Mickey Blue Eyes (1999) User Reviews

surprisingly good

[rupie · 7/10 · 28 September 2001]

Just happened to rent this one on a whim, mainly due to the cast - Hugh Grant and James Caan - and was surprised to find a much better than average comedy. When the world of a sophisticated English-born art auctioneer in a Tony Manhattan auction house collides with the world of the New York mob, one expects a universe of comic opportunities, and the movie pays off in spades. James Caan is becoming one of those rare actors who is as adept at comedy as at heavier roles. The script is intelligently funny, and the movie is loaded with riotously incongruous situations. The scene where Caan attempts to teach the debonair Hugh Grant how to say "fuggedaboutit" in a hood's accent is alone worth the price of the movie. An overlooked delight.

A bit cheesy, but really, really, really funny.

[EHolliday · 6/10 · 14 September 1999]

The whole idea of the movie is pretty creative, but near the end of the movie, the story got a little predictable (that's all I'll say about the plot... so no I'm not spoiling anything.)

However, I laughed to the point I was literally in pain. A lot of pain. Especially during "the restaurant scene". Even after the movie I was still giddy, and I started laughing hysterically in the parking lot of the movie theater. An aftershock I guess?

If you're looking for a good laugh you should go see it. If you're looking for a strong plot, save your time and money.

Funniest Scene in all of film

[barrass · 7/10 · 8 January 2013]

Within this film, there is a restaurant scene, which in my opinion is without doubt one of the funniest scenes of cinema. I have never before laughed out loud so much at a seventy/eighty second stretch of film. Although this one scene steals the film for me every time I watch it, the entire film is filled with gags that really appeal. I have to confess that the plot is entirely clichéd and pointless, but I find that it is a spiritual successor to the black, white and golden age of comedy epitomised by Laurel and Hardy et al. in terms of the facial comedy especially, with James Caan and Hugh Grant excelling in their close up work. If you are looking at this review as an indicator of whether you should watch this film or not, I urge you to ignore the measly mark of 5.7 and take a punt on it. It obviously doesn't appeal to everyone, but if it does appeal to you, you will absolutely love it.....

Good movie, rating seems a bit low to me.

[TxMike · 11 October 2002]

This is a comedy all the way, and one of the funnier "gangster" comedies I've seen, in tone reminds me a lot of "Analyze This." Hugh Grant is the boyfriend and Jeanne Tripplehorn is his girl, but she refuses when he proposes because her father is a mobster (James Caan, in a perfect role) and she knows they would suck in her innocent auctioneer. The writing is refreshingly good and Grant's delivery makes it go. Here I disagree strongly with critic Ebert who thinks Grant was not right for the role.

My favorite scene, I laughed so hard I had to back it up and watch again, Grant has to pretend in a restaurant that he is "Mickey Blue Eyes" from a Kansas City gang, and his poor imitation of NYC gangster talk is hilarious. This film has no lasting value but is very entertaining, enough so that I think it deserves an "8". I saw it on DVD, nothing remarkable about the presentation, but nothing wrong either.

Not bad.

[Rhino Rover · 7/10 · 23 August 1999]

The previews that I saw for this movie promised it to be a very funny movie...and for the most part it was but it could have been better.

The movie is about a conservative British fellow (Hugh Grant) that runs an auction house in New York. He decides to propose to his girlfriend (Jeanne Tripplehorn) but she has reservations about marriage as her father has connections to the mafia. In her opinion, this marriage will not work as Grant's character will invariably be sucked into the organized crime life. He assures her that he won't and they decide to go ahead with the marriage. As you guessed it, Grant does become entangled and what ensues is a humorous "fish-out-of-water" comedy as Grant tries to get himself out of a mess.

