Cadillac Man Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Legend. Lover. Salesman. A way with words. A way with women. And way over his head.
A high pressure sales pitch. A high pressure love life. For Joey O'Brien, life is no bed of Rollses.
A comedy about the near death of a salesman.
If tou can't trust a car salesman who can you trust?
Joe's a car salesman with a problem. He has two days to sell 12 cars or he loses his job. This would be a difficult task at the best of times but Joe has to contend with his girlfriends (he's two timing), a missing teenage daughter and an ex-wife. What more could go wrong ?.. a lot, enter a crazy jealous husband with a machine gun..
| Robin Williams | Joey O'Brien |
| Tim Robbins | Larry |
| Pamela Reed | Tina |
| Fran Drescher | Joy Munchack |
| Zack Norman | Harry Munchack |
| Lori Petty | Lila |
| Annabella Sciorra | Donna |
| Paul Guilfoyle | Little Jack Turgeon |
| Bill Nelson | Big Jack Turgeon |
| Eddie Jones | Benny |
| Mimi Cecchini | Ma |
| Tristine Skyler | Lisa |
| Judith Hoag | Molly |
| Lauren Tom | Helen the Dim Sum Girl |
| Anthony Powers | Captain Mason |
| Roger Donaldson |
5.30 out of 10 (4762 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Vinny Capone
posted on 03 Jan 2009I thought this was a good movie but I thought it was better when I found out someone I knew through my brother-in-law was in it. Robin Williams daughter in the movie,the guy who played her boyfriend. Vinny Capone is a great guy and I hope to see him in more films and not just as a stunt guy, which he does now.
More of the same from Robin Williams
posted on 28 Oct 2008This is another of those fairly early Robin Williams vehicles that appeared to be tailor made for the star to show off his undoubted comic talent, and yet somehow failed to hit the mark.Williams is good as the car but the story never really goes anywhere, and the direction prolongs it even further.Avoid this one, there are plenty of better Robin Williams' films around.
Uneven comedy that isn't that funny and ends a bit mushy.
posted on 16 Sep 2008The comments contain SPOILERS, do not read if you haven't seen the movie.Set in NYC, Joey (Robin Williams) is the 'Cadillac Man', he is a car salesman who drives a black Caddy convertible with the license plate 'CAD-MAN.' The first half of this 93-minute movie sets up the characters. Joey is a natural salesman, has the gift of gab, tries unsuccessfully to sell a new car to a widow at her husband's funeral, because he is broke and also in debt $20,000 to a mob boss and he has to close 12 deals in the next two days to keep his job. His ex-wife threw him out, his teen daughter is missing with her boyfriend, he has a girlfriend and a mistress, and is just in one big mess.Larry (Tim Robbins) isn't very smart, rides a motorcycle, he lost his job as an airplane mechanic a year ago, his wife works at the car dealership, and he suspects she is fooling around with someone, turns out to be 'Little Jack' the arrogant son of the dealership owner. The second half of the movie is pretty much a mess. In a very over-the-top performance, with lots of shooting and yelling, Larry crashes his motorcycle into the car showroom, with explosives strapped to the bike and with a machine gun. He starts shooting, wounds his wife, keeps staff and customers hostage. Joey decides to de-fuse the situation by claiming (falsely) that he and only he was the one banging Larry's wife. A swat team shows up, snipers, a negotiator, Joey gradually talks Larry into letting all the hostages go, and to give himself up, that he can claim he was 'crazy', and get a fancy lawyer to get him off, but the snipers shoot him and he is off to the hospital. The explosives on the bike were fake. Impressed by Joey's performance, and saving his son, the big boss gave Joey a job for life. Also having saved the mob boss's son who worked as a window washer there, forgave Joey's $20,000 debt. And, ex-wife and daughter decided to give Joey another try, hoping he learned his lesson. The median IMDb ratings of about '5' or '6' are about right.
This Bitch is Anti-American
posted on 13 May 2008What is it about Cadillac Man that has such a powerful psychological effect on the human mind? This structure is first a contrast to the structures that dominate our lives. Its shape whilst stable breaks with the perpendicular code of the normal structures that rule our lives. Difference attracts us. Its a physical summation of our place in the order of things. Without us knowing it, The Cadillac Man takes our thoughts to God.The plot thickens as I learn that Quantum Mechanics is based entirely on wave functions! I am studying Sanskrit to understand Quantum mechanics. The equivalent of harmony (harmonics) in music is seen in matter in the form of Symmetry. Hence my connection to the protagonist (Robin Williams; how many times do you need to see him try to cackle and doubletalk his way through some serious situations in his lame attempts at humor?). Symmetry in turn will account for the multidimensional aspects of Quantum Mechanics. The more I look at this the more amazing it seems. The Cosmology of the Tantrics has a lot in common with modern physicists ideas today. Screwed up priorities of its screwed up cosmasphere (only to put those priorities and his very life in perspective with the insurgance of the Tim Robbin character into the mix). It is a great movie about rediscovering what is important when there is a gun to one's head --look at the movie Close Encounters (1982) - how communication was done.My angle is from Mantra. If only more films moved in that direction, daring to break with formula and introduce genuine anti-American dialogue while still managing to uplift the spirit by the end in a way that feels genuine, maybe we'd have more than one or two comedies worth watching every year. Plus, Tim Robbins and Robin Williams are perfect in their roles and there's always the pre-boob-job Fran Drescher to admire. Five stars for creativity and taking a big chance. Unfortunately it doesn't work.
