Claudio Carvalho
Three decadent actors find a corpse close to the Hollywood sign. After some investigation, they realize that the guy was an employee of the financial department who had stolen a casino with four other thieves. They decide to steal the money from the gang, acting like they were real cops. The story has a surprising end. The first three quarters of this movie is surprisingly good. Tom Berenger, Burt Reynolds and Rod Steiger perform three aged actors, forgotten by the studios, trying to survive in Hollywood. There are great scenes, like the death of Robbie Kant (Kay E. Kuter) while crossing the street or when Kage Mulligan (Burt Reynolds) cries watching a western movie he made when he was a young actor. There are many elements of cult-movie along the story, through the comments of the veterans actors. However, the conclusion of the plot is very disappointing. Anyway, 'The Hollywood Sign' is a good entertainment. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): 'Uma Grande Jogada' ('A Great Move')
Dalazen_Junior
This light-hearted comedy was a great surprise for me, I didn't expect much from The Hollywood Sign since it was a direct-to-video movie but after finishing it, I was impressed not only by the quality of the film, but also for the brilliant performances from the three leads.Granted is not a mainstream movie, but for what it is - a low budget comedy - The Hollywood Sign was entertaining and quite poignant at times. I personally felt that the three main actors had a nice time working together (something that a lot of people who watched it noticed too) and that they did their best with the material handed.Burt Reynolds, Tom Berenger and Rod Steiger have personal connection and knowledge about the main theme of the story - about being an actor and getting old in a place where legends are built with the same speed they are destroyed.All of them were at the top of the world during a certain period, especially Burt Reynolds, the box-office king of the seventies, and they had to face hard times afterwards. Reynolds has the most emotional and beautiful scene, in which he, with tears in his eyes, watches an old western he made.Beautiful moment and homage to Burt,a really talented, charming, wonderful and unfortunately underestimated actor of his time. I wonder if people in Hollywood will one day give Burt Reynolds the respect and admiration he deserves, or if they are only going to give credits when it's too late, as in the case of the outstanding and deceased Rod Steiger.
lacrescenta
If you can get past the far-fetched plot (full of weird schemes and big coincidences) this can be pretty funny movie. The three main actors (Tom Berenger, Burt Reynolds and Rod Steiger) are all pretty good. OK, so they overact sometimes, so the plot is flawed and the pace sometimes uneven--but I still found myself laughing throughout the film.My mom was with me when I saw this film and we both got a huge kick out of the last portion of the movie--where these three bumbling has-been actors are trying to con a bunch of gangsters into believing that they (the actors) are cops. Each actor almost blows it, improvises, over-acts, acts badly, and it's all pretty hilarious.In my opinion this film is worth seeing for the fun scenes between the three main stars. I think they played off each other well. I especially liked Rod Steiger (in one of his last roles) but I enjoyed the performances of all three.
I recommend this film if you are willing to look past the flaws, and allow yourself to be amused by the fun stuff. There are definitely laughs to be had in this film.
George Parker
"The Hollywood Sign" is all about a trio of washed up, has-been movie actors (Berenger, Reynolds, Steiger) who decide to turn fiction into reality by using a movie screenplay as the blueprint for a Vegas casino ripoff (sorta). Everyone in this unfortunate flick seems to be waiting for the other cue to drop. Performances are hickory; the screenplay is clumsy; timing is waaay off; and God knows where the director was during the filming. There is one poignant moment when Reynolds watches himself in an old western and a few funny moments where the trio, playing like detectives, interview some hoods. Otherwise the film is a waste of talent and a waste of time. (D)
AD
