A favorite from the actual 90's this film and the book by the amazing Paul Auster it's based on is still a mind bending thriller. You can see how it's influenced filmmakers like Charlie Kaufman and others, and deserves a wider audience. Give it a chance, lol, it will stay with you in that rare way wildly imaginative films do.
41 Reviews
Try it as a metaphor!
FussyFan15 July 2003
On the surface, this is a S-T-R-A-N-G-E movie that keeps you guessing. But NOW--try viewing it as a metaphor for the class struggle. It climbs right off the screen! This is definitely not a used plot with new sets and different faces. James Spader shows his versatility as an actor.
Best work of James Spader
bobbobwhite21 May 2011
Underrated film few have seen. Great story that has been done in various ways since the dawn of language, that of making men captives and doing what is wanted with them as they gradually disintegrate into pitiful shadows of their former selves through captive stress and failed escape attempts, if any live through their ordeal.
Mandy Patinkin and James Spader were the unfortunate captives in this odd story, held in order to pay a poker debt by working to build a stone wall imported ancient stone by stone from Europe for two of the most eccentric and dangerous old guys you could imagine, who got their vast fortune by winning a lottery. Devious could never describe them enough, or their estate caretaker played with typically engaging smarmyness by M. Emmett Walsh, the very best in that kind of role.
Spader was very impressive in his role, I think his best work ever, as a poker sharp and general sleazebag, a great role he ran away with. Spader has shown terrific quirky mannerisms and speech patterns in all his work and these were even more evident here than usual, with which he developed the character perfectly. His dialog was also his best ever, IMO, and he excelled in its amusing but scathing sarcasm. Patinkin did a fine job as his stoic captive buddy, working hard every day to control Spader's temper and get the stone wall built so they could finally be set free. But, freedom is always a relative state of mind and being, and the respective freedoms found by both men were about the best thing each could hope to achieve considering their personal limitations and flaws.
See this film for an interesting and absorbing take on this old story, and great acting by Spader and M. Emmett Walsh, that great character actor who seems to always be there when filmmakers have a vicious and devious role that requires backstabbing treachery cloaked by a false-friendly face. I think Walsh wrote the book on that character.
Mandy Patinkin and James Spader were the unfortunate captives in this odd story, held in order to pay a poker debt by working to build a stone wall imported ancient stone by stone from Europe for two of the most eccentric and dangerous old guys you could imagine, who got their vast fortune by winning a lottery. Devious could never describe them enough, or their estate caretaker played with typically engaging smarmyness by M. Emmett Walsh, the very best in that kind of role.
Spader was very impressive in his role, I think his best work ever, as a poker sharp and general sleazebag, a great role he ran away with. Spader has shown terrific quirky mannerisms and speech patterns in all his work and these were even more evident here than usual, with which he developed the character perfectly. His dialog was also his best ever, IMO, and he excelled in its amusing but scathing sarcasm. Patinkin did a fine job as his stoic captive buddy, working hard every day to control Spader's temper and get the stone wall built so they could finally be set free. But, freedom is always a relative state of mind and being, and the respective freedoms found by both men were about the best thing each could hope to achieve considering their personal limitations and flaws.
See this film for an interesting and absorbing take on this old story, and great acting by Spader and M. Emmett Walsh, that great character actor who seems to always be there when filmmakers have a vicious and devious role that requires backstabbing treachery cloaked by a false-friendly face. I think Walsh wrote the book on that character.
Tragically overlooked movie
MBin16 September 1998
The Music of Chance is one of those movies in the "eclectic" section at your local video store, one that you pick up on that Thursday when your girlfriend is off on a trip and no one will go to the pub with you. One you wouldn't actually go out and rent to watch with others, lest they find out how pathetic your life is.
But once you get one of these movies home, you find it's absolutely gripping. Sure, it's actually a picture-novel--not purely a visual experience, obviously based on something. But you watch it. Then you watch it again, and listen more carefully. Then you return it, so that you can tell your friends that they really ought to see this movie, it's got that guy, you know, the fat guy, and this other guy, and it's about poker, and your friends ignore you, and think to themselves, "hope his girlfriend gets back soon--he's a wreck these days." But really, they should see the movie. But they don't. And the crushing loneliness and isolation of modern life weighs down on you all the more heavily.
*That* is what this movie is like.
