Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

I had a difficult time dealing with this movie, partly because the entire system of lobbying is so despicable in itself, and partly because the writer has done his best to show Jack Abramoff as a fundamentally nice guy who just overreached a little and got caught.I mean, right at the beginning, after we see Kevin Spacey (superb) talking to himself in a mirror, we hear his explanation of why lobbyists exist. Because they're useful. They give legislators information about subjects the legislators need to know something about in order to do their jobs.That explanation comes straight out of a now unfashionable school of sociological thought called functionalism. If something exists in a society, it's there for a good reason. Otherwise it wouldn't be there, right? Whores make the streets safe for our wives and children. The Mafia fills in the gaps that the police force can't, and it meets a market demand among consumers of illegal goods. Mass murderers and psychopaths provide us with bad examples that we can point out to our kids so they'll know what not to become.According to the film, Abramoff just did was everyone else was doing. He only had the misfortune of being caught. Nobody argues that perhaps congressional aides or interns ought to be doing the research instead of paid lobbyists. No explanation is offered for why spending on lobbyists more than doubled between 2000 and 2009.There are no such reality intrusions. Abramoff is a colorful, funny, very active guy. He works out. He loves his family. He knows everyone. He's religious. He opens a kosher restaurant on K Street and plans to open a Hebrew school.A second reason I found it hard to assess the movie is that I didn't understand it because I'm too dumb. I couldn't follow all the shenanigans. Okay. In one of his minor deals, towards the beginning, the Chippewa tribe, among whom I once lived as a cultural anthropologist, gave him millions of dollars and the money apparently disappeared. Where? I don't know. I told you I was dumb. I don't know what an expression like "he wants ten percent under the table" means. I don't know why a Greek was killed. I don't know why Jon Lovitz got stabbed with a ball point pen. Tom DeLay has a prominent role and I don't know what he did that was supposed to be bad. Abramoff makes some venomous remark about George W. Bush at the end and I don't know why. And I can hardly credit the notion that Mike Scanlon's (Barry Pepper, with a great twisted face) girl friend dropped the dime on all these enterprises because she found a pair of red alien panties in her boy friend's laundry. It's the kind of movie that someone as stupid as I am needs a little preparation for -- a few hours of studying with a book called "Lobbying for Dummies" or something.Because except for the murder I couldn't identify a single illegal act in the entire movie. Lobbyists give money to politicians and the politicians do favors in return. It sounds a lot like bribery to me, and I know THAT'S illegal, or at least I think it is, but I don't know why, when it takes one form, it's called "lobbying" and is as kosher as Abramoff's restaurant that serves the best roast beef in the city, and why, when it takes another form, it's called "bribery" and you go to jail.I do, however, recognize a decent performance when I see one, and three performances are stand outs in this production. Kevin Spacey, a little older and chubbier, gets to do some of his impersonations -- Clinton, Al Pacino, and a few others, and he's good. Barry Pepper as Scanlon is terrific as well, as the emotionally unstable squeal cat. And Jon Lovitz is funny, no matter whether the part calls for a comic presentation or not. He's hilarious in some scenes, which I won't spell out.Not a masterpiece by any means -- "Barbarians At The Gates" is about leveraged buy outs and it's better -- but worth seeing once. I hope you have better luck in decoding the events than I did.

I've always been fascinated at the hypocrisy of the conservative clan to be religious and proper and then do all the things they do in protecting themselves; making money unethically and ultimately putting on the backs of the poor and regular Joe. I've always wanted a time-line between the two worlds. A connection. How they rationalize it all. (I guess it's not that uncommon throughout history.) This movie doesn't answer those questions. It depict them in vivid detail. The blind devotion to God and the blind devotion to the dollar as they throw up countless rationalizations.Maybe it's a warning. This is what it looks like when you think you're a good guy but you're really a bad guy. This is what it looks like when you're a liar and your life is a lie.I would have liked to have screened this with Republican members of Congress and the House. They would have squirmed more than a bucket o' worms. And the denouncements and rationalizations would have been fun. (Be clear. I'm speaking about Republicans. They are the bad guys.) As for the movie I thought it was kind of bland. By the numbers. Kevin Spacey came off as average and he's usually much better.

You can bet that "Casino Jack" is a bit over dramatized with its take on Washington DC Lobbyist Jack Abramoff's illegal maneuvers in peddling influence and corruption for self-interest monetary gains. However, Director George Hickenlooper did an admirable job in keeping it very entertaining, especially with the hackneyed subject matter of corruption being its central premise. Kevin Spacey was spectacular as Abramoff, and more of Hollywood should have lobbied for Spacey for a Best Actor Oscar nomination. He did garner a Best Actor Golden Globe nomination for his lauded performance. I could not envision another actor portraying Abramoff with the same flair and demeanor as the consistent Spacey. Even his infamous impersonations were incorporated very authentically and entertainingly within the Abramoff role. Abramoff and his partner in crime Michael "Scandal" Scanlon (ok, so I threw in the Scandal in there, too tempting) were responsible in using their political influence to manipulate & overcharge gaming-owing native groups and others for their minimal lobbyist services; in other words, power abusing scams at its apex. Barry Pepper was stellar with his performance as the conniving and vainglorious Scanlon. Jon Lovitz was a trip as the film's primary comic character Adam Kidan, an alcoholic Jewish mattress-business owner who is utilized by Abramoff and Scanlon to front shady sea cruise business negotiations. Kidan throws in the funniest lines of the movie, and I am not kidan, I mean kidding. The ageless Kelly Preston was in fine form (in more ways than one, oh Mr. Travolta is a lucky man) with her portrayal as Abramoff's wife Pam. And I absolutely chuckled and was mesmerized with Maury Chaykin's scene-stealing supporting work as the Mafioso Big Tony. Chaykin has been called the Canadian Marlon Brando, and performances like this justify that comparison. I just wished we had more of Maury in "Casino Jack". Norman Snider's screenplay had tons of homage for 70's Hollywood classic films and its fill of political satire. So yea, good job Norman. "Casino Jack" is not a jackpot bonanza of a movie, but it is in the cards that you will be surprisingly entertained about a film that its central character is a political scumbag (no, I am not referring to the George Bush bio flick "W") I am referring to this movie I just reviewed, "Casino Jack". **** Good

Kevin Spacey is truly an actor to adore. The Two-Time Academy-Award Winner has proved his talent time and again. In 'Casino Jack', he gets even better and delivers a superb performance. 'Casino Jack' is based on Jack Abramoff. Abramoff, is one of the most notorious lobbyist's ever. 'Casino Jack', however focuses, on the time when Abramoff & his protégé went down hard...as their schemes to peddle influence lead to corruption and a brutal murder. Director George Hickenlooper does a good job, while Norman Snider's writing is flawed. The writing in the first hour is spot-on, but in the second hour, it falters. Even the culmination for that matter, doesn't leave the desired impact. Acting wise, as told, Spacey owns the film. He plays Abramoff superbly. He truly is an Icon! Barry Pepper is Excellent. On the whole, 'Casino Jack' can be viewed once, for it's lead star's performance. Must for Spacey Fans!