True West

This film is a great example of how entertaining a movie can be relying on acting alone. Both Sinise & Malkovich take their roles to the limit in physicality & emotion, not to mention some excellent comic timing. I thought Malkovich was very funny and parts of his highly physical performance reminded me of Jim Carrey or Chris Farley (only in a more dramatic sense) - this movie being released in 1983. The technical quality doesn't look much better than a current high-end camcorder, but the acting makes you forget this within a few minutes.

It is one of the most authentic depictions of brotherly "love" I've ever seen. The reversal of Austin's and Lee's roles during the course of the film, then their both sinking to a common level of animalistic degradation, overseen by an oblivious mother, is truly hilarious and hilariously true.

What more can you say about the performances that launched two great careers- Malkovich and Sinise. The quality of the filming is poor, but that is to be expected when trying to translate the live experience to film. It feels very TV studio. But this still doesn't detract from two very visceral performances that should be studied by every actor.

I saw this around 2AM on Alabama Public Television (of all places) last summer and have been trying to find out what it was ever since. Film quality was camcorder, but once I started watching I couldn't stop. It seemed so different from anything else I had seen them in- This was made the year I was born, so there's a reason. It was no Forest Gump, Con Air, or Man in the Iron Mask. It was deep. And the acting was powerful. I though I wouldn't like it but it sucked me in and I couldn't stop watching.

I remember when our English teacher made us watch this and I wasn't sure what to expect. He warned us that it was theater of the absurd. I loved it. Gary Sinise and John Malkovich are really good in this. It is extremely funny and smartly directed by Sinise. Malkovich though standouts and he plays Lee with command. They are both in top form.