PlatinumRead Just so...so bad

SpunkySelfTwitter It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

Matylda Swan It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

Nicole I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

OsbourneRuddock Apparently it was his admiration for the prurient right-wing mayor that led James Woods to play the part. But the portrayal remains wholly unconvincing, particularly as James Woods is such a familiar Hollywood actor. It would have helped a great deal in my opinion to have used a virtually unknown actor for the part, and Woods admiration for the man in no way justifies him being cast for the role. And surely there's no need in my pointing out the fact that the two men share no physical resemblance whatsoever? The quality and style of the film is sub-standard TV movie. The September 11th section of this film switches from actual original camcorder footage of the collisions - to scenes of Woods pretending to be the mayor, back and forth. Back and forth. Whether the use of original footage was due to low budget, or 'experimental' reasons, I'm not quite sure, but whatever the reason - it sure looks tacky.In many ways I admire the mayor, in particular for his calm and measured response in the days following 9/11 (in stark contrast to Bush). But I do feel the man is a philistine and does not support freedom of expression, at least within the arts (as evidenced by his banning of an art exhibition in New York simply because it offended his very catholic religious sensibilities). But of course this hagiography of a film does not explore this side of the man - only those aspects which depict him as heroic, saintly, yet redemptive and human.

davideo-2 STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All CostsIt would have to have been Ray Liotta in the title role.He's probably the only other actor who could stand a chance of matching the nigh on terrifying manic intensity with which he plays Giuliani.This aside,this biopic,charting Giuliani's rise and fall to triumphant rise again as mayor of New York,from his initiation in 1994 to his prostate cancer scare in 2000,to his leadership during the dark days of and the aftermath of the notorious twin towers attack in 2001,is dogged by other problems.It's TV movie all the way,with see through production values and what's almost certainly borrowed real life footage,and it's ultimately told in too much of a downbeat and depressing way to be truly endearing.But it's not completely unwatchable.**

bob the moo Taking the events of September 11th as it's foundation, the film tells the tale of Rudy Giuliani's rise up the political ladder, his hard-line stance as Attorney and Mayor of New York. It also shows his affairs and the breakdown of his marriage despite the strength of the man in times of testing.As will now be an annual event, the television companies all rolled out films and documentaries on the 2nd anniversary of 9/11. The main commercial station's choice was this sort of bio-pic of Rudy Giuliani with the focus on September 11th widening to take in the 15 or so years prior to that moment. The manner of structuring the film in this way means that it could have been a flag waving salute to a man who become world famous (or more famous!) on that day. However, despite cutting back and forth, the majority of the film occurs before the attack. I found the attack scenes hard to watch as I was watching a film for entertainment – I suppose this was unavoidable, but I don't like seeing the pictures too often in case they stop shocking me and I get used to them.The back story to Giuliani is interesting as I admired his stance on crime when he was Mayor. I didn't know a lot of detail of his career as I'm not in the US but the film delivered a simplified version to good effect. Surprisingly the film didn't gloss it's subject too often and wasn't afraid to show his affairs, his tempers of his right wing views. This made it feel more worthwhile although the TV production values do make it feel a little tacky at times.Woods does pretty well to hold the screen for the whole film and not spin Rudy o be too sleazy or too heroic. I felt that he was a little animated for Rudy at times, as I always had the impression of him publicly as more controlled. The support cast (including Penelope Ann Miller) are all pretty good but do tend to seem more at home in TV land than Woods does.Overall this was an interesting film, even if it is very much a snapshot and is driven by Woods rather than the wider story. The framing of the story by 9/11 works well to set up the story, despite the strange feeling of seeing the real footage inserted into a movie in this way.

douglasp I haven't seen all the movies he's been in, but this is the best James Woods since Citizen Cohen, I think.The movie itself is compelling and is told in flashback form from I haven't seen all the movies he's been in, but this is the best James Woods since Citizen Cohen, I think.The movie itself is compelling and is told in flashback form from September 11. It emphasis Giuliani's love for the law and for New York City.As an American, it was hard to watch without having my tears jerked but that yet, I had to watch.The performances by the other actors and actresses were all good too. Some people will say its a white wash but I felt it depicted Rudy Giuliani the man, his good side, his obsession with cleaning up NYC, hit temper, his marital infidelities, the horror of finding out his father was once arrested and jailed for armed robbery. They don't come much better then this.Oh, I forgot, his love of opera. Its all in there.I hope there will be a DVD release.