But once you get one of these movies home, you find it's absolutely gripping. Sure, it's actually a picture-novel--not purely a visual experience, obviously based on something. But you watch it. Then you watch it again, and listen more carefully. Then you return it, so that you can tell your friends that they really ought to see this movie, it's got that guy, you know, the fat guy, and this other guy, and it's about poker, and your friends ignore you, and think to themselves, "hope his girlfriend gets back soon--he's a wreck these days." But really, they should see the movie. But they don't. And the crushing loneliness and isolation of modern life weighs down on you all the more heavily.
*That* is what this movie is like.
Risk watching it
Radiant_Rose6 September 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This was a bit mysterious for my tastes, but there are some interesting moments in it.
Joel Grey seems to have cornered a bit of a market in sinister characters, since I recall his being involved not only in the death of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (later revived) but also in the demise of JR Ewing.
James Spader, by contrast, seems to have wanted to escape from playing devious blonde yuppies by playing a dark-haired person with no money and no class. Probably the best part of the film is the interaction between him and Mandy Patinkin's character. Note that Patinkin is male: there is a distinct shortage of female characters in the film.
I disliked not knowing who died at the end and who survived.
My favourite accessory is the fake tiara.
I find it interesting that Paul Auster, who wrote the book on which the film is based and who has a cameo at the end, bears a close resemblance to Mandy Patinkin.
Joel Grey seems to have cornered a bit of a market in sinister characters, since I recall his being involved not only in the death of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (later revived) but also in the demise of JR Ewing.
James Spader, by contrast, seems to have wanted to escape from playing devious blonde yuppies by playing a dark-haired person with no money and no class. Probably the best part of the film is the interaction between him and Mandy Patinkin's character. Note that Patinkin is male: there is a distinct shortage of female characters in the film.
I disliked not knowing who died at the end and who survived.
My favourite accessory is the fake tiara.
I find it interesting that Paul Auster, who wrote the book on which the film is based and who has a cameo at the end, bears a close resemblance to Mandy Patinkin.
A film that raises major philosophical issues
baepj-122 July 2007
"The Music of Chance" is about--well--the music of chance. Life is terribly, sometimes beautifully, unpredictable, yet man has ever sought to control the odds, or weight them in his favor. The penchant for doing this extends from the gambler to the stockbroker. We find varying elements of this desire in most of the world's religions.
Pozzi, coming off a losing streak, believes he can regain his losses by playing two novices he beat previously, Flower and Stone, in a high-stakes poker game. They have, however, boned up on their game since last playing him, and he and Jim Nashe, who has staked him, are left with a Sisyphean task to work off their debt.
Nashe, played expertly by Mandy Patamkin, may be the only "free man" of the major characters in this film. He can accept loss with grace and strength, which likely reflects his attitude toward life. Pozzi, Flower, Stone, and Murks are all prisoners of their particular "angle." "The City of the World," a board model in the Flower-Stone residence, embodies a world where nothing is left to chance, and the enslaved revel in their servitude.
This is a rare film in that it raises philosophical questions, in much the same way that "The Rapture" raised theological ones. As such, it was unlikely to gain a large audience, in spite of some very good performances.
Pozzi, coming off a losing streak, believes he can regain his losses by playing two novices he beat previously, Flower and Stone, in a high-stakes poker game. They have, however, boned up on their game since last playing him, and he and Jim Nashe, who has staked him, are left with a Sisyphean task to work off their debt.
Nashe, played expertly by Mandy Patamkin, may be the only "free man" of the major characters in this film. He can accept loss with grace and strength, which likely reflects his attitude toward life. Pozzi, Flower, Stone, and Murks are all prisoners of their particular "angle." "The City of the World," a board model in the Flower-Stone residence, embodies a world where nothing is left to chance, and the enslaved revel in their servitude.
This is a rare film in that it raises philosophical questions, in much the same way that "The Rapture" raised theological ones. As such, it was unlikely to gain a large audience, in spite of some very good performances.
This film is short on laughs....
Scooby-5722 July 2000
Warning: Spoilers
*POSSIBLE SPOILER*
This film is short on laughs, medium on quality and large on pretentiousness.
It starts off well and it creates quite an interesting air of menace, but the plot has holes in it that really niggle in a film of this sort and the 'completing the circle' ending seems silly.
The whole film seems very non-American to me, more French maybe, but that is not entirely a compliment in this case. If you videoed it, it is more of a watch and wipe than a put in your permanent collection!
This film is short on laughs, medium on quality and large on pretentiousness.
It starts off well and it creates quite an interesting air of menace, but the plot has holes in it that really niggle in a film of this sort and the 'completing the circle' ending seems silly.
