Spartan (DVD, 2004)

I purchased this film because I had already seen it and liked it very much.
"Spartan" was not a great big splashy feature release, but I tend to enjoy so-called "smaller" films as much as some big mucho-marketed Tom Cruise-esque films. It was either directed and/or written by David Mamet, whose work I'm crazy about. Mamet's plays and films are very intelligent, full of truly unexpected twists that make sense, are very funny in an understated way a and he uses and can attract top-flight accomplished, interesting actors.

Once you've seen this film, if you haven't already, you'll see that there is an exciting primary story line but I found the protagonist's story and his evolution the most interesting and done very well by Val Kilmer (before he got fat). Kilmer seemed to take to Mamet's trademark speaking cadence easily and, as he usually does, carries out the character's story in an understated fashion. Once I understood his character's so-called "arc" (which isn't exactly a brain-strain), Kilmer's subtle physical acting added a good deal to making Mamet's film intriguing and I don't mean slugging or shooting people. I was referring to his excellent ability to subtly convey an emotion or a mix of emotions in a small physical movement. Glenn Close is one of the absolute BEST at doing this and you can't even see what the microscopic physical change was, but suddenly, without a sound, everything has changed or been revealed.

I always enjoy seeing actors that I suppose I've pigeon-holed into a certain genre, and then do an excellent job in a completely different character type. In this case, I'm referring to Ed McNeill (sp??). In this film, Al Bundy he ain't and he's great.

The film-title's meaning becomes crystal clear approx. 85% into the film, for all of us who are not experts on ancient Sparta's history. Stay in school girls and boys.

Anywho, enough yakkety-yak outta me. It's great, IMHO! BTW, if you like David Mamet films and haven't seen "State and Main", SEE IT, say I. It was made within the last 10 years ago, I guesstimate, and definitely on DVD. It's, again, a "small film" and an insightful comedy about a film crew that invades a small New England town, behaving as if completing their film would be soooo much easier if there weren't all these pesky New Englanders living in the town.
Includes Wm. H. Macy, David Paymer, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rebecca Pidgeon (is she/was she married to Mamet?),Alec Baldwin and Sarah Jessica Parker ("I'm still faaaaaabulous even though Sex In The City has finished).

Thanks for reading,
ld1756

P.S. Many thanks to eBay and the seller for making this HDDVD available at such a great price! eBay is my first "goto" place for film, especially for older films and I don't mean "made in the 80's". Happy viewing!