Anthony Michael Hall, Anthony Rapp, Bruce Davison

John Guare's hit Broadway play--about an Upper East Side couple who gets bilked by a young black man claiming to be Sidney Poitier's son--receives a terrific screen translation in this film by Fred ...( read more  read more... )Schepisi. Though the play was discursive and episodic, Schepisi, working from Guare's adaptation, makes it all flow like a fascinating evening listening to friends recount something that happened to them. But the story itself is also intriguing for the disparity it reveals between the wealthy, the would-be wealthy, and the have-nots yearning to be rich. Stockard Channing and Donald Sutherland are exceptional as the couple who open their home to a young man they believe is a friend of their children (to whom they barely speak); Will Smith is fascinatingly glib as the young man, who claims that his famous father is casting a film version of Cats and offers his hosts roles as extras in the film. Smith finds the heartbreaking core of this character and Channing is haunting as a woman looking to make a connection, even with a confused young con artist. --Marshall Fine

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67% liked it

11,551 ratings

Critics

93% liked it

29 critics

R, 112 min.

Directed by: Fred Schepisi

Release Date: December 10, 1993

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DVD Release Date: August 15, 2000

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Flixster Reviews (564)


  • January 7, 2009
    smith is beast here
  • September 17, 2008
    Transferring stage plays to the screen is very tricky. By their nature plays are more dialogue heavy and are set in a much smaller world, often limited rooms etc. This is one of the films that seems to have a lot of trouble in transforming one medium to another. Lengthy dialogue ...( read more)isn't the problem though, it's the continuous retelling at different social occasions. Of course this all becomes the point by the last scene but it still feels awkward. The film could have shown so much more and rather than criticised the high-class wealthy elite it could have gone deeper into Paul's psychosis. At least for the audience if not the main characters. The film also revels in the fact it swings around issues of gays/blacks and both as though it is proclaiming something brand new and fascinating. Will Smith's refusal to actually kiss Anthony Michael Hall at the time says more about being black and gay than this whole film. It's certainly acted well for the most part, though it is clear to see how Smith has improved over the years. The humour also goes some way to creating a more enjoyable experience.
  • July 14, 2007
    Will's character is very interesting. Is there really 6 degrees of separation?
  • April 15, 2007
    Way better than I expected. Stockard Channing was outstanding, the story was absorbing and I found it easy to forgive the obvious theatricality of the whole affair. Strangely for a drawing-room comedy - this film features some dynamite widescreen cinematography.
  • November 4, 2006
    pretty good movie 2 watch at least once
  • November 16, 2009
    Will's first film! Want to see this prtty bad.
  • November 8, 2009
    well umn just seen this movie 4 the 1st time n think that this is a good movie 2 watch....its got a good cast of actors/actressess throughout this movie...i think that anthony michael hall, anthony rapp, bruce davison, catherine kellner, donald sutherland, eric thai, heather grah...( read more)am, ian mckellen, will smith, jj abrams play good roles/parts throughout this movie....i think that the director of this drama movie had done a good job of directing this movie because you never know what 2 expect throughout this movie..i think that this is a great movie 2 watch with a good cast throughout this movie its a really good movie 2 watch n its enjoayble 2 watch
  • October 8, 2009
    Will Smiths' debut is witty, caustic, and hilarious to those exposed to the upper-class snobby lifestyle of the wealthy children circa the end of the 20th century. A great take on the play and I have to admit as cheesy as it is, I was laughing all the way through.
  • October 4, 2009
    I don't know how I missed this one?
  • July 24, 2009
    A little disapointed in this

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