The whole film seems very non-American to me, more French maybe, but that is not entirely a compliment in this case. If you videoed it, it is more of a watch and wipe than a put in your permanent collection!
Elegant, unique, and compelling
barfly9918 May 2002
Paul Auster writes marvelous contemporary fiction, and this is a wonderful film adaptation of perhaps his finest work.
THE MUSIC OF CHANCE revolves around two very different protagonists. Jim Nash (Mandy Patinkin) is an ex-fireman, driving across America, and searching for meaning to his life. Jack Pozzi (James Spader) is a professional poker player, out of money, out of luck, and given a ride to New York by Nash. It emerges Jack has a game scheduled with two eccentric millionaires (Joel Grey and Charles Durning), so Jim puts up the capital with the last of his own money. But the poker game doesn't go quite according to plan...
Some people have described this film as "pretentious" - pretending to what exactly? Jack Pozzi and Jim Nash are two unusually clearly defined characters - one shallow, over-confident, tetchy; the other calm, reasonable, tolerant. Their eventual predicament is also disarmingly simple. That air of mystery to the film does not spring from narrative or character but from the viewer's own philosophies towards life. Does one choose one's own path or is it chosen for you? Chance or fate? Freedom or incarceration? Meaning or, in Nash's words, "just bullshit". So in fact even if you think the events onscreen have no deeper meaning, well then that *is* the meaning. For you anyway.
The acting is universally excellent, with Grey, Durning, M Emmet Walsh, and Chris Penn illuminating supporting roles. But Patinkin and Spader dominate the film, with two absolutely captivating performances. Philip Haas's direction is suitably under-stated, and there is also excellent use of music, from jazz to classical.
THE MUSIC OF CHANCE is an absorbing and intelligent piece of film-making. If only there were more films like it.
THE MUSIC OF CHANCE revolves around two very different protagonists. Jim Nash (Mandy Patinkin) is an ex-fireman, driving across America, and searching for meaning to his life. Jack Pozzi (James Spader) is a professional poker player, out of money, out of luck, and given a ride to New York by Nash. It emerges Jack has a game scheduled with two eccentric millionaires (Joel Grey and Charles Durning), so Jim puts up the capital with the last of his own money. But the poker game doesn't go quite according to plan...
Some people have described this film as "pretentious" - pretending to what exactly? Jack Pozzi and Jim Nash are two unusually clearly defined characters - one shallow, over-confident, tetchy; the other calm, reasonable, tolerant. Their eventual predicament is also disarmingly simple. That air of mystery to the film does not spring from narrative or character but from the viewer's own philosophies towards life. Does one choose one's own path or is it chosen for you? Chance or fate? Freedom or incarceration? Meaning or, in Nash's words, "just bullshit". So in fact even if you think the events onscreen have no deeper meaning, well then that *is* the meaning. For you anyway.
The acting is universally excellent, with Grey, Durning, M Emmet Walsh, and Chris Penn illuminating supporting roles. But Patinkin and Spader dominate the film, with two absolutely captivating performances. Philip Haas's direction is suitably under-stated, and there is also excellent use of music, from jazz to classical.
THE MUSIC OF CHANCE is an absorbing and intelligent piece of film-making. If only there were more films like it.
7.3/10. Recommended
athanasiosze5 April 2024
I wouldn't call this movie a hidden gem but it's close to this. First of all, i would gladly watch it just for these two actors: "Reddington" and "Berenson" are beloved characters from their tv shows. However this movie is so unique that it could have been worked even with two unknown actors. It helps of course if an acclaimed author like Auster has written a book and your movie is based upon this book.
This is the definition of an "open for interpretation" movie. There are layers. This movie made me contemplate a lot. Are there indeed deep meanings or this was just a straightforward story? I don't know. But it has nothing to do with movies in which it's obvious that the writers don't have a clue and they just want to trick the audience. This is an almost exciting movie that it kept me guessing until the ending. Who were these people? Were they real people with flesh and bones or Symbols? Was this a spiritual movie? War of the classes maybe? Or just two unlucky people caught in a web of lies, deceit and their own weaknesses?
It is not a mindblowing movie, so i can't rate it higher. But it caught me by surprise and i loved every minute of it. If you love weird comedy/drama (fantasy?) movies, you will like this as well.
This is the definition of an "open for interpretation" movie. There are layers. This movie made me contemplate a lot. Are there indeed deep meanings or this was just a straightforward story? I don't know. But it has nothing to do with movies in which it's obvious that the writers don't have a clue and they just want to trick the audience. This is an almost exciting movie that it kept me guessing until the ending. Who were these people? Were they real people with flesh and bones or Symbols? Was this a spiritual movie? War of the classes maybe? Or just two unlucky people caught in a web of lies, deceit and their own weaknesses?
