People I Know is a 2002 film starring Al Pacino which didn't perform too well at the cinemas and ended up with mixed reviews. Today, I look back at the film to see how it holds up. Warning, while I try not to reveal all the plot, I do give away an important spoiler.
Pacino plays Eli Wurman, a wily PR guy past his prime who also happens to like drugs and his brother's widow. On his final project for his only remaining famous client, Eli finds himself in a dangerous situation where he seems to be targeted by the powerful for his witnessing of a murder. How much can he trust the people he knows before he is blown out?
(Seriously just Google the film's plot if you want to, I'm not going through the effort to summarise it for you guys.)
Pacino's performance is much more subtle than the loud portrayals (YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER!!!) or the mobster figure that we are accustomed to. While other members of the cast do give okay to good performances, the talent is wasted on the boring pacing. We already know what Eli's mistake is in trusting the people that he knows, and so any pretence of suspense is not engaging. A gritty tone and the ethical questions seem forced, doing injustice to the themes explored and the pacing is inconsistent.
Despite all of these flaws, the film is definitely worth a watch, if only for the tragic portrayal of a man to fighting against what is unknown to him, culminating in both his success and death.
SCORE: 5/10
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
You're oversimplifying a complex situation to the point of adding nothing to the discussion.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Yes
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
More options
Context