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pwdoncaster
Reviews
Real Life (1979)
Smart & Funny -- My #9
#9 on my all-time list. Another one of those truly (and tragically) hidden gems -- full of great lines that you can spout ad nauseum to your friends and family until they finally see it (and, trust me, they'll thank you for it). Without question, this is Brooks' best. And true to his genius, arguably the funniest character in the film is one you never see -- just a voice on a speaker phone. If you don't become a Brooks fan after seeing this film, you'll never be one.
Blue Collar (1978)
A true hidden gem -- My #1
I've come across only a handful of people who have ever heard of this film, yet every review I've ever seen gives it at least three and a half stars, and it is listed #4 on Gene Siskel's top ten movies for 1977.
Anyone who has ever wondered "What is all of this getting me?" cannot help but identify with these three, who, despite working hard 40+ hours per week, seem to be taking three steps back for every step forward. Richard Pryor is incredible as one of the three leads -- it makes you think his straight acting could have really developed into something special had his fortunes taken a different turn. Keitel and Kotto are both excellent, as always, and the soundtrack is a blues treat. The ending is an all-to-realistic downer that puts an exclamation point on the desparation of the story's characters.
Most of the men to whom I've recommended this film have come away raving about it, while women by and large hate it. I've believe that BLUE COLLAR is very much the male version of the stereotyped "chick flick" -- these three put their inner pressures and anxieties on display, take steps to deal with them, and are ultimately beaten down by forces greater than themselves. It's not an easy reality to swallow.