For the most part, the characters were well played. Hugh Grant does a good job, albiet familiar to other characters that he's played recently (and probably not too unlike his real self) but it was nonetheless well played. Most of the humor revolves around his character and his ability to deliver the lines and timing is very well done. The same cannot be said for Jeanne Tripplehorn's character. She seemed to overact some scenes and others it seemed that she wasn't quite sure how to portray the character. At times, it almost made me feel uncomfortable trying to watch her find her role. James Caan did a very good job of playing the father and in some cases, he stole some scenes. The rest of the actors played their roles fairly well although many of these actors have been typecast as the mafia type character.

Although the movie was fairly amusing, there were places that it seemed to drag a little bit. A sign of a good movie for me is how much my mind wanders and this did happen in some places. In my opinion it could have been even funnier but in general it was pretty good. Overall, I found it to be entertaining and genuinely funny...7/10.

Not The Greatest, But Amusingly Funny

[lasherxl · 7/10 · 20 October 2000]

So perhaps this isn't the best romantic comedy out there, but it certainly did have a few interesting twists, and some generally funny moments to it. Hugh Grant was the bumbling and charming Brit he always is, Jimmy Caan was great as the mob member daddy to Jeanne Tripplehorn. It's a fun film to watch and I think most people will enjoy it.

Fuggedaboudit

[INANEZEBO · 1/10 · 18 July 2002]

A worthless waste of time that not only bored me, it completely put my wife to sleep and ended any possibilty of a romantic encounter. Worse than watching Hugh Grant bumble his way through this woefull trip, was watching James Caan completely reducing himself to a sham by appearing in a "comedic" role as a laughable gangster. And Burt Young, "Uncle Paulie" from "Rocky," as the head of a crime family? Please! While a good actor this ridiculous old man is about as scary as navel lint. Ooo, he's the deadly head of a crime family! He might hurt me! I cannot express my utter contempt for this crap. 0/10

Grant & Caan Lift Lighthearted Mob Spoof

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 18 April 2006]

This was an entertaining comedy, similar to several other films I've seen in which an innocent-appearing nice guy gets caught up in the middle of a mob family. (i.e. Matthew Broderick in "The Freshman.")

In this film, it's Hugh Grant who winds up in mobster James Caan's clan. The latter isn't known for his comedy but he's good at it. Sometimes just the facial expressions on Caan's face brought out big laughs with me.

Joe Viterelli is perfect for any Mafia-type story, as is Burt Young. It was a little strange, though, to see Young look like such a shriveled up old man. Jeanne Tripplehorn provides the romantic interest in here.

My only complaints were too much usage of God's name in vain, especially for a comedy, and the typical on again-off again marriage plans you've seen so many times in movies for many decades. Overall, however, a good lighthearted comedy that should please a lot of people.

Really hard film to review.

[LuisitoJoaquinGonzalez · 3/10 · 8 January 2022]

This is the hardest film, I've ever reviewed, despite being an owner of a popular blog.

Is Mickey Blue Eyes a bad movie? Hell no, the script is awesome and James Cann demonstrates his actor chops that is equal to every gangster ever filmed.

What's the problem then?

Hugh Grant just can't do this role. I'm not saying he's a bad rom-com guy, he's not, rom-com is his genre. However playing a guy in peril? He's terrible and critics said the same thing

As an unfortunate mafioso, he was awful. What would Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon, Tom Hanks do with this role?

This film is ruined by it's star.

Awkwardly hilarious!

[Majikat76 · 7/10 · 21 March 2018]

This could have easily been just another typecast gangster movie without the awkwardness of the Hugh Grant which made for great contrast and plenty of laughter.

Nothing special

[rebeljenn · 3/10 · 29 January 2006]

'Mickey Blue Eyes' is a typical Hugh Grant role with Hugh in his typical romantic comedy. In this film, Grant's character falls in love with an Italian woman, whose parents are in the Mafia. Little does Hugh's character know that her parents will want him to be a part of the Mafia family, if he does choose to marry her. Unfortunately, this film has little substance to it other than to show Mr. Hugh Grant in yet another romantic comedy role. This one is very bland, like fish 'n' chips, so do not expect to include it anywhere near the top of the list of the best romantic comedy films ever made. Hugh Grant is kind of cute, but there is nothing to this film.

