Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Payno I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Cassandra Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

moonspinner55 Ill-tempered, verbally abusive movie studio chief runs his male assistant ragged with nit-picking requests, keeping the young man firmly under his thumb with constant threats of unemployment; after a year of office-terror, the working stiff finally cracks. Writer-director George Huang has possibly bit off more than he can chew here. His "Swimming With Sharks" isn't a diatribe against Hollywood, nor is it a tribute to the hard-working underling...instead, it's stunt film-making with a twist, a one-trick pony with tunnel-vision. The surroundings don't look or feel like Tinsel Town (perhaps due to a limited budget), and we never get a sense of this stressful environment as a movie-making entity (it could be a realtor's office in the Valley, for all we know). Lead Kevin Spacey, who also served as one of the film's producers, gives a controlled and focused performance as the power-mad mogul whose ego is out of control; he does good work, and yet the character doesn't ring true. We learn so little about him and his acquaintances that his important position and high-ranking status fail to jibe with what we do see; who does this man answer to? what drives him beyond humiliating others for sport? what projects is he juggling aside from the one script we see passed around? The film is so emotionally stunted and underpopulated, it begins to seem like a stage-play padded out for the big screen--and yet one without enough characters or motivations in it. Perhaps Huang wanted to keep things simple, but instead his movie looks like a half-baked project which needed a lot more insight, humor and atmosphere. ** from ****

stephenlovelette Ever heard of this movie?Me neither, until a few weeks ago.It's available for instant streaming via Netflix, and is easily worth ninety-three minutes of your time.Swimming with Sharks is fantastic.It has its shortcomings don't get me wrong.But between the high quality story and a spectacular piece of acting from Kevin Spacey, there are enough laughs to outweigh the unsettling plot.George Huang wrote and directed Swimming with Sharks in 1994 and it's the only major motion picture in his filmography. Perhaps it was his passion project?It's the classic story of a young man taking a job as an assistant to a big Hollywood agent, in order to get ahead in life. One thing it really hammers home is that a year can be way longer than first it seems.You gotta love a young Benicio Del Toro performance, with that dour accent of an unknown nationality, like Fez in The Usual Suspects. Benny of the Bull plays a quietly excellent character as Rex, or the man who Guy, played by Frank Whaley, will replace answering calls at the desk.Speaking of Whaley, here's one of two shortcomings.His performance is ultimately the least impressive part of this movie. And as the protagonist, that's not the greatest sign.I'm not saying Whaley's acting is bad, but it's unconvincing. He can't keep pace with the whirlwind plot, and the coolness of Spacey.The scenery, settings and backdrops often leave much to be desired. They're not incomplete or shabby; the surroundings of the characters are just very bland.Perhaps this is a stylistic choice that somehow adds to the movie. Personally I think the budget wasn't very high (IMDb estimates it around $700,000) and this doesn't allow for tons of prep previous to shooting.At the same time, the movie doesn't need elaborate backdrops or an overwhelming amount of sensory detail. There's enough already packed in.More on that later.On a final note regarding casting, Michelle Forbes as Dawn Lockard is just spectacular. Her character is compelling, strong and nuanced. The scenes in which she interacts with Guy are gripping and covered in subtlety.Forbes played roles in lesser-known features, such as Escape from L.A. and Kalifornia. Recently she's much more prominent in television and her work includes a significant role as Maryann Forrester Maryann in the second season of HBO's True Blood. So noteworthy is her performance it's deserving of a sidebar. Skip the following bracketed paragraph if you couldn't care less.(Sidebar: True Blood is no longer a good television show. It may never have been 'great' as an overall televised product, but the first two seasons had fabulous story arcs. It went off the rails because of the ever-expanding world building, and the perseverance of a character named Terra. The entire second season is carried by the introduction of the new antagonist, Maryann Forrester Maryann, and a large hunk of the show's success is due to the thoroughly riveting and convincing performance from Michelle Forbes.)Here's a smart exchange.When they first have a drink and discuss business, Dawn asks Guy if he'd like to go out. He orders a glass of white wine and she orders a cocktail. While they talk, she chews on the ice from her drink and smokes.Huang draws a dichotomy here between the typical male and female roles in social and romantic interactions. I think Guy's shorter than Dawn too, so they're really an odd pair.Nuanced scenes like this resonate throughout the entire film.When Buddy and Guy are conversing, pay close attention to the physical positioning of Spacey's body. At one point, his shoes are propped on the desk and uncrossed, displaying his crotch like a woman giving birth. This posture illustrates the relative difference in power between the two men and Buddy's attitude toward his assistant.So if you haven't seen Swimming with Sharks, now's the time, before the scenery and settings begin to feel any older. Stop reading here if you're sensitive to spoilers.Anyway, a final few things are worthy of discussion.First of all, the wind-up toys on Buddy's desk, and the discussion of 'Equal' versus 'Sweet-N- Low' artificial sweeteners. The symbolism in these details are too numerous to note; some of which I can't wrap my head around either. Aside from the lack of 'artificial sweetener' present in Buddy's rhetoric, I'm assuming there's value to the color of the packets (blue and pink, reminiscent of early-life gender roles) but can't complete the analytic connection without further research.In retrospect, the existence of the toys throughout the earlier portion of the movie seems off. As the narrative unfolds, the mechanisms don't draw our attention, but it's odd to think a man with such a business-oriented lifestyle would adorn his workspace with playthings.The resolution is built around a technological quirk of a distinct age in history. Only in the '90s could a conflict revolve around the oddities of call waiting and conferencing. But hey, it works.The ending is a bit confounding in its value. It's an original twist and the correct way to wrap up the story. But quite a bit gets lost in, what seems like, a rushed conclusion.It's not hurried; it's just a drastic and almost unprecedented turn for the story to take. The viewer is never convinced Guy's passion for the business outweighs his love of Dawn.And I hate to harp on this, but it goes back to Whaley's acting ability. When he shows up at Buddy's house and threatens him at gunpoint, the seriousness of his intent doesn't feel real. Further, the torture scenes aren't genuine because we don't see the capability for this level of aggression in Guy's behavior.All things considered, Swimming with Sharks is a classic that shouldn't be forgotten!

tpaladino I was originally led to believe (via my Netflix queue) that Swimming With Sharks would be a (dark) comedy. And while there are certain moments of humor, this film is firmly planted in drama territory. But, no matter what label they give it, the film is excellent and very much worth watching. The writing is sharp and interesting, and Spacey and the small cast do a great job with it. It's a very small movie, comprised of a very few actors and locations, but never feels small, thanks to the great depth that the characters are given, as well as the engrossing story. I don't want to reveal too much about the plot, but sufficed to say, it explores the dysfunctional and often tragic professional relationships that are abundant in Hollywood, and the extreme ends that an otherwise reasonable individual can be pushed to. Worth watching for sure.

itamarscomix Swimming With Sharks is original and daring, but very uneven. I've always been a sucker for films about filmmaking and Hollywood and as such I was willing to let a lot slide, but it had a few too many ups and downs, starting out with a very problematic and ambiguous mix of comedy and tragedy; it then reaches its peak in the second half, when it turns more and more into a full drama; but then disappoints with the ending. And without that ending, it would have been a truly singular film. As it is, it's still an interesting one well worth a watch, if only for Kevin Spacey's performance in the second half, that turns from over-the-top ham to utter and nasty subtlety.