It is not a mindblowing movie, so i can't rate it higher. But it caught me by surprise and i loved every minute of it. If you love weird comedy/drama (fantasy?) movies, you will like this as well.
A film for those who want questions rather than answers.
robot-dog31 January 2018
If you like films where Eddie Murphy plays a host of parts by donning rubber faces, or a cop who is one day from retirement, or a protagonist who is shot at endlessly but never dies, or films celebrated for destroying the greatest number of cars in chase scenes, or Scooby Doo endings where everything is explained for you, then you probably aren't going to like this.
That is not to say that there aren't good films like that, just that different films have different audiences. I told someone once about The Music of Chance and how I kept going over it in my mind the next day. Twenty five years have passed and I'm still thinking about it. He hinted he was very sorry I'd had to see a film like that, and that's not what films are for. They're just supposed to fill 98 minutes of your life with something until you get onto the next thing. He'd misunderstood that I love that this film had stayed with me, had occupied my time on countless occasions other than one of the many viewings. It's so rare to find something that can compel for many years (the other example which comes to mind is Dogtooth - I think people who like Dogtooth would like The Music of Chance and vice versa).
I'm not going to talk about the plot, more about how this film made me feel. Films, for me, are too often little compartments where everything is neatly tied up and people get what they deserve. Perhaps as an escape from real life, which is nothing like that at all. What The Music of Chance does is make you believe it's allegorical but without revealing the whole. You get feelings about things, rather than solid answers. There are clues even in the names of the characters, as if there's some twisted nominative determinism at play.
There are also moments of deep unease. Not because of a psychopath with a chainsaw, but because you got a glimpse at the bigger picture (but only a glimpse). Things which seem harmless (like a faithful representation of a model village) are imbued with metaphysical dread. As for the ending, I can understand why it would disappoint some but, for me, the slew of questions the film left me with were multiplied by the final scene. It was, in itself, a huge payoff.
I don't generally believe in giving 10/10 reviews because it implies perfection (or close to it). But, in this case, 9/10 doesn't feel right (and I've had 25 years to mull that over). This is a wonderful, wonderful film with great acting but, sadly, more people are going to dislike it than like it, because it's not the kind of thing we're usually presented with. More's the pity!
That is not to say that there aren't good films like that, just that different films have different audiences. I told someone once about The Music of Chance and how I kept going over it in my mind the next day. Twenty five years have passed and I'm still thinking about it. He hinted he was very sorry I'd had to see a film like that, and that's not what films are for. They're just supposed to fill 98 minutes of your life with something until you get onto the next thing. He'd misunderstood that I love that this film had stayed with me, had occupied my time on countless occasions other than one of the many viewings. It's so rare to find something that can compel for many years (the other example which comes to mind is Dogtooth - I think people who like Dogtooth would like The Music of Chance and vice versa).
I'm not going to talk about the plot, more about how this film made me feel. Films, for me, are too often little compartments where everything is neatly tied up and people get what they deserve. Perhaps as an escape from real life, which is nothing like that at all. What The Music of Chance does is make you believe it's allegorical but without revealing the whole. You get feelings about things, rather than solid answers. There are clues even in the names of the characters, as if there's some twisted nominative determinism at play.
There are also moments of deep unease. Not because of a psychopath with a chainsaw, but because you got a glimpse at the bigger picture (but only a glimpse). Things which seem harmless (like a faithful representation of a model village) are imbued with metaphysical dread. As for the ending, I can understand why it would disappoint some but, for me, the slew of questions the film left me with were multiplied by the final scene. It was, in itself, a huge payoff.
I don't generally believe in giving 10/10 reviews because it implies perfection (or close to it). But, in this case, 9/10 doesn't feel right (and I've had 25 years to mull that over). This is a wonderful, wonderful film with great acting but, sadly, more people are going to dislike it than like it, because it's not the kind of thing we're usually presented with. More's the pity!
A lovely surprise at the end of the day
alanpuzey19 May 2002
Yesterday, I hired 'AI' on video, watched it and thought 'a typical over-hyped Hollywood movie' - overlong with some excellent effects and rather disjointed good and bad phases. Later that evening I started watching 'The Music of Chance' on TV; which I had noticed was only given moderate status in the Radio Times reviews. The longer I watched it, the more hooked I became on a really great movie, that was everything AI wasn't. The good, original story was brilliantly translated to film by Philip Haas and the five principal actors were all superb in their roles. The movie just got better and better until the really neat ending closed in the perfect way for me. What a surprising day's film viewing that turned out to be.