Loads of laughs

[Gubby-Allen · 8/10 · 20 February 2002]

This was great. People exaggerate the amount of roles where Hugh Grant plays the loveable Englishman. There's only been 3 to my knowledge. I don't really care anyway, as he is brilliant in that role. DeNiro, John Wayne, Morgan Freeman etc generally play the same role in their films and it doesn't put the viewer off.

This wasn't up to Four Weddings or Notting Hill standard. The story line let it down, but only slightly. You need to be of a certain intelligence level to find the satire & dry wit of these films, funny. Give me that anyday to the sex & masturbation gags in most films or the childish braindead crap from Adam Sandler or Jim Carrey that that mistakenly falls into the genre of 'humour.'

It's such an easy film to watch and enjoy. There's more humour at the beginning than the end of Mickey Blue Eyes, but it has at least half a dozen laugh out loud scenes and is worthy of a mark far superior than 5.8/10.

Highly recommendable, a very high ...

8/10

Mildly entertaining comedy. 7/10.

[Fudge-3 · 7/10 · 4 September 1999]

A good idea was rather wasted. A daft, upper crust Englishman has to pretend to be a mobster; "Mickey Blue Eyes". Unfortunately there are only a scene and a half where he has to pull off this roll. I hate it when the script is under developed especially where all the characters and the plot had been set up so carefully and so well. The comedy is well delivered and it is fun. It could have been better though, shame.

Thoughts provoked by this film:

Another part found for Hugh Grant that does not stretch his acting skill. He does play 'daft English' very well though.

I wonder if the 'real' mobsters mind Hollywood ridiculing their profession.

brainless and dull

[planktonrules · 2/10 · 13 July 2006]

I really disliked this comedy--mostly because it just wasn't funny and Hugh Grant's performance was so forced and unbelievable. And this difficulty in his performance (I'll make no gratuitous jokes about his arrest) is due to the awfulness of the script and that he is asked to play way outside his range.

Hugh is getting married, but his fiancée (Jeanne Tripplehorn) has a secret. She's the daughter of a big-time mobster (James Caan--who looks kind of weird in this film--what's with the makeup?)! Well, instead of finding this out and flying back to Britain (that would have been best in the long run), he sticks around because he loves her so much and he knows it will work out fine. It doesn't and I knew it wouldn't when, for laughs, he tries to talk like an American mobster--the comedic low-point of the film. It only got worse from there and I could tell by his pained expression that Grant desperately wanted the film to end.

I recommend this film to no one. Neither dogs, children, adults or penguins--NO ONE! It's frightfully dull and unfunny and it's tough to spend as much money as the studio did and come up with THIS!

Unflattering caricature

[Minofed · 25 December 2000]

It took only a few movies for Hugh Grant to become a caricature of himself. He first gained notice as the hopeless romantic in "Four Weddings and a Funeral." Audiences fell in love with his good looks, deadpan delivery and ability to convey hurt. He was even better in "Notting Hill," and added just the right note of foppishness. But in "Mickey Blue Eyes"-perhaps because he is miscast-all of these once-endearing traits now seem annoying. The floppish hair once endearing in Notting Hill now seems to be a distraction. His repeated use of the word "right," just right in Notting Hill, seems annoying here. Perhaps the problem is that the previous two films were fresh and well written. "Mickey Blue Eyes" is neither. Perhaps it's time for Grant's character to move in a new direction and to once again display the talent he showed in "Remains of the Day."

"Mickey Blue Eyes'" plot about an auctioneer about to become engaged to what turns out to be a Mafia princess is okay. And the idea of using an auction to launder money is fresh. But the second half of the film goes down hill quickly. And the supposed tragic ending is too obviously a ruse.

The only two saving graces in the movie are James Caan and Scott Thompson. It's been fascinating to watch Caan move from pretty boy ("Lady in a Cage" and "El Dorado") to real life and screen tough guy ("The Godfather") and now to comedian. Watch Caan's eyes-they seem to be in conflict with the rest of his body, letting us know that he knows a lot more than he's letting on.

