Extremely underrated, Cadillac Man is one of those timeless buddy comedies of the nineties. The director Roger Donaldson (Species, Dante’s Peak, The World’s Fastest Indian) made an enjoyable comedy with a bit of drama following a persuasive car salesman in a lot of trouble. And while the first thirty minutes are rather leisurely, the second Tim Robbins shows things start popping off. The chemistry between him and the star of this movie, Robin Williams was excellent. They played off each other much like Robbins and Martin Lawrence did in Nothing To Lose.
Now, is there anything more American than a slick and fast-talking car salesman trying to sell a car you don’t need? I know this is a familiar theme in movies but as we all know movies only mirror what’s happening in real life. Additionally, this particular car salesman is a bit different than others. I don’t want to talk too much about the plot because this is one of those movies best viewed cold. The atmosphere is positive and lively, keeping Cadillac Man fresh after all this time.
The characters are not these angels who are trying to do the right thing but real men and women just trying to make it. And if they can have a little fun along the way, they’re going to. I know this makes it a bit hard to root for anyone but at least we got an R-rated comedy that tends to get serious from time to time. The main story had so much potential that it’s surprising the end result is only a solid comedy.
Meet Joey, a smooth car salesman in a lot of trouble. His boss wants him to sell 12 cars or he’s done but that’s not all he has to worry about. You see, Joey is one of those guys who loves life and thus he loves women. And he has a lot of them in his life with each one demanding something different from him. However, what’s going to happen next is going to put all these problems in the background…
And while Cadillac Man is certainly no masterpiece, it’s entertaining enough to warrant a viewing. Robin and Tim were great at delivering these subtle jokes that you wouldn’t expect to find in a comedy with a story as zany as this one. This is in complete contrast with the general vibe of the movie. Mostly because everyone is shouting almost all the time and acting crazy. Too bad they didn’t work more on the script. Still, Cadillac Man is a nice distraction and it offers an opportunity to see two great actors in action.
Oddly enough, Tim Robbins released Jacob’s Ladder, a psychological horror movie about a Vietnam vet slowly descending into hell. And you can bet your sweet ass that he was great in that movie too.
Director: Roger Donaldson
Writer: Ken Friedman
Cast: Robin Williams, Tim Robbins, Pamela Reed, Fran Drescher, Annabella Sciorra, Paul Guilfoyle
Fun Stuff: Fran Drescher’s dog, Chester, receives a film credit in the movie as “Chester Drescher”.
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IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099204/