Movie that goes nowhere..........
merklekranz12 December 2008
"The Music of Chance" is certainly an intriguing title. The acting is first rate. The story is very original. The music quite good. Yet, the film seems to leave one with a sense of emptiness. Generally, I put entertainment at the top of my list of things I look for in a movie experience. If you have to look for meaning from a film, chances are the last 90 minutes of your life have not been pleasant. Throughout "The Music of Chance", I anticipated some kind of payoff, something that would move the story forward, beyond the obvious. Unfortunately there was no payoff. In fact I felt cheated, being lead down a path to nowhere. - MERK
A real gem
Jaime N. Christley21 February 1999
Now here's a rare bird indeed--a '90s movie with an imaginative, original plotline and interesting characters. There wasn't a moment in this film where I could tell where it was going. It wasn't just random and arbitrary like, say, "U-Turn" or "Lost Highway". With a measured pace, it's constructed like a weird dream--if you liked the films of Philip Kaufman or Lindsay Anderson, or the plays of David Mamet, I think you'll have a good time with this one.
A good opportunity for male viewers to learn something important.
johnmacassey12 August 2005
Mandi Patinkins portrayal of Jim Nashe is brilliant. Jim is a great character- a somewhat mysterious man cruising aimlessly in his beautiful BMW, when, on a whim, He picks up hitch hiker, Jack Pozzi, a down on his luck gambler, played so well by James Spader.
That is the first clue. How many of us driving alone picks up a stranger looking the way Pozzi did on that particular day.
As they drive towards New York city, Pozzi tells Nashe about his great gambling opportunity to make it big time- all he needs is to be bankrolled.
The following story is one of being free, willing to take the chance of an adventure into the unknown and above all, about honor, integrity and being a man in the very best sense.
10 out of 10.
For me, a very inspiring film and tale.
That is the first clue. How many of us driving alone picks up a stranger looking the way Pozzi did on that particular day.
As they drive towards New York city, Pozzi tells Nashe about his great gambling opportunity to make it big time- all he needs is to be bankrolled.
The following story is one of being free, willing to take the chance of an adventure into the unknown and above all, about honor, integrity and being a man in the very best sense.
10 out of 10.
For me, a very inspiring film and tale.
Just how long do we have to wait for DVD
soliam-118 April 2006
This is one of my favorite movies of all times. With all the mediocre DVDs being released, what are they waiting for to release "The Music of Chance"? This is an incredibly good story, acted out by superb actors. James Spader is hardly recognizable, Mandy Patkin understood his subtle role, but my favorite character is Calvin Murks (M. Emmett Walsh is the creepiest "ordinary villain" of all). Ever since I saw this movie, I cannot see a flat stone wall without feeling the anguish of Nashe and Pozzi . But this movie, like the book, needs to be seen many times to half understand its many different meanings, symbolisms and metaphors. Please release it in DVD (I lost my VSH copy), and please, Mr. Auster, write more stories, you are indeed the best.
Great but it should have been a Saab not a Beamer
tommyuk23 April 2006
Warning: Spoilers
**** Some Spoilers ***** The Music of Chance is a dark, atmospheric and haunting parable of how in a split second decision one's fate can be changed dramatically.The cast in this film are wonderful.James Spader is cast completely out of type as Jack Pozzi an itinerant gambler who stumbles out of the woods to be picked up hitchhiking by Nashe played by Mandy Pantinkin. Jack tells Nashe about how he can win a big game of poker against a couple eccentric millionaires Flower and Stone played by Charles Durning and Joel Grey.Nashe agrees to back Jack with his own limited funds, so begins this cautionary tale.Also adding to the excellent cast is Emmet Walshe and Chris Penn.The acting in this film is superb by everyone especially Spader who gives Jack's character lot's of emotion.A wonderful translation of the Paul Auster novel which is very reminiscent of work by Samuel Becket and Franz Kaffka.
Twisty and brilliant, why no DVD?
theskulI423 June 2009
Warning: Spoilers
"We're gonna build a wall. A monument, really. A monument in the shape of a wall."
