Spartan (2004)

As enjoyable and smart as any of his other works, Spartan is another great script by David Mamet that's backed up with his solid direction. It may feel more open than many of his previous works, but it's still very much a character piece full of the cool dialogue and twisty turny mindgames that populate all Mamet movies.

Val Kilmer plays the lead character, Scott, a top military man who helps find out just who has what it takes for life in the tougher roles. He is asked to help out when the daughter of someone very important goes missing, but as the investigation uncovers a number of uncomfortable details it soon becomes clear to some people that Scott may end up causing embarrassment for some. When the case comes to an end, Scott then finds himself in a very strange situation. The mind that was so valued by the military, and his country, has now put him in a lot of danger.

There's nothing here that's really original, especially to viewers who have enjoyed the wealth of American TV detective shows in recent years (from the C.S.I to Monk, as the best examples), but what is here is given a thin coating of just enough paint to make it seem nice and new. The direction, also by Mamet, is unspectacular, but it's probably no coincidence that Mamet the director knows how best to serve the material provided by Mamet the writer.

Kilmer is great in the lead role, it's certainly one of his best performances in the past decade (which, admittedly, isn't saying much since he started to slide downhill in his career, sadly . . . . . I am still holding out for a great comeback though). The supporting cast features Clark Gregg, William H. Macy, Derek Luke, Kristen Bell, Aaron Stanford and Ed O'Neill, and all of them do good enough work, despite Bell being the weak link. Macy is particularly good fun, while the twists and turns make every performance worth closer scrutiny than usual.

It's not quite up there with some of Mamet's better movies, but this is still a very good film indeed, and one that deserves to retain a loyal fanbase through the years.

8/10

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The Spanish Prisoner (1997)

Written and directed by the great David Mamet, this is a typically twisty and turny thriller from the man, with his usual cool dialogue permeating every scene.

Campbell Scott plays Joe, a man who has managed to create a very important, though never revealed, process that will allow the company he works for to make lots and lots of money. He is the man of the moment, but that moment seems all too fleeting. When he comes into contact with an interesting stranger (Steve Martin) who happily passes along some of his wisdom, Joe realises that he's maybe selling himself a bit short. With that realisation comes an extra helping of mistrust and paranoia. Who can Joe trust and what will other interested parties do to get their hands on his mysterious, valuable process.

Although there are many times when this feels as stagey as so many other Mamet movies (not the worst crime in the world), there are also plenty of moments that open up the world that the characters are inhabiting. The events may be happening to Joe, but the movie feels like things are being manipulated on a grand, at times even global, scale.

As well as Scott and Martin, who both do a great job, the film features some solid performances from Rebecca Pidgeon, Ben Gazzara, Ricky Jay and Felicity Huffman (with a small, but enjoyable, cameo from Ed O'Neill). Viewers may be put off by the rhythm and delivery of the dialogue, but it's an interesting choice to ensure that every line is given its due. There are no ramblings here, no words that don't seem carefully planned.

Fans of Mamet will need no further persuasion to see yet another fine example of his work. This is up there with the best that he can produce, even if it doesn't quite reach the heights of House Of Games or Glengarry Glen Ross, and deserves to find an appreciative audience for a long time to come.

8/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Spanish-Prisoner-Steve-Martin/dp/B00009KOYB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376917281&sr=8-1&keywords=the+spanish+prisoner