User reviews

I must admit that seeing a 3.8/10 by IMDb users before I saw this film was not the most encouraging thing for me to read before seeing this movie, which was played for the Trenton (NJ) Film Society last night. But I was pleasantly surprised. Joey "Pants" is actually restrained in this role, and isn't his typical over-the-top screaming character. All the other performances are also quite strong, especially Boyd Gaines. Normally, a film where people are wallowing in their inadequacies is NOT something I'm typically attracted too...that whole "victim culture" is something that I despise. But the film doesn't harp on that aspect as much as I thought it would. Or perhaps it's just that the writing is so superb. I hope this becomes more widely released, as I think it's definitely a worthwhile independent film to see.

"Second Best" shows what the guys from HBO's "Entourage" may be like 40 years from now, so Mark Wahlberg might want to see it as a cautionary tale.

Like "American Splendor," it features a self-deprecating, self-proclaimed loser who turns his life into art, here as rants that he prints up himself and distributes everywhere around his suburban New Jersey home town.

But "Elliott" is not a loner or a misanthrope which is what saves him, as played by Joe Pantoliano, from being insufferable or pitiful like "Marty." He is very much a part of a network of friends, family and community, and he is even on tolerated terms with those who have moved on with their lives, including his re-married ex-wife and son (who might be the first handsome gay dental hygienist ever portrayed in film).

The actors are very comfortable at showing middle-aged, male camaraderie of long time friends, as an unusually expressive self-reflective bunch who talk about more than sports. Though their weekly dinners could put the men's movement back a bit as "Elliott" becomes increasingly lacerating in criticizing his friends' lives, that disruptive nastiness becomes an equalizing set-up when the only alpha male from their group, in a sympathetic three-dimensional performance by Boyd Gaines such that Jerry Bruckheimer should be very grateful this is his alter-ego, comes back to visit the old neighborhood with his own existential crisis.

Until writer/director Eric Weber stoops to the standard male competitive reflex of jealousy over women ending in fisticuffs, which, frankly, just doesn't make sense for these guys despite the Cyrano analogy, he does present an articulate examination (with a lot of Yiddish phrases) of coming to grips with aging, from their own health problems to the mother's nursing home (though Barbara Barrie seems much more spry than the other residents). That more depressing side of aging baby boomers was left out of "Sideways," though this film also has plenty of funny one-liners, sometimes with easy targets like Hollywood and books, to compensate.

While the women's tolerance of their men's quirks is saintly, at least they are not portrayed as total bitches, though this is a somewhat cynical reunion for Pantoliano and Jennnifer Tilly since "Bound."

While "Elliott" got laid off from his publishing job for not being in touch with the market, he is in touch with today's world enough to begin to simultaneously post his rantings as columns on a web blog, and the film's inserts of reactions he generates both in the neighborhood and online from around the country are amusing, keep the film contemporary-feeling and move along the leisurely pace.

The Bergen County, NJ locales are used very well in creating the feel of a neighborhood.

Tom O'Brien's score is lovely.

I don't know if it was the fault of the projectionist or the director that the tops of heads were cut off in so many blurry scenes.

Depending on your point-of-view, this story of 'Elliot', a self-proclaimed loser, is alternately depressing and amusing as it follows the travails of the ultimate frustrated writer. His animosity towards the world grows when he can't get published and is forced to post his 'literary' work around town on flyers stuck to telephone poles.

Then, to his surprise, Elliot's pseudo-'fictional' prose gets a response as it begins to strike a chord with his fellow downtrodden underachievers. But as pungent and funny as some of Elliot's observations may be to audience members, they do manage to strike his 'serious' readers close to the heart while at the same time aiming alarmingly closer to the bone of his close friends and associates.