The Music of Chance is an example of the reason I do film quests. The film is written by Paul Auster, an author I am most certainly a fan of, but there's really no impetus, no overarching reason for me to seek this movie out. It's decently well-thought-of, but not extremely acclaimed, it stars a few somewhat famous actors (James Spader and Mandy Patinkin) and a handful of That Guy character actors (Charles Durning, , the plot isn't the most intriguing thing of all time, and the film is frustratingly obscure: despite starring several famous people and being well-thought-of, it lacks a DVD in the United States.
As stated, the story doesn't have any instant hooks: a guy picks up a bloodied man in a suit on the side of the road, they get together for a card game against a couple of easy-mark millionaires, and after losing, end up building a wall for them on their estate. But Paul Auster is an author I have read two stories from, and one of the few authors that I actively plan to read more from, simply because he attains an air of enigmatic menace in every word; nothing sinister might be happening, but exact reasoning is unclear, and easy answers are completely absent, and this mystery of the possibly-not-so-benign is incredibly unsettling. Director Phillip Haas has managed to imbue HIS The Music of Chance with the spirit of its author.
The writing, and by extension, the film makes its living on the unsaid, the unconfirmed, the unsure. Everything going on in the story could possibly be innocent, but there's inklings that it might not be, and while nothing is ever stated outright, it always feels like something shady is going on. For instance, the mysterious circumstances and the game of fabrications involved with the initial meeting between Spader and Patinkin, or the fact that once they begin building the wall, a new character arrives to follow them, and we never see the two rich men again. Hell, everything dealing with the "City of the World" that seems to affect and drive so much of the story is Auster incarnate: natural and impressive, but with an air of menace, like a tiny, figurine-based portent of doom. The ending is, of course, indirect and gives anything but clarity. It's circular in nature, and like Haneke's Cache, seems to answer something, but really just sort of raises more questions, and other than the tinge of recognition provides no satisfaction except that it's satisfying in and of itself.
In the acting department, everybody brings their A game: James Spader is absolutely fabulous as the Ratso Rizzo-esquire Jack Pozzi, and from the look to the disposition to the accent, I was really impressed with what he has done with the character. Mandy Patinkin is supposed to be the blank slate; if not the surrogate, he's the anointed protagonist simply because he's on-screen the most, and he's as enigmatic as the rest of 'em. Charles Durning and Joel Grey are a perfect example of how you can get two benign, pleasant-looking men, have them doing sketchy and strange things, and make them seem ominous. Durning gives all his lines like his character rehearsed them for a con, and Joel Grey gives a performance that is cold and threatening by being so vapid and genial. M. Emmet Walsh shows up and also is mysterious and unexplainable, and when other character saunter in like the hooker played by Samantha Mathis, or Walsh's son (Chris Penn), you just start looking for clues and suspecting everybody of something.
And that's what it really comes down to: so much atmosphere for so little action creates a gloriously palpable sense of paranoia and dread. You're not sure what the characters' motives are, just as you're not sure what their ulterior motives are, or if they even have any, but you just feel like you need to be on the lookout, because something unpleasant might go down at any minute, and it might happen to YOU! I've watched the "City of the World" scene four times since I finished the film, and I've noticed new things each time that, once again, seem to answer a question, but instead raise several more. But that's the fun of Paul Auster, that's the fun of absurdism, that's the fun of life. That's the fun of the music of chance, and THAT's the fun of The Music of Chance.
{Grade: 9/10 (A-) / #4 (of 40) of 1993}
The Music of Chance is an example of the reason I do film quests. The film is written by Paul Auster, an author I am most certainly a fan of, but there's really no impetus, no overarching reason for me to seek this movie out. It's decently well-thought-of, but not extremely acclaimed, it stars a few somewhat famous actors (James Spader and Mandy Patinkin) and a handful of That Guy character actors (Charles Durning, , the plot isn't the most intriguing thing of all time, and the film is frustratingly obscure: despite starring several famous people and being well-thought-of, it lacks a DVD in the United States.
As stated, the story doesn't have any instant hooks: a guy picks up a bloodied man in a suit on the side of the road, they get together for a card game against a couple of easy-mark millionaires, and after losing, end up building a wall for them on their estate. But Paul Auster is an author I have read two stories from, and one of the few authors that I actively plan to read more from, simply because he attains an air of enigmatic menace in every word; nothing sinister might be happening, but exact reasoning is unclear, and easy answers are completely absent, and this mystery of the possibly-not-so-benign is incredibly unsettling. Director Phillip Haas has managed to imbue HIS The Music of Chance with the spirit of its author.