what the?
posted on 25 Apr 2008this movie wasted my time. i saw only part of it and i was crying about the wasted time that i could of spent doing something productive and useful towards this earth. for everyone that has watched this movie more than once, i am blaming them for global warming as the the amount of black balloons that got entered into the earth from this piece of crap were not needed and if they came from a different movie, i would have forgiven them. robin Williams lowered his standards to actually participate for more than 10 seconds in this film and Tim Robbins, how he went from this film to the shawhsank redemption, i have no idea. please do not watch this movie for the safety of the earth. stop releasing black balloons into the earth from a film that they should have never funded or released. please burn all copies before anyone else has to watch this crap.
cute
posted on 10 May 2007Not Robin Williams's greatest movie by any stretch, but still pretty funny, "Cadillac Man" casts him as car salesman Joey O'Brien, whose life is falling apart. His marriage is in the toilet and he has to sell 12 cars or he loses his job. Just when it seems that things couldn't get any worse, angry husband Larry (Tim Robbins) hijacks Joey's lot. From there, it's mostly a series of gags.This seems like the sort of movie that they just made for fun. And it is pretty fun. Don't expect any life-changing experiences from watching it (e.g., Williams doesn't launch into any wacky monologues); just sit back and enjoy. I don't understand how a previous reviewer thought that this movie relates to quantum mechanics (but then again, I don't know anything about quantum mechanics). Also starring Fran Drescher and Annabella Sciorra.
Just not funny...
posted on 13 Aug 2006So-so comedy starring Robin Williams as a Cadillac dealer, whose shop is held hostage by maniac Tim Robbins. The film has a good premise, but takes over an hour to get to the hostage part, leaving about thirty minutes to squeeze in the actual humor. The rest of the movie is all about Williams' private life. Just not very funny, some very missed potential.2 of 5- John Ulmer
The salesman as Hero! Waytogo Robin (for a change)
posted on 31 Dec 2005it's my theory that following the "success" of Dead Poet's Society, Robin Williams began a personal crusade to produce the most cloying, annoying, politically-corrected, sickeningly sappy body of work of any star in the history of Hollywood: Patch Adams, Centennial Man, Toys, Good Will Hunting, Mrs, Doubtfire, Jack, etcetera, ad nauseum, and the newest and most worthy contender to the body of dreck: Death to Smootchy. But lo and behold, one year after the turning point, when Robin changed from quick witted comic to pedantic instructor to the lessor informed than himself, this little gem is released.What other film has ever cast the salesman as the hero. Not a tragic failure, but a force of life. A hero, who "sells" the emotionally disturbed gunmen to surrender and not hurt anyone. The salesman who is the only possible hero to save this day!He sells cars to everybody. He sells himself to multiple girlfriends far more attractive than himself, because he is the consumate salesman. I dare anyone to name me one work of literature or film who's creators were incorrect enough to find good, not bad, in the salesman. Contrast this with the very correct Glengarry Glen Ross, the result of David Mamet's never-ending search for the ugly underbellies ruining the world wherever he gazes.Salesman as "force majeur"! And Robin Williams performance is perfect. Oh Robin, the saddest words of kith and kin are surely these: it might have been. Thanks you for this gem of a film standing out from the horrid body of work you have left us.
I will love this movie forever!!!
posted on 01 Mar 2005My mom bought a copy of this video at a garage sale when I was about thirteen and I've watched it over and over and over for the past ten years. I've never gotten tired of the emotional ups and downs that this story puts you through. The script is wonderful and the acting is exceptional. In fact the movie is really great all around.
I think that one of the things about this movie that appealed to me as a teenager was the idea that life can't be defined as solely comedy or drama. Sometimes the you end up caring about people who are upsetting your existence and sometimes the people who upset your existence are ones that you care about. In the end, though, things are more or less okay. I think this movie does a wonderful job of illustrating that notion, although on a much exagerrated level. (Really,how boring would a realistic movie be???)
Recently I've noticed that I've lost that copy my mom found for twenty-five cents and I'm excited to buy it on dvd.I'd highly recommend this movie and have for ten years.
Great Fun and Excitement!
posted on 19 Dec 2004I saw this film back in 1990, when it first opened in theatres and I love it. Everything about it is extravagent: music, acting, set, dialouge, and plot. It is a funny yet suspenseful comedy/drama that will make you stick to your seat watching until the very end. Even during the closing credits, I wanted to sit through these to listen to that wonderful "Cadillac Man" song. Worth owning for the music alone!
