Based on David Mamet's critically acclaimed work of the same title, "American Buffalo" plays very much like a stage production on screen. Its emphasis is on dialogue and it relies on the skills of the lead actors - in lieu of an action-laden plot - to move the story along. Unfortunately, this clumsy adaptation features a stagnant script and an inappropriate cast that prevents the film from ever getting off the ground.
Don (Dennis Franz) and Walt (Dustin Hoffman) are a couple of small-time hustlers who spend most of their days sitting around Don's pawn shop gossiping, playing cards and scheming. Enlisted in their service is Bobby (Sean Nelson), a precocious teen-ager learning street smarts from the two old pros. Together, the three con artists devise a plan to steal some rare coins from a collector who stops by the store occasionally. The rest of the film deals with the execution of this scheme.
From its inception, the movie is burdened by a choppy screenplay, which ironically, was penned by Mamet himself. The dialogue lacks fluidity, as all of the characters seem to be in their own little worlds. The witty banter between the crooks - which should fuel the film - consists of contrived, expletive-filled soliloquies about business and life (which are only interrupted by more soliloquies). Because of this, the atmosphere created feels artificial, preventing the viewer from really believing the story.
Adding to the mess are the poor choices of Hoffman and Franz in the lead roles. Walt is a neurotic, self absorbed, insecure, but deceptively tough hustler who understands the rules of the game. His greatest weakness is his intense emotion, which at times gets the best of him. Although Hoffman valiantly attempts to capture all of the complexities of Walt's persona, he is unable to accurately portray the character. The veteran actor fails to exhibit the necessary toughness and street smarts of the con man. Instead, Hoffman's Steve Buscemi-like Walt seems to be more of a whiny runt than a clever crook.
Meanwhile, Franz's Don is meant to be relaxed and laid back - sort of a straight man to the erratic Walt. While the "NYPD Blue" star is a bit more convincing than Hoffman, he is also not very effective in his role. Franz works too hard at being restrained, so that he is almost indifferent. Even in scenes where he is supposed to be angry, he maintains an underlying sense of calm that seems to conflict with what the script asks for.
Along similar lines, the dynamics between Don and Walt, who spend nearly the whole movie on screen together, are not successful. Meant to balance each other out, their relationship is portrayed as a testy friendship. This does not fit into the overall tone of the film as a more guarded, but warmer interaction would.
Finally, Michael Corrente's uninspired direction does very little to compensate for other weaknesses. His reliance on standard camera shots does not help create the tense mood required in later scenes of the film. Rather, he chooses to utilize dark lighting and rain to create the atmosphere and to emphasize the central themes of trickery and deceit. These overused techniques end up contributing very little to the movie.
"American Buffalo" pales in comparison to the 1992 film adaptation of Mamet's "Glengarry Glenn Ross," which although similar in nature, surpasses the current movie in every way. Both feature talented actors. Both are loquaciously cynical visions of how money, business and greed aid in corrupting humanity. But despite the parallels, appropriate casting, strong dialogue and seamless direction make all the difference in separating one of the most underappreciated movies of the last few years from a truly mediocre production.
Dennis Franz and Dustin Hoffman star in "American Buffalo."