A small time street conman (Will Smith) talks his way in to an uptown New York apartment with the aim of hustling a few bucks and a free meal - but things develop in ways neither party could have predicted.
I always says con-men and gigolos know more about the human condition than most university professors. While the professors live in their ivory towers preaching to note takers, the con has to work his/her knowledge in the cold world of reality.
This film, developed from a play, gives mixed messages. The central couple are art dealers, so they know a little about hustling, charming and selected truths themselves. Meanwhile the black con Paul (Will Smith) is very street level. All he has is a silver tongue.
(David Hampton - which the story is based on - died of AIDS without a penny in the world.)
The story is interesting enough for a while, but the lack of drama soon makes itself felt. In all con stories there is only two threads of drama: Will the mark go for the con or not. In most such stories the author goes in for a bit of both - to get in the maximum drama. I won't say what happens here.
The green edges of the chattering classes are exposed and the acting is first class, but I wasn't sure what this adds to the sum of my knowledge. Paul is a failure and maybe suffering from a personality disorder. He is in the wrong game because a silver tongue could take him far in this world - all goods need selling.
I praise this film more for being different more than being good. It is a mediocre script and the tricks it can pull are limited. Its main plus is proving that Smith can act quite well when given the time and the space.
I always says con-men and gigolos know more about the human condition than most university professors. While the professors live in their ivory towers preaching to note takers, the con has to work his/her knowledge in the cold world of reality.
This film, developed from a play, gives mixed messages. The central couple are art dealers, so they know a little about hustling, charming and selected truths themselves. Meanwhile the black con Paul (Will Smith) is very street level. All he has is a silver tongue.
(David Hampton - which the story is based on - died of AIDS without a penny in the world.)
The story is interesting enough for a while, but the lack of drama soon makes itself felt. In all con stories there is only two threads of drama: Will the mark go for the con or not. In most such stories the author goes in for a bit of both - to get in the maximum drama. I won't say what happens here.
The green edges of the chattering classes are exposed and the acting is first class, but I wasn't sure what this adds to the sum of my knowledge. Paul is a failure and maybe suffering from a personality disorder. He is in the wrong game because a silver tongue could take him far in this world - all goods need selling.
I praise this film more for being different more than being good. It is a mediocre script and the tricks it can pull are limited. Its main plus is proving that Smith can act quite well when given the time and the space.