Okay
posted on 19 Feb 2004I watched it because I love Fran Drescher and she was okay in it..her dog Chester was better :) Robin Williams is a good actor and so is Tim Robins so it was okay. It just wasn't very entertaining. I guess it was supposed to be a big hit and I can see why people might think that when looking at the script but its just okay and pretty mediocre. Not terrible though. Robin Williams is great at drama which you wouldn't think, him being such a funny and wacky guy, but he pulled it off well. I didn't really get how the storyline with his daughter and ex-wife tied in but whatever. If there's nothing on and you're a fan of one of the actors its worth watching but really nothing special.
An Underrated Thrill Ride
posted on 17 Jan 2004Robin Williams gives yet another superb performance as an egotistical car salesman who is about to confront all of his demons (ex-wife, girlfriends, Mafia buddy) in one very long afternoon when Tim Robbins crashes into the door and holds him and the customers hostage. Incredibly funny, vividly life-like with an unpredictable ending. Not one to miss.
Robin Williams most underrated film
posted on 13 Dec 2003Robin Williams is so sleazy in this movie that it's easy to dislike the film, but it's a fine performance with great chemistry between him and Tim Robbins. Lots of laughs, and in the end, it turns out to be quite a "feel-good" movie. Watch it more than once... it keeps getting funnier!
Ex-Mork turns to selling cars!
posted on 23 Sep 2003Robin Williams,the brilliant comedian who delighted audiences starring on the ABC sitcom "Mork & Mindy",is a car salesman named Joey O'Brien. Joey is divorced with a teenage daughter who lives with her mother and Joey's ex-wife Tina(Pamela Reed). Joey also is having an affair with a married woman,Joy Munchack(pre-The Nanny Fran Drescher). First,Joey helps a funeral director place a coffin inside a pick-up truck,with the new widow nearby. Joey sells the widow a car before her husband's interment. "You sleaze! You are the scum of the earth!",the widow tells Joey. Tim Robbins is Larry,the violently crazy husband of Donna(Annabella Sciorra),one of Joey's co-workers. All hell breaks loose at Turgeon Auto when Larry crashes through the establishment's windows via his motorcycle with a semi-automatic gun in hand. He wants to kill the guy who's having an affair with Donna. Larry holds everybody at TA hostage,even Joey. Joey confessed to Larry,that Joey was having an affair with Donna. Joey has two other problems. He has to sell 12 cars by closing time to keep the business alive and his and Tina's daughter Lisa is missing. Joey confuses Lisa with Lila(Lori Petty),Joey's freaky fashion designer girlfriend. Happily,Lisa safely returns with her boyfriend Louie. Director Roger Donaldson previously directed Tom Cruise in 1988's COCKTAIL. If you love cars,this film is for you.
Typical Robin Williams Junk
posted on 27 Dec 2002This is not a funny movie -- unless you enjoy using a person's personal problems as a vehicle for scenes of gratuitous sex and violence, and a lot of barely humorous wisecracks. It's a typical Robin Williams movie; how many times do you need to see him try to cackle and doubletalk his way through some serious situations in his lame attempts at humor? Robin Williams is not a comedian, and certainly is not a serious actor, which leaves no reason to view these pointless films.
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interesting movie
posted on 25 Jul 2009This movie is funny, insightful, and alarming all at the same time. This is a synopsis of mostly Italian American life in working class burroughs of NY (Queens, Long Island, whatever). Joey (Robin Williams) is juggling two neurotic girlfriends and an ex-wife while struggling to keep his job as a smooth talking car salesman. The movie starts off with a shot of a cemetery in Queens, the biggest damn cemetery I have ever seen. It gives you the feeling of crowdedness, that even in death people are crowded and are probably still arguing over elbow room. Joey is desperate and even tries to sell a car to a widow as she is burying her husband. Eventually, a distraught and somewhat deranged husband of the car dealer's secretary takes over the dealership with a machine gun, convinced that somebody there is screwing with his sexy wife (which is true). It isn't Joey, but he takes the rap and tries to talk the guy down, doing a pretty good job. Car salesman becomes psychologist, and he does an amazingly good job, along with help from a phone call from both his wife and his mother to the distraught man. This is the best part of the movie. You see Joey and Larry (Robbins) play out this scene with both humor and fright. Larry is trying to prove his manhood to his wife. You understand his plight and feel his pain, and at the same time you see the mans compassion, especially with the phone calls from Joey's ex-wife and mother. There is something very real about this scene and I would think that someone who has to talk down a hostage situation might gain something from watching how Joey makes connections with Larry on a personal level. Eventually Larry sees what a mess Joey's life is and starts to see that actually his situation isn't that bad. This movie is as much about the alienation and frustration of modern life as anything else. The movie is loud and frantic and might put you off in that respect, but hang with it.