Perfectly cast as said loser 'Elliot' is veteran actor Joe 'Joey Pants' Pantoliano who's supporting work in big-budget films like "The Matrix" and "Memento" has finally garnered him a major film role (of sorts). Elliot's sardonic wit gets a many-layered recitation from Pantoliano's lips (via voice-over primarily) as he perfectly captures the psychological depression and self-abuse that goes along with being the eternal outsider. Not to mention the even more deplorable fact that Elliot is a man who's sunk so low he's willing to borrow money from his ex-wife, mother, AND son just to maintain his paltry existence (and help pay for the flyers).

Elliot's polar opposite is his mega-successful childhood pal 'Richard', well-played with jaded zeal by veteran stage actor Guy Boyd, who continually dodges Elliots questions regarding a potential screenplay to be developed. Richard's knowledge of the business prevents his recognition of Elliot's populist appeal, leaving him with unenviable task of having to bring Elliot back to reality. Between them there is also an underlying jealousy which fuels their need to score decidedly humorous zingers against each other. Both Pantoliano and Boyd make the most of these verbal duels making these scenes the most enjoyable of the film.

The rest of the supporting cast is also above par and each character is given a choice moment to respond to Elliot's damnation of their feeble existences. The losers gang also provides plenty of comic relief throughout the film from the golf course to the local singles bar.

If it weren't for the reality TV audio quality and subpar video transfer this film would be very easy to recommend. However, if you feel that film is a visual medium and your theater isn't projecting this film in its original digital format then you might want to wait for the DVD. It'll be just as funny as a small-screen experience and a lot cleaner technically.

However, if you are the losingest loser in your neighborhood then maybe you should watch a second rate print of "Second Best" just to soothe your damaged ego. In any case, you've been warned.

This is a wonderfully touching film which ventures into the hearts of middle-aged men and their insecurities. I loved watching 'Second Best,' for me it confirmed what I already knew; men have close friendships too! Although these men displayed obnoxious, juvenile natures and immature sensibilities they weren't above turning to a good friend for approval. The writer took time to craft and create characters with complex needs and difficult, painful life situations. This made the film very appealing to me as I was able to empathize with these male characters. Though there were few females amongst the cast, they provided interesting comic relief. These woman were portrayed as quirky, funny and smart people.

There was an element to the film that felt home-made. As the landscapes danced over the screen, the montage sequences read as if on a home video. I felt that I was watching shots of my childhood town drive by my eyes.

Written and directed by Edward Weber and produced and starring Joey Pantoliano, Second Best is a curious movie that is painfully entertaining, embarrassingly funny and surprisingly touching in the end. Debuting at Sundance last night, Weber's story is about the anti-heroes, the average Joes that have cashed in their dreams for mediocre careers and dysfunctional families. Accustomed to failure and disappointment, they now only play-act at success, and will grasp at the fringes of worldliness.

Weber effectively makes the case that there is nobility in the lives of the below-average and that the friendships that bind these people (for they have nothing else but friends) is of greater value and meaning than the worldly success they aspire to.

Pantoliano hasn't branched far from the tree of his typical roles. He plays Eliot, a wise-cracking, cynical, self-proclaimed loser with a broken marriage and a job selling menswear. He nevertheless is the catalyst for his gang of pals, one of which is a Hollywood mogul currently on top of the world. What's the allure? Eliot is a funny, interesting, original thinker who, in the end, we know to have a heart of gold. And even more important, they've been friends for life.

I wanted to like the movie, because it feels like an original theme and I cared about the characters. A little more plot would have been nice, though. I also began to weary of the Freudian obsession with sex in a group of 40-year-old men. And I never bought into the extraordinary insensitivity Eliot displays to his friends. And finally, the only remotely likeable female character is Eliot's mother, Barbara Barrie, who gives a nice comedic performance.

I am eager to see what Weber comes up with next.

