Swimming with Sharks

Yes, the performances (especially Spacey's--mesmerizing) were excellent, but the film suffers simply because it does not know what it wants to be. Both halves are well-done, but placed side-by-side it almost seems as though two separate films were hastily meshed together by an overworked film editor. The comedy is far too light to stand aside overly dark torture scenes, although Spacey does a fine job in turning what is essentially a caricature of a tough boss into a multi-level (and very stirring) performance. I do, however, have to agree with some of the posts on this board--Spacey's motivation in the last scenes is indeed very difficult to comprehend.

To me, it seems like 1995 was really the year that brought Kevin Spacey into the national spotlight. He played a creepy boss in "Swimming with Sharks", a strange interviewee in "The Usual Suspects" and a serial killer in "Se7en". The first one lets him go all out as a total jerk - and he's a movie producer, so that makes him as bad as can be - making life a living hell for Frank Whaley's newcomer. So it's no surprise that Whaley does what he does.

Is Spacey the actor who most defined the direction that indie films started to take in the '90s? Hard to say, as there were many such actors. But I would say that it's neat how Spacey's characters usually perpetrate misery on other people (like here) or rebel against it (like in "American Beauty"). Overall, this is certainly one that I recommend. Because a paper cut on the tongue can't be anything pleasant.

Also featuring Benicio Del Toro in an early role.

Guy is the latest in a long line of personal assistants to Keystone Pictures executive Buddy. However he quickly learns that he must put up with a torrent of abuse and unreasonable demands. After a year of this he is pushed to the limit and decides to take action – however if Buddy is unreasonable what does it take to make it in show business?

A dark, cruel satire on the business called show. Director writer Huang spent 6 years in Lucasfilms and Columbia so this is very bitter and real. However it manages to be funny and very dark. The plot is told in flashbacks and is very dark. The end is depressing for those of us who believe that Hollywood isn't all egos. The plot does have weaknesses though – Buddy going for a film called Real Life is pretty unlikely but this is a minor flaw.

The main strength here is Spacey. His nasty energy is great and it's impossible to look away when he's onscreen. However when he's not there the film sags a little. Whaley is very good and the mousey personality suits his looks.

Overall it may be a little hard to watch because it is a very bitter tale from Huang, however Spacey is a master and delivers a performance that shows why he became famous.

I was so depressed after watching "The Men Who Stare At Goats" that I actively sought out Kevin Spacey movies to help redeem my perceptions of him. I saw "K-Pax" last week, which was adequately engaging, then found "Swimming with Sharks" on the IFC. What a find! This low-cost(less than $1M) film must not have had a very big marketing budget -- it completely escaped me at the time -- but it's one of the best performances Kevin Spacey I've ever seen. An abusive, self-indulgent, arrogant boss in the film industry, his role easily translates into that of a recognizable evil boss in any field. Spacey nicely runs the gamut of expression from god-like to humbled. His once-idealistic assistant is played by Frank Whaley, who never really saw his full potential subsequently develop in his career but has had nice turns in Pulp Fiction and a number of high-production TV series. Whaley too should be commended for his ability to grow the character from a wide-eyed beginning his dream job, to a vengeful warrior out for blood. The film centers on the dysfunctional relationship between these two and is weak only when it attempts to introduce minor roles featuring Michelle Forbes (Maryann on "True Blood") and Benecio del Toro (though these actors perform well with what they've been given).

With all the ups and downs of Kevin Spacey's career, 'Swimming With Sharks' kind of came along before he seemed destined to hit the dizzy heights or the crippling lows. Before he hit the big time with 'American Beauty' he played what would eventually become his 'go to' character, i.e. a sleezebag.

Sadly, if the media are to be believed, life has imitated art, but I like to do my best and separate the art from the artist. So, if you can bring yourself to actually watch a Kevin Spacey film these days, this one will certainly showcase much of the acting talent and stage presence that would cement his 'A-list' credentials.

Spacey plays 'Buddy Ackerman' - a 'Harvey Weinstein-esque' type film producer who is well-known in Hollywood circles (you can write your own comparison gag for that one!). And he's a completely b******d (again, draw your own comparisons!). He treats his staff - and in particular his personal assistants - like dirt. Which is not good news for his latest victim/employee 'Guy' (played by Frank Whaley). Although Spacey is the star that doesn't mean he's the main focus. Whaley is the main character whose life we follow as he tries to juggle actually having a life while carrying out/serving his new 'master.'

The film was set in the mid nineties and it shows. Everything from the haircuts to the suits seal it in its time period. The film's look and feel hasn't aged that well, but at least the story seems pretty timeless of a put-upon employee being mercilessly exploited by his employer. The direction is pretty standard for this type of drama/black comedy/satire and there's no memorable soundtrack to speak of. It does tend to do that thing where it starts near the end, so you can see how the characters end up and the bulk of the film is - technically - long flashbacks for us to see how the characters end up the way they are. Personally, I'd prefer to see the story told in a linear fashion as I thought it didn't really need to have time played about with.

I have to confess that I'd never heard of Frank Whaley before I watched this (and I've never seen himself in anything since!) and he does seem a little out of his league while playing up against Spacey's considerable charisma. Whether you love or hate Spacey (on screen or in real life), this is his baby and it's worth a watch just to see his acerbic put-downs.