The Worst Film Ever

The Age of Commercialism

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

A good cast, James Woods in particular, and an intriguing premise were the main reasons for seeing 'Best Seller'. Seeing it a few days ago, 'Best Seller' turned out to be a good film with many great things with a few elements that bring it down somewhat.Woods himself is the film's best asset. Everything about him in 'Best Seller' is just mesmerising to watch, he epitomises cool, charisma and intensity. Brian Dennehy is dependably solid as rocks, a great performance that is more than up to Woods' level. Another reason why 'Best Seller' works as well as it does is the chemistry between Dennehy and Woods, which is electric. Paul Shenar has somewhat of a standard role but he brings an intimidating unscrupulousness that makes him effective in it. Victoria Tennant is good.'Best Seller' has a stylish and gritty visual look that makes it aesthetically pleasing. Larry Cohen takes a break from the quirky horror that he is better known for and shows that he is just as deft in thriller with a witty, intelligent and sharply observed script. John Flynn directs with the right amount of tension, keeping things at a brisk pace, not losing the effectiveness of the visual style and is pretty nifty with the action. The action is not tame, pretty hard-edged actually, neither is it gratuitous.For all 'Best Seller's' excellent things, there are short-comings. The music score is tacky and is stylistically at odds with the film. For a film that did such a good job with its atmosphere, 'Best Seller' was deserving of a much better ending than the rushed and too pat and safe one here.While a vast majority of the cast are fine, there is one exception...that exception is a rather annoying Alison Balson.Overall, a good film that sells well. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Best Seller is directed by John Flynn and written by Larry Cohen. It stars James Woods, Brian Dennehy and Victoria Tennant. Music is by Jay Ferguson and cinematography by Fred Murphy. Cop Dennis Meechum (Dennehy) survives being shot during a robbery at the police evidence storage and writes a well received book about the events. Years later he's widowed, raising his daughter on his own and suffering from writers block as he tries to write another novel. Into his life comes Cleve (Woods), a mysterious man who saves Meechum's life and announces that he is a paid assassin and wishes Meechum to write a book about his work for a top name in industry......Only in America Dennis.It's a lovely hook is this, a cop and a killer paired together, their relationship explored via an uneasy buddy buddy formula, where the fruits of their partnership will bring very differing rewards. Along with the crackerjack turns from Dennehy (lovable burn-out) and Woods (cold-blooded calm), it's the smart screenplay from Cohen that makes Best Seller worthy of a rental at least. How it is going to pan out always keeps one interested in the tale, while there's clearly some snarky observations on America's lust for capital gain. Violence flits in and out to add some bloody pulp to proceedings, but ultimately it's the dialogue, the suspicious mood crafted by Flynn and characterisations that give the film its vitality.Released in the same year as Lethal Weapon, it appears that Best Seller got lost in the slip-stream of that higher octane fuelled picture (in fact Dennehy gets to say the same "too old for this" line that Glover trademarked in Lethal Weapon). It's not on a par with Donner's movie, and it's far from perfect; the ending is a bit tamer than we would perhaps like and Paul Shenar's villain is a standard suit job, but there's good craft here on the page and on both sides of the camera. 7/10

Both James Woods and Brian Dennehy seem uncomfortable with a script that appears to be underdeveloped. There are way too many unanswered questions relating to who knew how to show up at just the right time at just the right location. The fact that Dennehy goes flying all over the country. leaving his sixteen year old daughter alone, is a real stretch. And speaking of the daughter, played by Allison Balson,her performance can only be described as unbelievable, and not in a good way either. Victoria Tennent's relationship with Dennehy is another loose end that is really never explored. "Best Seller" is nothing more than a very contrived script, with two good actors mostly wasted. - MERK

This is a thoroughly enjoyable B movie that came and went quickly from the big screen back in the late 80's. I happened to catch it then--and now own it in my movie collection. Woods plays Cleve, a brilliant and perhaps psychotic former hit-man, who wants Dennis, a cop turned author (Brian Dennehy), to write his story. He also wants to expose his former employers. Cleve ensures Dennis that the book will be a "Best Seller" and begins taking Dennis on a lurid tour of his former hits.Like most films, this doesn't transfer quite as well onto the small screen, but it is still well worth the viewing; (plus you get to hear James Woods warble a tune in French). Actually, Woods is way cool in this film, and delivers some of his most compelling work ever. Brian Dennehy pulls off the tough task of making the writer character equally interesting and compelling. An unlikely buddy film that has plenty of action, makes you care, and quite simply--works.