This movie was atrocious. I got in for free and I walked out. This is one of those movies that would never have been made if the writer didn't know some famous people. Joe Pantoliano whines his way through the movie, spouting diatribes about what big losers he and his friends are. Of course he is a writer, a common conceit among the self-indulgent independent screenwriter/director crowd. He complains and complains about being a loser, despite the fact that his ex-wife and girlfriend are both hot, he has a bunch of friends, and has plenty of time to give out his diatribes, as well as an audience to listen to them. This self-indulgent trash was sickening and an insult to talented writers who can't get their films made because they don't have the ins with talented actors like Pantoliano. In fact, all the actors turn in fine performances, which is the only thing that comes close to saving this film. All things being equal though, go see something else.

I saw SECOND BEST last year at the Sundance Film Festival. Eric Weber has brought us a heart-felt and touching film about the lovable loser Elliot (played by the always entertaining Joe Pantoliano). Beyond being bitter sweet, this film is also very funny. It is not very often that a movie combines being so tragic and hilarious as well as Eric has in this film.

As a woman, I also found this movie enlightening. It is rare look into what men are really thinking from envy of wealthy friends to attraction to women they cannot have. This movie is required viewing for every woman out there, believe me, it makes you think! See this movie. You will be glad you did.

Well, i thought this film was going to be an uncomfortable and depressing experience, dealing as it does with personal failure and the jealousy, despondency and self-loathing it can create. But as it turns out, this film is a gem - real, uplifting, moving but unsentimental. It illustrates perfectly how people's unfulfilled aspirations and desires and their search for "success" can blind them to the true worthwhile and positive aspects of themselves and their lives.

I'm currently reading a book about status anxiety. This is a human condition that is rampant in modern society and it effects all of us to some extent - the need to keep up appearances with our peers (in a material sense) or else believe ourselves to be unloved, useless failures. money = success. This film illustrates this condition perfectly. It also shows us that no one can be a "loser" when they have good friends, people they love and care about and can have fun with. At the end of the day who is the real loser? The millionaire with no friends (real that is) or the toilet attendant with many?

Very few films like this are made any more - intelligent, though-provoking, profound and uncompromising. No car chases, no unnecessary violence, no product placement, just a very good film.

I enjoyed "Second Best" greatly. It is a deftly-constructed study of a group of old friends, with the emphasis on the character Elliot (Joe Pantoliano). Elliot thinks of himself as a loser, especially by contrast with his old friend Richard, who's got it all--the beautiful wife, tons of money, memberships in the best country clubs, great looks. He can't help but confront his friends with their own failings, as well as his own. But when the chips are down, it's Elliot who comes through as a real mensch, a good guy in the most important ways, and the film leaves you with the sense that in every important respect Elliot is not "second best" at all. He is the true hero of the movie, as improbable as that may seem at first. Eric Weber clearly has a great affection for his characters, and he represents them with great humor as well as a deep understanding. This is an American-made film that reminds you of the foreign movies you love so much (especially if you're sick as I am of car chases, explosions, and special effects). Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this film. Eric Weber is a talented writer/director. I would like to see more from him. I thought the acting was very good especially the son. Joey Pants was perfect for the lead. He captured the role and had me believing that he was a troubled soul. Boyd Gaines was also great as the friend/nemesis. We all have people like this in our lives, some one who has "made it" while we wait for the big breaks. It was neat as well to see Polly Draper (big 30 Something fan). She should do more features. As for Eric Weber, I believe that this film bests "Suits" and his ability to tell a good story well should ensure him continued years of writing, directing and producing. Let's get this thing into the theaters across the country already!

fine film, situations are very much a part of many peoples lives. entertaining storyline, filled with real life situations. who among us hasn't suffered from feeling second best. a good reflection of many peoples feelings and insecurities. good casting and well directed film. film takes you through a full range of emotions, laughter, angst, it's all there. acting is very good. scene locations are excellent. constantly reminded of personal situations that are similar to film. if you have ever felt second best, you will enjoy the film. and who hasn't felt that at some point. it makes a common human condition very entertaining.

