Desertman84
Greetings is a film that stars Robert De Niro in his first major motion picture that has political and cultural themes during the 1960's when it was released such as the counterculture,the men who are trying to avoid the Vietnam War draft,attacks on the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson and the assassination of the late President John F. Kennedy that may well involve conspiracy theories. Brian De Palma directs for the second time in his career.John Rubin,portrayed by De Niro,is trying to help his best ball to flunk the military test to avoid serving in Vietnam.Also,we get to see Lloyd Clay,who happens to be a paranoid as he believes in conspiracy theories behind the killing of JFK.The film is obviously a dated.But nevertheless, one may remember it for De Niro's first major starrer as well as one of Brian De Palma's early works. In spite of having no plot and being uneven, it was definitely lively,funny and humorous.No Americans who saw it back then would have a good time seeing this controversial movie as it makes fun about political issues during its day.
policy134
I don't understand that this is supposed to be funny. Usually, I am a sucker for films that feature offbeat characters and non-linear story lines. I just didn't get it this time.Maybe, it's because that I am not familiar with life in the sixties, other than what I have read. Maybe, it's because I thought that this was going to be more of a violent film with extreme black humour. The humour is sort of black, but there is little to no violence here.De Niro is interesting to watch here and you can sense shades of his most famous character of Travis Bickle in some scenes. The scene in Vietnam works because it comes totally out of nowhere, but for the most part his character just seems goofy. I know that this kind of film was probably something that most people were not used to in the late sixties, but as more and more directors went counterculture in the 70s, this seems extremely boring by comparison and also kind of amateurish.I know that De Palma was still a rookie filmmaker here and this was probably some kind of experiment for him. It's a noble try but not very compelling.One more thing: Even for a sixties song, the tune played at the opening credits is probably one of the worst I have ever heard.
Sergiu Bursuc
This movie is one of the best American movies in the sixties. It's form, sharpness, concision, subtlety and great comedy make it a peak of new-wave American cinema and show the real talent of Brian de Palma.If the movie is political, it is not a propagandistic one. It is a real artistic work, where everything is relative, fun is everywhere, politics is ridiculed just as the lack of politics. Nothing stands to the great destructive power of the irony and of the cinema. MASH by Altman can be compared to this movie.All this comes with a great directing skill and novelty. Hitchcock and French nouvelle vague can be an influence (they are actually cited in the movie), but de Palma is original and his merits are beyond any doubt.A masterpiece!
deanganter
Damn amusing comedy largely centered around conversational humour. Champion script writing with some of the most amusing scenes you'll ever see. It is unfortunate that this film is so under-rated (and more often not rated at all) as it is a unique look at a group of characters, so perfectly defined by the great cast in their early years, who come up with some delightfully idiotic ideas and live out these ideas with such confidence it is really quite disturbing. John Rubin is of course the best character, and seeing Robert De Niro perform his "Cancerous elements" scene is easily one of the greatest scenes ever captured on celluloid. Most worthy of a sequel, which by chance is almost as good as its predecessor. Highly recommended.
AD
