Ahhh, I like to hear of little films that could. This was the review of the first screening of a film called SAFE MEN, and it stars that cool guy from THAT THING YOU DO and SUBURBIA! Also you will find out a bit of info about Barry Sonnenfeld's project after WILD WILD WEST, though it'll take some extra level of thinking to figure it out...
First time writer -- while this may not be a scoop, I saw the first screening of "Safe Men" at the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema last night and wanted to drop a line with a review. If you would like to use it, call me Tevye...
"Safe Men" is the debut feature for writer/director Jon Hamburg. While the title may sound like some kind of Jessica Lange/Julia Roberts tearjerker, it's anything but -- it's a rollicking comedy about two miserable musicians, Sam & Eddie (Sam "Box of Moonlight" Rockwell and Steve "subUrbia" Zahn) who, through a series of coincidences and mistaken identity get caught inbetween Providence, R.I.'s only two Jewish gangsters, Big Fat Bernie Gayle and Goodstuff Leo (Michael Lerner and Harvey Feirstein, in a "straight" role). After Big Fat's "intern" Veal Chop (Paul "Pig Vomit" Giamatti from "Private Parts") mistakes Sam & Eddie for the best safe men (safecrackers) in Providence, the hilarity begins, culminating in a race to steal a cup of certain significance.
Some cliches in the film, including the obligatory romantic subplot, but overall a fresh and funny script by Hamburg, who was present to introduce the film and take questions afterward. Rockwell's performance and mannerisms were VERY funny, Giamatti steals most of his scenes, and Lerner and Feirstein are, well, Lerner & Feirstein -- absolutely terrific. Nothing against Steve Zahn, whose performance was solidly low-key, but the others stood out a great deal more. Plus, Hamburg has written what is, at worst, the second funniest Bar Mitzvah sequence ever committed to film (in a tight race against Woody Allen's in "Deconstructing Harry"). There are quite a few Jewish references throughout the film -- great throwaway lines that some will get and others not of the Jewish faith may not. But it certainly shouldn't detract from the rest of the film if you miss those bits.
My spouse and I, and the rest of the full house, loved the film, and Hamburg was gracious enough to answer a number of questions after the credits rolled. First of all, he can't be much older than 25 -- looked like he was fresh out of NYU Film school. He told us that the film, which cost about $1 million and was filmed in 1997, would be released by October Films sometime this summer (the original release date was to be mid-June, but they may hold off until August). His next project is writing a script inspired by a Polish film "that no one has seen and wasn't very good" or words to that effect -- the major plot point again being mistaken identity. (I heard an audience member commenting that he had seen the Polish source film, and it was kind of a Pulp Fiction-y story.) Barry Sonnenfeld is set to direct and/or produce -- again, not too shabby to be in such impressive company at so young an age. Among his directorial influences, Hamburg pointed to Woody, the Coens and Billy Wilder -- he certainly sprinkled a lot of Woody/Coen homages throughout this flick, plus a funny bit inspired by "Say Anything."
All in all, "Safe Men" is great fun, and as Hamburg himself said, it's not your typical dreary, depressing film festival offering (which was pretty much the overall tone of the Phila. FWC). Go enjoy it this summer..
