sol- Rival aluminum-siding salesmen find themselves an increasingly hostile tit-for-tat feud spurred on by an automobile accident this Barry Levinson movie. One of two films that Levinson made in 1987, 'Tin Men' never quite found the same audience as 'Good Morning, Vietnam', which is a shame as it is arguably better, even if its lack of appeal to some is understandable. Both protagonists are, after all, very lowdown and despicable characters and while both have their occasion quirks, this is one of those films in which there is not a single likable character in sight. This is a deliberate move by Levinson though as the pair's feud is constantly contrasted against their shady business practices and salesmanship techniques, such as dropping a $5 note and insisting that it is not yours to convince a potential client of your honesty. The feud also coincides with the whole aluminum-siding industry being investigated for unfair selling practices and there is a sense that the protagonists are driven to their extremes as a result of the way they have learnt to work; "deceit is an occupational hazard" as one claims. Knowing this does not make Barbara Hershey's subplot any more credible, nor does it render either lead especially sympathetic, but it does provide some sense of perspective as the idea here is to observe how the characters operate, not to get to like them for who they are. Add in some genuinely funny moments (Dreyfuss realising that DeVito actually doesn't love his wife) and 'Tin Men' is a flawed film that still works surprisingly well. The conclusion is pitch perfect too.

classicalsteve If you really want to find the essence of American urban life in the 1950's and 1960's, just spend a few hours at either an east-coast diner or in a 1960 Cadillac. Sometimes I think Barry Levinson must have owned a Cadillac and driven to diners where he overheard dialog which he scribbled into a notebook. (His first movie was of course called "Diner".) Levinson has captured the atmosphere of the era through his realistic dialog that seems lifted straight from the dirty tables and dry pancakes. A bunch of friends eating at a diner and yapping about TV shows and broads is what real east-coast urban American life is all about. And when these guys are not drinking coffee and dividing up the check, they're driving their Cadillacs to potential customers to sell aluminum siding. This is the second of Levinson's Baltimore trilogy.The term "tin men" referred to aluminum siding salesmen who were just a cut under car salesmen and just above con artists. In the 1950's and 1960's when competition tightened, some of these salesmen used seemingly innocent but deceptive tactics on a very naive and trusting public who have since gotten very wise to this kind of manipulation. These hard-sell approaches included bate and switch, falsely promising free extras, and fabricating associations with nationwide magazines. Barry Levinson thrusts us into the middle of a rivalry between two of the more devious of aluminum siding salesmen, played by two of the most nervous-angst actors in the business: Danny DeVito and Richard Dreyfus. The casting of these two against each other has to have been from heaven. The smart-alec Dreyfus versus the self-centered DeVito makes for a clash of the urban sales titans early 1960's style.DeVito and Dreyfus literally "run into each other" and begin a heated game of oneupmanship that at first involves their cars and then DeVito's wife played with subtle realism by Barbara Hershey. (Of course the biggest mystery of the film is how Hershey ended up with DeVito in the first place but that could be the subject of a PhD dissertation.) The cars owned by the salesmen are important enough to also be characters. This game of king of the hill is at the forefront of the shady practices enacted by the tin men to get customers. Some of the most interesting aspects of the film are the games they play to make sales. Their customers are often very simple and trusting folk who don't realize they are being taken by sharks. But looming in the background is the US Housing Commission who are starting to become wise to their practices.A very enjoyable film overall, completely unpredictable, with fantastic performances by the three leads DeVito, Dreyfus, and Hershey. Of course, would you buy anything from these guys? I'm sure you never thought your house could use some aluminum siding.

sam-fisher-2 These days we seem to have increasing numbers of movies with special fx and huge budgets but poorly drawn characters and plots. Tin Men is one of my favourite movies for 6 reasons: 1 It's set in a small world inhabited by Aluminium siding salesmen trying to sell cladding to cover up the characteristic Baltimore brick Clook and with the backdrop of a 'Home Improvement Commission' set to break all of the salesmen's scams. The scams and backdrop are really amusing. 2 The backdrop allows some real characters to shine - hopes and fears, they're very believable recognisable characters. And rounded characters. And the movie is full of fantastic cameos. 3 The plot is fantastic. It has a beginning, middle and end, and the it builds and is finely structured with the hints of what is going to happen woven in a carefully constructed progression. It has an economical structure with some believable and clear plot twists. Fantastic writing and editing. 4 The actors and setting are bullet proof. 1963 Baltimore is perfect and Richard Dreyfus, Danny deVito, and Barbara Hershey as the leads are perfection. 5 The sound track is just great. I hate most of this sort of music cold but it is an integral part of the plot. The Fine Young Cannibals, heading by the unmistakable voice of Roland Gift singing 'Good Thing' is also brilliant.Things to watch - when Tilly (deVito) has made what he thinks is his comeback sale and they go to the bar and FTC are singing,- the atmosphere shots in the bar of all the punters is one of my favourite movie moments. - When Sam describes finding God at the smorgasboard and then later when Tilly tries to have his own spirtual experience at a smorgasboard. - The sales scene near the beginning of the film where we learn about the industry - the growing feud between the two main protagonists - Tilly appearing before the commission - the diner lunches that Tilly's team have when they keep going on about TV (Bonanza and other shows).I think this is Barry Levinson's best work.

Jackson Booth-Millard A bit of weird film when I think about it, just about two guys having a bit of a fight but not actually doing much except seeing each other. But this is quite an interesting comedy like film. Basically Richard Dreyfuss as Bill 'BB' Babowsky and Danny DeVito as Ernest Tilley accidentally crash into each others cars. At first they both take it really seriously a say to each other that they are going to pay, literally and in the fight sense. After a little while I think they kind of forget what happened and only keep seeing each other to talk. And that's pretty much it. But besides just a tiny bit of a pointless plot it is a good film. Good!