival Romeo Jeans, headed by the corrupt Ira Gold (Jerry Grayson) and Louie Purdaro (Matt Servitto). The successful product becomes high in demand, leading to shady business dealings and an advertising controversy. Grindy quickly loses her innocence and becomes entrenched in the world of corporate greed. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 27 min.
Directed By: Michele Maher
Written By: Michele Maher
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Mar 10, 2002 Wide
Studio: Spanish Moss Productions

Critic Reviews

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
Garmento has nothing going for it.
Gary Dowell, Dallas Morning News
As a satire, Garmento is toothless. As a comedy, it's funny only in spurts.
Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
This shaky satire set in New York's garment district is consistently undone by an inconsistency of tone and less-than-assured directing and acting.
Bob Campbell, Newark Star-Ledger
Despite MacNichol's sneaky verve and Thornton's sly subtlety the lead characters swiftly fade and shrink.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
Maher's feature debut has amusing moments, but falls apart as quickly as a cheap knockoff.
Lou Lumenick, New York Post
A toothless, dated Seventh Avenue satire with shaky script, direction and acting.
Jules Brenner, Filmcritic.com
In her three years in the garment industry, Maher may have learned her way around a sewing room but she picked up nothing about a movie set.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Maher in her debut as a director/writer does a good job showing why garmento is a derogatory term for the industry that has such a checkered past.
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone, TheMovieChicks.com
At times, Garmento looks like the real deal, but underneath the label, it's just another designer rip-off.
David Noh, Film Journal International
One of the most real exposés of this seamy biz you will ever see.
Edward Havens, FilmJerk.com
Strong in dialogue and atmosphere, keeping the viewer interested in what is going to happen to these characters.
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Without an assured character at its center, the movie quickly collapses in a heap of moldy clichés and contrived (and not especially funny) situations.

Read all 12 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Cast

            Katie MacNichol as Grindy Malone

            David Thornton as Ronnie Grossman

            Jerry Grayson as Ira Gold

            Saundra Santiago as Franca Fortuna

            Gretchen Cleevely as Rimi Stone

            Jason Butler Harner as Jasper Judson

            Juan Carlos Hernández as Poncho Ramirez

            Matt Servitto as Louie Purdaro

            Christian Baskous as Guy

            Larry Block as Store Manager

            Maggie Burke as Miriam

            Danny Darrow as Salesman

            Denny Dillon as Sylvia Walsh

            Kevin Geer as Jack Kearns

            Gil Rogers as Detective

            Howard Spiegel as Mel

            Jonathan Klein as Poncho Commercial

            Ben Wang as Shoji

            Uzi Parnes as Poncho Commercial

            Geoffrey Cantor as Fred MacMoudi

            Kevin Sussman as Caesar

            Cassidy Ladden as Young Grindy

            Joey Kern as Tye

            Michaela Conlin as Marcy

            Larry Marx as Jobber

            Michele Maher as Reporter

            Krysten Ritter as Model

            T.R. Knight as Daniel

            Heather Magee as Poncho Model

            Sara Magovern as Grindy's Mom

            P. J. Minnick as Shawn

            Bruce Turk as Sage

            Jeff Whitty as Tim

            Jennifer Wrubel as Tammy

            Alyson Silverman as Jeanine

            Glenn Fleshler as Tony

            Croix Lazzara as Thomas

            Rohan Quine as Lee

            Carol Tammen as News Reporter

            Christine Perkins as Shopper

            Shana Dowdeswell as Shopper

            Dean Obeidallah as Policeman

            Christine Bosco as Model

            Cristen Elmore as Model

            Peter Kress as Model

            David Ley as Model

            Yasha Young as Model

            Brandon Jenkins as Poncho Commercial

            Jason Pabon as Poncho Commercial

            Christian Pabon as Poncho Commercial

            Adam Ramirez as Poncho Commercial

            Cruise Russo as Poncho Commercial

            Scot Schwartz as Model

            Mark Neveldine as Model
See full cast

Photos

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