Thompson, of the "Kids in the Hall" troupe, shines here as an FBI agent. He steals every scene he's in.

A mob spoof with a few really funny moments and good story, but goes downhill near the end

[Beta_Gallinger · 6/10 · 18 November 2008]

In 1999, although I didn't actually see this mob spoof, I heard the line, "fuggedaboudit," was told where that line came from, and saw the trailer for the movie. I didn't actually see "Mickey Blue Eyes" until 2006, and by then, I knew it wasn't the most highly acclaimed comedy of all time, so I wasn't expecting to be blown away. However, I was hoping for at least a moderately funny spoof movie, and from what I remember, that was what I got. About 2 ½ years later, I've seen it a second time, and while I was still entertained by a good chunk of the film, it may not have been quite the same as before.

Michael Felgate is an art auctioneer from England who currently resides in New York, and is dating a teacher named Gina Vitale. He wants to marry her, but doesn't know about her family! She has relatives, including her father, Frank Vitale, who are members of the Mafia, and this is why she turns down Michael's proposal, as she is afraid that if they marry, he will be lured into the world of organized crime! Michael promises not to let that happen, but this is easier said than done! After they are engaged, Michael finds himself involved in a money laundering, and finds himself questioned by suspicious FBI agents, but he must play along with this scheme in order to survive! It gets worse when Gina accidentally kills the son of a mob boss, and Michael decides to take the blame!

The first scene in the film that stands out as really funny to me is the one where the owner of a Chinese restaurant stands at the table where Michael and Gina are sitting, and makes sure Gina eats her fortune cookie. For quite a while, the film goes fairly steadily, sometimes mildly amusing, and sometimes more than that. Another major comic highlight I can't forget is Michael having to pose as a gangster known as "Kansas City Little Big Mickey Blue Eyes" and having to try and speak with a New York Italian accent! The humour is not enough to carry the film, but there is also suspense, which definitely helps. For probably most of the film, it looked like my second viewing would be like my first, but I found that it started to lose its charm towards the end, I'm not sure why, but I was not left fully satisfied. Anyway, I would say this movie certainly doesn't fail miserably as a comedy, but as such, it certainly could have been funnier, though the story and suspense often makes up for that. There are much worse comedies out there, but I can see why "Mickey Blue Eyes" isn't as popular as "Analyze This", a mob spoof which came out the same year.

An enjoyable movie that's cute

[Lee-112 · 7/10 · 13 September 1999]

I wasn't expecting much from Mickey Blue Eyes, being that i'm not, nor was I ever, much of a fan of Hugh Grant. But i've always liked James Caan, and Jeanne Tripplehorn is nice to watch to.

This was a nice movie to watch, and Hugh Grant is actually enjoyable. James Caan was, of course, good....and Tripplehorn was, of course, nice to watch. The ending was very adorable, and i'm glad to see a nice movie with a good ending that made me feel good after I left the movies. If that's how you like to feel when you leave a movie, watch this, even if you don't like Hugh Grant.

A nice enough film, though nothing special.

["boz" · 5/10 · 21 August 1999]

"Nine Months", "Sense and Sensibility," "Four Weddings and a Funeral", "Notting Hill" and now this. Hugh Grant's stereotyped roles seem to be getting a little tiresome by now, don't you think? I mean, sure his typical role as a stammering shy very polite and good-mannered Englishman, often placed in a "Fish-out-of-water" situation, usually America, do cause laughs and hilarity at first, but by now it simply isn't funny anymore!

However, it must be said, despite Hugh Grant in his all-too-familiar role, the film has tried hard in trying to make us laugh, especially in other aspects. Unlike any other Grant film, this picture does actually take quite a serious and often grim situation and illustrates the funny side of it, most of the humour being quite intriguingly black. But then again, quite a lot of the film's gags are half-hearted parodies of the more serious Mafia pictures, such as "Casino", "Goodfellas," and (most prominently), The Godfather Trilogy, considering the fact that one the Trilogy's cast members plays a leading role in this film (James Caan, who without doubt gets the most credit in this movie).