The writing, and by extension, the film makes its living on the unsaid, the unconfirmed, the unsure. Everything going on in the story could possibly be innocent, but there's inklings that it might not be, and while nothing is ever stated outright, it always feels like something shady is going on. For instance, the mysterious circumstances and the game of fabrications involved with the initial meeting between Spader and Patinkin, or the fact that once they begin building the wall, a new character arrives to follow them, and we never see the two rich men again. Hell, everything dealing with the "City of the World" that seems to affect and drive so much of the story is Auster incarnate: natural and impressive, but with an air of menace, like a tiny, figurine-based portent of doom. The ending is, of course, indirect and gives anything but clarity. It's circular in nature, and like Haneke's Cache, seems to answer something, but really just sort of raises more questions, and other than the tinge of recognition provides no satisfaction except that it's satisfying in and of itself.
In the acting department, everybody brings their A game: James Spader is absolutely fabulous as the Ratso Rizzo-esquire Jack Pozzi, and from the look to the disposition to the accent, I was really impressed with what he has done with the character. Mandy Patinkin is supposed to be the blank slate; if not the surrogate, he's the anointed protagonist simply because he's on-screen the most, and he's as enigmatic as the rest of 'em. Charles Durning and Joel Grey are a perfect example of how you can get two benign, pleasant-looking men, have them doing sketchy and strange things, and make them seem ominous. Durning gives all his lines like his character rehearsed them for a con, and Joel Grey gives a performance that is cold and threatening by being so vapid and genial. M. Emmet Walsh shows up and also is mysterious and unexplainable, and when other character saunter in like the hooker played by Samantha Mathis, or Walsh's son (Chris Penn), you just start looking for clues and suspecting everybody of something.
And that's what it really comes down to: so much atmosphere for so little action creates a gloriously palpable sense of paranoia and dread. You're not sure what the characters' motives are, just as you're not sure what their ulterior motives are, or if they even have any, but you just feel like you need to be on the lookout, because something unpleasant might go down at any minute, and it might happen to YOU! I've watched the "City of the World" scene four times since I finished the film, and I've noticed new things each time that, once again, seem to answer a question, but instead raise several more. But that's the fun of Paul Auster, that's the fun of absurdism, that's the fun of life. That's the fun of the music of chance, and THAT's the fun of The Music of Chance.
{Grade: 9/10 (A-) / #4 (of 40) of 1993}
Simply awful...
bayden13 August 2001
This movie could almost be classified as suspense... It leaves the viewer on the edge of their seat as they wait desperately for some sort of meaning. It meandered through pointlessness for over an hour before coming to a leisurely stop at mediocrity.
This film took me completely by surprise
Wazoo28 February 2000
I rented this movie about five years ago not knowing what to expect. I saw a few raves on the back of the box, and even though the cast looked a bit uneven, I took a chance. I was totally mesmerized. I enjoyed it so much I watched the whole thing all over again the next evening. It's a totally captivating story with wonderful cinematography, a beautiful soundtrack, and it's all held together by the fact that you have no idea what is going to happen next.
The story -- based on the novel by Paul Auster -- is certainly an original one. Mandy Patinkin plays a fireman named Nash who is taking an extended roadtrip/vacation and picks up the James Spader character (Pozzi) on the side of the road, bruised and bloody. Apparently Pozzi, who is normally a card player with a golden touch, lost his shirt to a pair of eccentric millionaires. Nash agrees to front Pozzi the money to get back in a game with the old guys in an attempt to win back his money. Well, one thing leads to another and Nash and Pozzi lose their shirts in the rematch. The payoff scheme conceived by the millionaires eventually drives Nash and Pozzi to the brink of insanity. Without giving away too much more of the plot, let's just say it involves the building of a wall and we'll leave it at that.
All the performances are memorable. It's a small cast, but each actor (Patinkin, Spader, Charles Durning, Joel Grey, M. Emmet Walsh, Christopher Penn and Samantha Mathis) does wonderfully. Patinkin is marvelous as a quiet, sensible man who slowly goes mad. Spader is totally over the top and manages to deliver what's probably his finest performance to date. Durning is terrific, as is the always-dependable character actor Walsh.
A few months after seeing the movie for the first time, I read the book and was pleasantly surprised at how faithful the book was in recreating the story. If you are a fan of this book or any other of Auster's works, this is definitely worth checking out.
