Playmaker (1994) User Reviews

Oh so close to making the play

[corvus-3 · 22 November 2000]

This one works if you can suspend your disbelief just a wee bit more than you'd normally allow. The reward is a twisty ride through smoke and mirrors, stopping along the way to ask some pretty hefty questions.

Jamie is an aspiring actress who is long on ambition but short in the confidence department. Out of desperation, she hooks up with a brilliant but eccentric acting coach. He teaches her that nothing is what it seems, but what she really learns is that if you're good enough at deception, you can get away with murder. However, the real lesson here is that success achieved by becoming more ruthless than your enemies makes you the enemy.

Because your sympathy is with Jamie at all times, you are encouraged to believe that she is forced to take this position by people more evil than herself. This is a highly suspicious concept, I think. But it is an interesting idea and fairly well presented in a funhouse structure with enough surprises to keep you intrigued.

Seriously not good.

[auctionmaestra · 3/10 · 29 October 2010]

I am a Colin Firth fan and will watch anything he's in. He is the sole redeeming part of this film. He plays two characters in effect and plays them well, despite the abysmally inept script and direction. Everything about this film is seriously bad and very cheap looking. Spending a little more on clothing and props would definitely have been worth it. The lead actress, playing an aspiring starlet, is dressed like a preschool teacher and an important prop--the necklace--looks ugly and cheap. Jennifer Rubin does a good job as the "agent" at the end of the movie, but her performance as the actress during the teaching scenes with Colin Firth is very bad, although Ms. Rubin has done good work in other films. This is a recommend to fill in your Colin Firth inventory, but once is enough, and he's the only actor worth watching.

Daft movie, sexy Colin Firth

[darkteilani · 2/10 · 10 November 2003]

If it wasn't for Colin Firth, the movie would be ready for the dust bin! So foreseable, so silly and so badly acted!! Only Colin Firth, as always, shines through this mess as single light on the end of the tunnel!!

The worst was Jennifer Rubin's acting, for sure! Maybe it was because of this script (did they actually have really written one or was it just made up "on the way"???).

To cut a tooo long story short:

It is a MUST SEE only for Colin Firth Fanatics (like me) since he is incredibly sexy and good acting (struggling hard against this "mentally challenged" script). These minutes of Colin-Screen-Time make up a lot of this movie.

Don't spend too much money on it, though. Try to see or get it as cheap as possible (an auction or something like that) and then do stick to the Colin Firth scenes.

The rest of the movie might be dangerous for anyones mental health.

Phsycotic, keeps you guessing, Thriller

[firthfantastic · 7/10 · 9 February 2005]

After reading the terrible reviews of this movie, including comments said to be quoted from Colin, I almost didn't bother to add this film to my Firth Film collection, however being the Firth Fan which I am, intrigue got the better of me!

To my surprise I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. It had suspense,drama and intrigue and V.sexy Colin scene's. The plot kept me guessing right until the end credits and I felt that once one got past Jennifer Rubens opening scene's that the actress played her role convincingly. Colin was as brilliant as ever and its great to see him play a character from the 'Dark side', a 'chill went down my spine' and after watching this I can't wait to see Colins recent film 'Trauma'soon to be out on DVD.

OK, perhaps it 'wasn't a film that was 'in your face' so to speak and one couldn't 'go to sleep on the plot',especially towards the end as there was a lot going on, but that was what I liked about it, the acting was subtle, thankfully not overdone (like many suspense thrillers), this made the film all the more chilling to watch. One just couldn't second guess what Colins character (Ross Talbert), or for that matter Jennifer Rubens character(Jamie Harris) was going to do next, and there were quite a few surprises in store, I sat on the edge of my seat throughout, with a cushion handy!!

Personally I am very glad that I watched 'Playmaker' and I shall certainly rewind and view again. I think that any Firth Fan would benefit from watching this film, if they didn't like the plot then just watch Colin ;-))

Possibly the best movie I've ever seen..

[liderc · 10/10 · 21 January 2000]

This mystery/psychological-thriller is I think one of the best I've ever seen. All the actors give a wonderful performance, especially Jennifer Rubin as Jamie Harris, who changes from the nervous starlet in the beginning through the strange events she is part of to the cool star. You learn a lot about the real inside emotions of people in this movie, and a lot about the movie business itself. The movie in movie situations in the beginning and through the game that is played with her by the "acting coach" are fascinating. Also the music by Mark Snow is possibly the best score I've ever heard. You won't forget this movie!

A subtle Masterpiece

[MarkusOtzak · 10/10 · 9 February 2002]

If you like subtle psychological dramas/thrillers this is a movie for you. Those who want to see an ordinary sex'n'crime erotic thriller surely will not understand this movie, as Colin Firth obviously did when he called it "rubbish". But Jennifer Rubin is the real star of the movie anyway. She is such a brilliant and beautiful actress! Along with the twisting and turning storyline, that gets more and more psychological and makes you think about yourself, the wonderful directing, photography and especially the music make this movie a masterpiece. Also the small parts are very good, especially Belinda Waymouth is terrific in her small scene. I hope it gets released on DVD soon, and a soundtrack album would be a dream coming true!!

Wonderful and moving drama

[liderc · 10/10 · 9 June 1999]

This movie is one of the best and moving I have ever seen, because of the terrible good performance of the main actress Jennifer Rubin as Jamie Harris, who really makes you feel with her. Also the music by Mark Snow is wonderful.

An Honest Review

[generationofswine · 10/10 · 22 February 2020]

I guess, to be honest, I'm giving this 10 of 10 stars just because I like films like this and, when it came out when I was 14 I really loved those moody independent mysteries that really wanted to buck for film noir and mostly never achieved it.

And now as an adult, I still like them, but with the refined taste of preferring the ones that were actually done right... or at least the ones that hit the troupes with a bit of success.

Looking at it through a critical eye, however, the plot doesn't stand up to analysis. If you are the kind of critical couch coach you're going to be yelling at the television and facepalming more than a few times... but that's kind of part of the charm of films like this. The ones that are done well keep it to a minimum, but even then the "WTF were they thinking!" moments are a source of entertainment themselves.

And it has Jennifer Rubin, who does decent jobs and should have had bigger roles in her career. In this case she does a fine job of balancing naive and stupid enough to not turn to the camera and yell at the writers because of the above mentioned moments, and still comes across as someone that can solve the mystery.

And it's the "Mystery" again, that is keeping this from being a truly good film. It's that dark sort of total suspension of disbelief, if you don't just shrug and go with it you'll be irritated to no end kind of mystery.

Because, honestly, outside of that the acting is pretty stellar, Firth and Rubin both nail their roles, the film is moody enough to fit the genre, it's got that 90s indie Hollywoodphile vibe that everyone loves... but it just does it with a lot that makes you want to strangle the writer and situations that will leave a nice large red mark on you forehead.

Honestly though, despite all of that, it actually manages to entertain. You won't be bored watching it, this is a film you can still enjoy and, at the end of the day, that is the only reason to make a movie. That is the one goal that all films should place above all objectives.

too complex

[irving-8 · 4 March 2000]

Playmaker doesn't make sense to me. At first you thought `Ross' was some master but actually was a fake. I missed the point of the movie, or is there one? The ending - so Jamie Harris got away with murder ?