Too many fans seem to be blown away

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Great road movie with excellent character development. Unfairly being "rightsized" out of his 30 year diamond sales job, "old timer" Robert Forster, is put on the road to train his successor. This uneasy situation eventually leads to mutual respect, and better understanding of each other. The heartless big company that they now both have to deal with is a perfect example of the "throw away" mentality used by companies to further their own gain at the expense of loyal employees. All I can say is that if you have ever been "let go", you will cherish this film, because in the end things get surprisingly gratifying for our mismatched salesmen. The movie is a winner, and is highly recommended. - MERK

"Diamond Men" is a wonderful slice of Americana.Arthur Miller's indelible use of a salesman as a symbol of much that's wrong with American capitalism and families so influenced cinematic imagery that it was continued corrosively by David Mamet in "Glengarry Glen Ross" and imitatively by Roger Rueff in "The Big Kahuna." (Yet, somewhat diabolically, salesmen are now more and more being used as role models for fund raising for nonprofit organizations.)First time auteur, and diamond business scion, Daniel Cohen, has taken a similar situation of an aging road warrior (brilliantly subtle Robert Forster) and his apprentice (Donnie Wahlberg, with his brother's smiling charm and with NKOTB far behind) and the women they love and leave, and brought forth the shining humanity.The small towns of Western Pennsylvania and their store owners, waitresses, and schemers provide an authentic background (well, maybe except for the brothel -- though I did get a kick out of the touch that had the madam scoring very high on the corporation's "customer service" exam) and the dialog, particularly about jewelry stores and diamonds, sounds completely genuine.Even if the finale is a bit Hollywood, it feels redemptive, unlike other salesmen movies.(originally written 10/6/2001)

Charming. That is all one really needs to say about this movie. Okay, okay, it's basically a road movie. We've all been there and we all generally know what happens when you get two people from different walks of life stuck in a car for under two hours of film. Sometimes you have to ignore your jaded movie-dissecting tendencies and just go for it. The script has genuine charm and some great laughs jammed into it, without ever actually trying too hard to be witty or funny in the first place. Of course, the chemistry between Robert Forster and Donnie Wahlberg has something to do with it as well. They just seem, well, effortless together. It's really quite something to witness, and not something you see very often in films, mainstream or otherwise. They just have that... thing together. You know, that thing? That indefinable thing? Well, they got it. They got it in aces and spades.

Explores the ignorance and hormones of youth versus the wisdom and frailty of age. Great character development. Probably Forster's best acting role yet. Wahlberg shows great promise here and Bess Armstrong is just too believable. A down to earth, funny, ironic film. Especially recommended for young people who find themselves impatient with middle aged peers at work, or for middle aged business people who seek a good laugh.