The story -- based on the novel by Paul Auster -- is certainly an original one. Mandy Patinkin plays a fireman named Nash who is taking an extended roadtrip/vacation and picks up the James Spader character (Pozzi) on the side of the road, bruised and bloody. Apparently Pozzi, who is normally a card player with a golden touch, lost his shirt to a pair of eccentric millionaires. Nash agrees to front Pozzi the money to get back in a game with the old guys in an attempt to win back his money. Well, one thing leads to another and Nash and Pozzi lose their shirts in the rematch. The payoff scheme conceived by the millionaires eventually drives Nash and Pozzi to the brink of insanity. Without giving away too much more of the plot, let's just say it involves the building of a wall and we'll leave it at that.
All the performances are memorable. It's a small cast, but each actor (Patinkin, Spader, Charles Durning, Joel Grey, M. Emmet Walsh, Christopher Penn and Samantha Mathis) does wonderfully. Patinkin is marvelous as a quiet, sensible man who slowly goes mad. Spader is totally over the top and manages to deliver what's probably his finest performance to date. Durning is terrific, as is the always-dependable character actor Walsh.
A few months after seeing the movie for the first time, I read the book and was pleasantly surprised at how faithful the book was in recreating the story. If you are a fan of this book or any other of Auster's works, this is definitely worth checking out.
dam good offbeat film
judgejimp30 March 2005
An excellent poker player and his random investor get to play a high stakes poker game against and eccentric/weird rich couple of old doods. The player gets jinxed by his backer and losses all there money and then some and have to pay off the debt by working in the doods back yard for a couple of months and not allowed to leave till they've repaid there debt. Things turn nasty and i wouldn't want to be in these guys shoes thats for sure.
if your into offbeat slightly unnerving poker films then this is for you 8-) i love this film its a bit surreal, tense and unnerving and keeps you guessing 10/10
if your into offbeat slightly unnerving poker films then this is for you 8-) i love this film its a bit surreal, tense and unnerving and keeps you guessing 10/10
Remarkable
cdr-223 January 2000
After having read the book I didn't know what to expect from this film. Not too much one might suppose, judging from what generally happens to books when they're translated to film. The book left very clear, clean images in my mind. When I close my eyes I can still see those images: some of them remind me of Edward Hopper paintings, not anything he painted, but the atmosphere and the serenity of those paintings. The film didn't change all of that, a lot of the time the pictures even turned out like I had imagined them.
With only the ending being different from the book, (allowing Paul Auster a short appearance - does the story start over again here?) the film isn't as grim, as dark as the book.
This film makes for calm, to me hypnotic, viewing. I suppose a lot was said in silence, on the other hand: I had read the book before... Very un-hollywood.
With only the ending being different from the book, (allowing Paul Auster a short appearance - does the story start over again here?) the film isn't as grim, as dark as the book.
This film makes for calm, to me hypnotic, viewing. I suppose a lot was said in silence, on the other hand: I had read the book before... Very un-hollywood.
Absolutely Brilliant Film
Peter_tyth9 May 2006
I bought this Film in a supermarket for 97p a few weeks ago, simply because of a) the price, and b) that it had Mandy Patinkin in it.. (I've always thought that he was mega-cool since I saw the Princess Bride when I was a kid).. After reading the blurb on the back of the case, I thought that this would be a fairly light-hearted film and upon watching it last night it did seem this way, for the first half at least but as the plot unfolds, it becomes a lot darker and sinister - In a very subtle, well thought out way... A superb performance by Patinkin and a brilliant film overall, one which I've already recommended to a load of my friends and family, and that I will definitely be watching again in the near future...
Terrific
searchanddestroy-118 January 2022
And also faithful to the Paul Auster's book, except for the ending. This is an incerdible story, totally unusual, surprising, sometimes absurd but compelling, poignant, a metaphor of the meaning of life and many other things I guess, that I have not necessarily got. Acting is flawless, directing perfect but it is not for all audiences, not for those craving for super f... heroes for instance. This film is an unique experience for any one. Unique. I don't think there are two movies like this one. You can't copy it, it would be too obvious.
Strangely enticing
James-2809 April 2000
This film, although some would say doesn't actually go anywhere, is strangely watchable and quite enjoyable. The two leading men develop a brotherly bonding between them and are perfectly cast. Not the best film I have ever seen, but certainly one I could watch again.
JW
JW
Brilliant, Bizarre, Beautiful
newnoir18 July 2000
This is a film that defies categorization. It starts off seemingly as a film about high stakes poker players and evolves into something decidedly and deliciously different. James Spader plays something other than his usual blonde pretty boy types and Mandy Patinkin shines. If you are fed up with movies with plots you can easily second guess then 'The Music Of Chance' is for you.
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