CADILLAC MAN
A film review by Robert Dorsett
Copyright 1990 Robert Dorsett
CADILLAC MAN stars Robin Williams as Joey O'Brien, a car salesman in New York. The first third of the film documents his various personal problems: he's juggling relationships with four women, owes a mobster $20,000, and will lose his job the next day, unless he sells twelve new cars. He is eventually put in a situation in which he'll have to reverse his losing streak, or he'll lose his life.
The movie sounds trite, and it is, to a degree. It's essentially yet another platform for Williams to strut his stuff (and is vaguely reminiscent of GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM). The principal gag is that Joey can argue himself out of anything, but life is conspiring to make it all an up-hill battle. The production quality, however, raises it out of the gutter: it has a good supporting cast, and isn't *quite* as clear-cut as the advertisements make out.
There are a number of good gags, both subtle and overt. It won't have people rolling in the aisles, but it has its moments. I'd give it a 6/10, or three stars. It's a "feel-good," Christmassy sort of flick. It won't be the blockbuster of the summer, but then again, films released in mid-May rarely are.
--- Robert Dorsett Internet: rdd@rascal.ics.utexas.edu UUCP: ...cs.utexas.edu!rascal.ics.utexas.edu!rdd
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