I was lucky enough to see a screening of Second Best at the Hamptons Film Festival. It's a wonderful film, with snappy, smart, funny dialogue, solid acting by Joe Pantolione and Boyd Gaines, as well as a comfortable blanket of familiarity as everyone has a touch of the "loser" within them. For fans of good drama and the dynamics of male friendships, not to mention desperation, jealousy, and sarcasm, or those who want to laugh out loud, I heartily recommend this movie. Not long after, I saw Sideways, which also deals with the friendship of two off-beat males. If you liked Sideways, you'll like Second Best. While this one doesn't have the wine and the vineyards, it certainly possesses the same biting humor, outrageous moments, and thoughtfulness. All in all, a kickin' indie flick.

Crossing the line from sweet to saccharine is all too easy, with the majority of films that dare go near true sentiment ending up knee-deep in aspartame. But Second Best prances on that line with aplomb and grace. I realize that, "sweet," would not be the first adjective out of one's mouth after seeing Second Best, but sweet is what it is. Sweet it is to realize that average is as human as we get; sweet it is to realize that jealousy is as common as the cold; sweet it is to realize that real success has little to do with winning; and sweet it is to once again realize that the journey is far more interesting than the destination.

So, at the risk of sounding a bit gooey, myself, I think Eric Weber has come up with a very sweet and funny movie. It deals with failure, misguided potential and loss but you actually come out of the movie feeling good. Good in the way that Garden State, or the Station Agent, or even The Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind makes you feel. The direction, the dialog and the performances – especially that of Joey Pantalione – ring true and honest and real without even a hint of the after taste of Sweet 'N Low. To me it was the kind of movie that you wished didn't end so fast. It's good for all of us second besters. The winners can stay away.

Second Best is a fearless, deeply funny, utterly authentic and uncommonly intelligent film. Untainted by commercialism, it never panders or shies away from the truth as Mr. Weber sees it. Graceful direction gives Weber's dialog and the cast's big chops a wide berth, to great effect. Breaking ranks from an industry obsessed with stories about young people that are marketed to even younger ones, Second Best seeks an adult, or at least a thinking, audience. It gives us mature leads and tougher story lines, and admits to the possibility that outside of the 310 area code, not every dream must necessarily come true. Its characters even dare to be unsympathetic at times, like actual human beings. People who admire the best films of Woody Allen, Richard Curtis, Whit Stillman, Richard Linklater and Bill Forsythe will find Eric Weber a worthy member of that pantheon.

I had a chance to see this film while attending the Sundance film festival last year. I was attracted by the great cast put together by the films director Eric Weber. Joey "Pants" Pantoliano, Jennifer Tilly, Bronson Pinchot and others. I was also surprised to see "The Patty Hearst". While the acting was terrific it was really the content and the characters that made my time viewing enjoyable. In addition I also liked the way it was shot it felt very homey and was not overwhelming which allowed the flavor of the story to shine through. We can all relate to the main character with his current life(never quite getting to the top) and seeing the success of his long time friend, it will hit close to home for many. Go enjoy this film and bring a friend.

You did it!!! You changed film. You did art, comedy, and pain. Thank you, thank you so much for starting something that everyone else who comes in 2nd needs. Thank you for putting yourself second, which puts you in 1st.

People will talk of this film for years to come and what relevance it has to the film experience and shared pain. When you allowed the guy in the wheel chair to have honor, and all of them to have honor in everything it was breathtaking.

The mom was sweet, the idea was inspired, and everything made sense. It's about damn time someone stepped up and made a film like this. It speaks to so many people you'd be amazed. I can count a billion 2nds and not many 1st's. Bravo!

Best in show

Best to go!

