Things Change

"Things Changes" is a light-hearted look at what happens to an old Italian shoe shiner (Ameche) who's a naive patsy for the mob when a mafia flunky (Mantegna) takes them two of them to Tahoe for a last blast. This Mamet film has a lot of pluses not the least of which is Mantegna and Ameche together in one of Ameche's last films. The story is a cute comedy with a kind of sentimental "feel" to it. The kind of movie that's hard not to like.

Shoe-shiner Gino (Don Ameche) is hired to take the rap for a mafia murder. Two-bit gangster Jerry (Joe Mantegna) watches over Gino and gives him a weekend to remember.

"Things Change" was Mamet's directorial follow-up to "House of Games" and also takes place in the world of crime. The two films share many cast members, including Joe Mantegna, Ricky Jay, Mike Nussbaum, William H. Macy, and J. T. Walsh, as well as many production staff members. I love how Mamet seems to have his own "stock company" with Mantegna, Jay and Macy. There is something about an ensemble working together again and again that I enjoy.

This film was great and I appreciate that Mamet went more towards comedy. I love his dense language, but sometimes a little humor is good. And mob humor? The best. I have only recently come to appreciate Don Ameche, and this has to be one of his better, later roles.

An elderly man who makes money shining shoes has been summoned to a meeting with a mob boss. It seems that the elderly guy (Don Ameche) bears a close resemblance to a mobster being held for murder. So, they want the old guy to take the rap...and they, in turn, will pay him well for the time he spends in prison for the killing he actually didn't commit. Gino agrees to the arrangement...and as a way of rewarding him, one of the lower level mobsters, Jerry (Joe Montegna), takes him for a great weekend in Reno...after which Gino is supposed to turn himself in to the law for the murder.

When the pair arrive in Reno, they are mistaken for VERY big fish. Suddenly, the resort casino offers them the best room, the best service....anything they want. It's obvious they have mistaken the pair for some other folks...well-placed mobsters who must be treated with the best of care.

The day after their arrival, two messengers of a local mobster arrive. They want Gino and Jerry to accompany them for a meeting with their boss, Don Giuseppe. Despite Gino being a simple man, he and Giuseppe (Robert Prosky) hit it off very well...and soon Gino is asked to stay for a meeting with the boss' friends....who are all VERY high-ranking mobsters from across the country. Gino agrees...but Jerry is losing his mind at this point! He just wants to end their weekend and go home. What's next? See the film.

The best thing about this film is Don Ameche's gentle and understated performance. It's really lovely to watch...especially if you are a fan of classic Hollywood, as he was quite the matinee idol in the 1930s-40s. It also didn't hurt that the film was written by David Mamet AND, Shel Silverstein, of all people! Overall, a very nice slice of life film...one that is pleasant and sweet.

Mamet is not an unalloyed mastermind in my book. He hits and misses.

Here, he (and Shel Silverstein) crafted a story that explores a few clever plot concepts, such as the vaguely "Inspector General"-style false-identity gimmick. No spoiler, there: It kicks in pretty early on and dominates things for most of the flick. Most of the comedy/tension of the flick revolves about that idea.

The truly touching stuff involves the ensemble work, and it's worth taking the flick in of an evening just for that.

Other than that, the structure/storyline of the flick is about 80% good, but about 20% sprinkled with confusing side-events that don't quite seem to mesh.

Mamet and Silverstein tried to engineer a truly compelling denouement, but it doesn't feel quite whole and organic and... compelling, to me. It's merely adequate, in my book.

But if you want to see truly inspired acting, driven by adequate direction, check it out.

Mamet is intrinsically the classical playwright. Things may change in life but the classical playwright begins the story with a shoe shine setting up his corner in the cobbler's shop and ends the story with a shoe shine. Even the mid-point of the film, when the 3 day dream is about to end, there is the short lecture on how to shine shoes.

Though all the actors provide commendable performances, the flow of the story is absorbing. There is a layer of human values and honesty that permeates the world of murders and mafia thugs. Mamet is able to use such contradictions to great effect--threats stated with considerable politeness, women who are apparently in charge (the woman overseeing the arrangements for the meal at the house, the mafia wife/moll in blue) and yet play no significant role, teasing the viewer as it were, use of hats and newspapers to cover faces that seem ridiculous as the story unfolds..

The epilogue makes you wonder if things do change. Change for one may not be change for another. Change for one may come in economic terms, for another in friendship.

Early Mamet's work seems to neglect women characters. I wonder why this is so evident.