The film deals with witty Englishman Michael Felgate (Hugh Grant) who lives in New York and has a comfortable occupation as an auctioneer for many art paintings. When he asks his girlfriend Gina (Jeanne Tripplehorn) to marry him, she surprisingly refuses, later claiming that he can't marry her because of her family. Soon Michael is introduced to the family, who turn out to be the leaders of a well-known Mafiosi crime mob, Gina's father (Caan) being one of the leaders. Soon Felgate (nicknamed "Mickey Blue Eyes" by the mob) gets reluctantly involved in the organised crime world, only to result in drastic consequences...

Sure, it is a little silly in some places. And I suppose that the characters do lack a little originality, though if you are a Hugh Grant fan, I encourage you to go and see it. I'm just saying that this is not a film to be overrated.

Charming and funny

[TheOtherFool · 7/10 · 12 September 2002]

Normally I hate romantic comedies, but this one was quite enjoyable. Grant was actually really funny in the restaurant scene, and it's always a joy to watch Caan and Viterelli play. Not a shockingly wonderful film, but I had enough laughs in the end. 7/10.

Mickey Blue Eyes

[jboothmillard · 4/10 · 11 February 2014]

I had heard about this film quite a few times, I knew the two leading male stars in it, and I knew it was something do with with a man trying to marry a gangster's daughter, so I decided to give it a go and see what I would think. Basically in New York, English art house auctioneer Michael Felgate (Hugh Grant) proposes to his girlfriend Gina Vitale (Basic Instinct's Jeanne Tripplehorn), but she shockingly turns him down, she explains it is because her father Frank Vitale (James Caan) as well as as her cousins and uncles are a crime family of gangsters heavily involved in Mafia activity. She doesn't want him getting sucked into this world, but he assures her this wouldn't happen, but he unknowingly does become part of a money laundering scheme, before they are even officially engaged, the FBI have him in their sights, and soon enough he is being forced into helping the mob with more laundering scams that he is made aware of, once under the given nickname "Mickey Blue Eyes". When one the laundering schemes goes wrong Gina's cousin Johnny Graziosi (John Ventimiglia) assaults Michael, Gina gets mad, grabs his gun and fires a warning shot into the ceiling, but is ricochets and Johnny is accidentally killed, Johnny's father Vito Graziosi (Rocky's Burt Young) threatens to Frank that he will kill Gina unless Michael is killed during the wedding speeches. Frank cannot hurt his daughter, so he confesses to Michael what Vito has ordered, and they turn out the FBI for protection, the authorities make a setup that will see Michael apparently get assassinated in a fake attack at the wedding reception, he is also given a wire to try and record Vito confessing to his activities and crimes in the mob. The plan fails and Vito catches onto the setup, Vinnie D'Agostino (Analyze This's Joe Viterelli) is ordered to kill him, but he accidentally shoots Gina, Vito is arrested while Michael and Frank are in the ambulance mourning over Gina's death, but it was also fake, Vinnie and Gina were part of the FBI's backup plan, and she wanted to teach her groom and father a lesson, in the end Michael and her make up, and Frank is happy for the Englishman to be part of his regular family. Also starring Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's James Fox as Philip Cromwell, Gerry Becker as FBI Agent Bob Connell, Maddie Corman as Carol the Photographer, Tony Darrow as Angelo, Paul Lazar as Ritchie Vitale and GoodFellas' Vincent Pastore as Al. Grant does his silly English twit act we have come to expect fine, Caan could have perhaps acted a bit more like the real don of the family but is okay, supporting actors all do their parts alright as well, the film though is a little predictable and perhaps dull, it made me laugh in the right places, like the scene where Grant is trying to get mob lingo and certain scenes in the auction house, but otherwise it's not hilariously funny, so all in all it was a see just once comedy. Okay!