SECOND BEST has an original film language -- the protagonist pours his angry heart into a self-published news letter. He is angry at how awful he feels about himself vis a vis his richer, better-looking, taller, more self-assured friends and neighbors. They drive better cars, smoke richer cigars, bed prettier women, eat juicier steaks. Certain that no one will publish his newsletter, he pins it up around town, places it under car windshields, stuffs it in local mail boxes. Most people just throw it in the garbage, others find it offensive, and yet with a few it resonates. They respond to the author's website address with tales of inadequacy of their own. This all takes place against a suburban Jersey backdrop, where four middle-aged male friends hang out not that differently than they did in high school -- frequenting pick up bars, Chinese restaurants, and burnt out municipal golf courses. Their lives are not turning out as they had imagined when graduating college. Now, thirty years later, these baby boomers are experiencing problems with their careers, marriages, health and children. Yet they stick together, cobbling a life of humor, sports, dating, and ribald conversation just as fun as if they'd each had a couple of million bucks.

I rented this movie to see how the Sony pd170 camera shoots, (I recently purchased the same camera) and was blown away by the story and the acting. The directing, acting, editing was all above what I expected from what appeared at first glance to be a "Low budget" type of movie.

I learned a lot from the film as an actor and a Director of Photograpy. Thanks for making a great movie. As an indie film maker (Currently shooting "Bank+Shot" in New Orleans Louisiana and surrounding areas I also recommend "Peices of April" with Katie Holmes.

Gary Desroche

It may not be an honorable choice, to live life the way the main character does, but the movie is worthy of your attention. I bumped into it on a movie channel and hung around once I saw "Joey Pants" was in it. He's always interesting.

A group of aging men, bewildered at why life has not turned out better for them, meet on a regular basis, complain, kid themselves, and behave badly.

The film is funny, sad, and oddly touching. Only one of them, a Hollywood big shot, has 'made it' the way the guys left behind define it.

There's a great scene at a private club on the golf course that will make you wince.

I watched this today on IFC knowing nothing about it, & thoroughly enjoyed it. It was really nice to see Barbara Barrie(Mrs Barney Miller)again. I emailed my 40-50 y/o golf buddies to tell them it's a must. Since I first saw Joe Pantiliano as a pimp in "Risky Business", I've always enjoyed him. In "The Fugitive"/"US Marshals", and especially in "Steal Big, Steal Little", he was one of the strongest cast members(I happen to think "Steal Big, Steal Little" is a great little ensemble piece. "Second Best" is full of humor, as well as chock full of pathos. I can totally identify with aging boomers, growing older, contemplating the roads not taken, the missteps, and the changing relationships with lifetime or oldtime friends

I was pleasantly surprised when I caught this film on the IFC today, well written, snappy and real dialog, as well as relevant.

Good performances by Joe Pantoliano, Barbara Barrie, Bronson Pinchot, Jennifer Tilly, and Boyd Gaines(very amusing) as successful Hollywood producer, visiting his old high school friends in New Jersey.

This film has reality and relevance. The usual story of the high school popular guy (Gaines) and his long suffering friend (Pantoliano) and their group of friends. Basically Pantoliano starts an internet column ("for losers") and people begin to respond, telling tales of their lives, layoffs, and family issues.

A few very good cameos include Polly Draper (late 1980's "30 Something" TV fame), Barbara Barrie ("Breaking Away"), and Paulina Poriskova ( late 1980's swimsuit/Estee Lauder model) Overall, you will enjoy this film. It is sarcastic and real, and well worth seeing for any baby boomer's, as well as the rest of us. Highly recommended. 9/10.

Excellent movie! Jersey rocks again! I can relate. This film says a lot about society. We can see a bit of ourselves in every story within the stories. Honestly when I first started the watching the movie, I thought it was a Showtime series and not a movie. I even forgot the name of it and had to hit info a second time. Not that it was bad but it was so good that I had to make sure of what I was watching. My high school's ten year reunion is coming up in a few weeks and upon serious introspection, I have to relate my own life this highly entertaining movie. We all have feelings about another's success and how we have our own shortcomings that amount to skipping the fact we have to earn things in life and being jealous is truly a sin. We as people dismiss our feelings of jealousy as being acceptable but when push comes to shove, you have to be a winner at heart and meticulously trained. This movie notates the reality of things; you ultimately have to live up to the role inside your collective head. This movie is a must see who has to fess up to their own shortcomings.