Brilliant and touching

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

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

The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

Noises Off. . . is the film version of Michael Frayn's play, but before you write this movie off, hear me out. I know lots of plays are boring and wordy and absolutely painful to get through, if you can get through them at all. Noises Off. . . is not that type of play.Whether you see it onstage—with a good cast and timing—or rent the film, this is an absolutely hilarious show. Use the bathroom beforehand, because it's one of the most side-splittingly funny films ever. The key to a fantastic execution of this quick, witty script is an excellent cast and a director who can create impeccable timing. Peter Bogdanavich and his all-star case have made a flawless movie.Michael Caine stars as the proverbial shouting, hair-pulling, unreachable director of a play. His assistant is the nervous, mousy Julie Hagerty, who can never get a word in. The actors in his show are Carol Burnett, Denholm Elliot, Marilu Henner, Christopher Reeve, John Ritter, and Nicollette Sheridan. They all flesh out their archetypes beautifully, with Carol as the know-it-all, Marilu as the classic diva, Chris as the well-meaning idiot, and Nicollette as the bimbo who's only been cast because she looks good in her underwear.The first part of the film is the rehearsal for the show, and while there are many stops and starts, the audience can see that the cast is nowhere near ready for their performance. Then, the tables are turned —literally—and the audience is placed backstage. The same play is run through, but this time, we see the never-ending drama that occurs backstage in every production known to man. It's hilarious for non-theater people, but even more funny and true-to-life for those who have ever dabbled in the arts.I can't recommend this comedy highly enough; even if you don't normally like plays, give it a chance. It's so adorable and flawlessly executed. I guarantee it'll change the way you think of theater—unless you're in that world yourself. In that case, it'll remind you of every show you've ever been in.

It's quite clear from watching Noises Off... that it was meant to be seen as a stage play. Peter Bogdanovich made a noble attempt to translate it to the big screen, but it's also quite clear that he himself recognized it for being first and foremost a stage play, and didn't really make an effort to make the film version a work that stands by its own right, as other great directors had done with plays before and after him (eg, Lumet with '12 Angry Men', Forman with 'Hair' or Polanski with 'Carnage'). Instead, Bogdanovich lets the play work itself, and merely adds some narration and a framing device which seem pretty useless, little more than something for the audience to grab on to in their search for a coherent plot (which isn't an integral part of the original play). The problems in filming this play are most obvious in the second act, almost in its entirety a slapstick/comedy of errors sequence that hinges on perfect, relentless timing and on the audience grasping the big picture - which they can't with the camera moving around constantly. The sequence is still funny, but it's very difficult to follow the events and to really get the impression of the perfectly timed comedy.Unfortunately, I've never seen the play performed live. I hope to do so someday; but for now, I'll take the film as a perfectly good replacement. Because, for all its inherent problems, it's still one of the best comedy films of the 90's, thanks to the wonderful script, and thanks to a first rate cast with perfect timing - and timing is what Noises Off... is all about. Well, that and sardines. Carol Burnett is hilarious; Christopher Reeve and John Ritter deliver comedic performances I never thought they had in them; and Michael Caine masters over the whole thing brilliantly. They, and the rest of the cast, are enough to carry the film through, and while it's not enough to completely remove the feeling that the stage play is probably better, it's enough to make it a terrific comedy, always hilarious, often depressing (probably more so for anyone with experience in live theater). And sardines, of course.

"Noises Off" is based on a popular play. Directed by Peter Bogdonavich, it tells the story of a bedroom farce, "Nothing On," which is, in fact, a dud of a play - and what goes on backstage and on-stage as the actors rehearse, play out of town, and open on Broadway. Thanks to break-ups, jealousies, and drunkenness, the offstage happenings spill over into the play, as the actors grow to hate one another more and more. Anyone with experience in theater will love it the most, but it's fun for everyone.The cast is top-notch - Michael Caine is the harried director, and the stars of the "play" are Carol Burnett, John Ritter, Christopher Reeve, Marilu Henner, Nicolette Sheridan, Mark-Linn Baker, and Denholm Elliott. Julie Hagerty is the near-hysterical stage manager.There's a lot of slapstick and much "actor talk" with the actors searching for motivations; there's a drunk actor (Elliott) who pops up from time to time asking if it's his cue yet. (Soon, the cast finds his stash of booze and start chugalugging themselves.) Caine is terrific as a Valium-popping director driven to near-madness. The play is much better than the film, even though the film is terribly funny.Unfortunately, for me anyway, it's just terribly sad to see handsome, robust Christopher Reeve walking around and the talented, deceased John Ritter. Boy, life sure has some same twists. So does "Noises Off" - but unlike some of life's twists, these twists are accompanied by plenty of belly laughs.

Many will argue I am sure about whether another movie lives up to being a real comedy better than this one. But here are a few things to remember when thinking of what is comedic genius.1. An all star cast that uses simply their acting abilities, stage performances, and comedic talent to make this movie great.2. No uses of vulgar language, distasteful montages or dialogue to elicit a laugh. Simply the writing and antics are enough to make you fall on the floor.3. And lastly, no modern music, or score is used, this movie relies heavily on its actors and even in a quiet space you find yourself laughing at facial expressions, or inward fighting amongst its characters.As I said this movies relies on nothing more than its cast to bring you a comedy that at first might escape you. I promise you will want a second or third viewing and you will laugh every time.The late John Ritter is excellent, he seems to forget things and not finish any sentences and does it superbly. The late Christopher Reeve is so seriously funny, you will know what I mean when you see this. Carol Burnett does her thing as always. Marilu Henner really surprised me as she fits in so perfectly with these comedic giants. Nicollette Sheridan, Denholm Elliot, and Mark Linn Baker round up the cast and all make fine performances. What can we say about Michael Caine, even his anger is hilarious in this role.All in all, this is one comedy that you will be able to look at over and over again and never get tired of it. It's one of my top 10.