Funny Mobster Spoof

[mjw2305 · 7/10 · 25 January 2007]

Michael Felgate (Hugh Grant) is a dapper art auctioneer, who's eager to marry Gina (Jeanne Tripplehorn) a school teacher he has been dating for three months, but first he wants to meet her parents. Frank (James Caan) Gina's father is a gangster, and now he wants to use Michael's auction house to deal in dubious artwork, and Michael has to try and blend in as a gangster himself, so he becomes the hilarious Mickey blue eyes.

Surprisingly Hugh Grant captures this comedy character really well, spouting off stereotypical mafia talk in his own special way. Caan and Tripplehorn are both pretty good too, but it's Grant that seals the show.

Generally funny throughout and with the odd really hilarious scene here and there, Mickey Blue Eyes goes way beyond my expectations, and becomes an entertaining comedy that's fun to enjoy.

7/10

Sopranos this ain't!

[andywiz · 3/10 · 22 August 1999]

James Caan must be wondering why he agreed to the project... his eyes seem to mist over every time he has to exhibit a reaction to the laboured twists and turns of a preposterous plot. Jeanne Tripplehorn is wasted too as his daughter, merely being asked to establish the premise that (a) she loves Hugh Grant, and (b) she can't marry him because her father's a mobster. Grant saves the movie with his likeable performance, especially with his attempts at a mob accent. Sopranos this ain't.

Can True Love Ever Run Smooth with Mobsters for Inlaws?

[wcourter · 9/10 · 31 January 2000]

Key Words: Cute / Funny / Stumbles & Mumbles / Nice Ending

This often-told tale of accidently getting involved with the Mob ("Family") is well done here with lots of humor. Hugh stumbles and mumbles as he tries to walk the thin line of getting wed to his sweetheart without getting sucked in by the Mob that her father works for. There are some really well crafted humorous scenes, and the ending is more complex and surprising that I had expected. The Italian music that runs through the flic will have you humming along after the credits roll. I thoroughly enjoyed this light bit of fluff...........

Stereotypical but quite funny

[mattymatt4ever · 7/10 · 22 April 2001]

I'm sure the makers of this film have watched one too many gangster films, which seems to be most of the research they've compiled to make this often stereotypical, sometimes overblown mob comedy. "Mickey Blue Eyes" plays out more like a sitcom version of a mob film. However, it brings out quite a few laughs. The cast is fine, led by the first-rate James Caan. Joe Viterelli, who everyone remembers from "Analyze This" also has a small part. Unfortunately, he didn't get to deliver as many funny lines as he did in the previous mob comedy. I'm sure many think this is a rip-off of "Analyze This," and it was in fact pretty bad timing opening this movie a few months after the DeNiro/Crystal comedy made its grand opening. I have to admit "AT" was a much funnier, much more well-observed comedy--but this one delivers the goods as well.

One memorable scene was the Chinese restaurant proposal. Hugh Grant tries to propose to his would-be fiance Jeanne Tripplehorn by inserting a fortune in a fortune cookie that says "Will you marry me?" The Chinese waitress brings over the cookies and Tripplehorn refuses to eat her cookie. So the waitress keeps persuading her to eat it until she yells out "Eat f**kin' cookie!" That was one hilarious scene!

"Mickey Blue Eyes" pokes fun at the mob in a very light, superficial fashion, but it's worthy of some good laughs and is definitely enjoyable.

My score: 7 (out of 10)

Awful Satire on Mobster films with Hugh Grant shamelessly be hustled

[classldy · 3/10 · 11 February 2000]

Awful parody on mobster films; coming right after Analyze This; this seemed unabashedly setup from the get go. Hugh Grant shamelessly be hustled by his girl friend Kate Moss into doing this film; James Caan a fine actor is doing his impression of Sonny Corleone which demeans the original character. With the presences of Joe Viterelli and Tony Darrow who were in Analyze This I was getting confused between films same no neck characters they were playing.