Amazon.com Essentials:
A harsh, cutting, and wickedly funny look into the darker side of show
business, Swimming with Sharks tells the story of a naive and eager
assistant (Frank Whaley) and his slide into the cutthroat world of Hollywood
power struggles. Whaley goes to work for a top movie executive (Kevin Spacey)
who almost immediately begins to wear down his new assistant's exuberance with
his whining, egomaniacal tantrums and relentless verbal abuse, even as he promises
his young charge a chance to move up the ladder. Culminating in a violent and
ultimately ironic confrontation between mentor and protégé, this
brutal 1994 black comedy benefits from some razor-sharp writing and terrific comic
turns from both Whaley (Hoffa) as one whose idealism is irrevocably shattered,
and Spacey (Seven, L.A. Confidential), deliciously funny as a caustic,
belligerent, and ultimately sad figure. A savage indictment of both the movie business
and the price of ambition, Swimming with Sharks is one of the best black
comedies in recent years. --Robert Lane
Amazon.com Essentials:
A harsh, cutting, and wickedly funny look into the darker side
of show business, Swimming with Sharks tells the story of a
naive and eager assistant (Frank Whaley) and his slide into the
cutthroat world of Hollywood power struggles. Whaley goes to work for
a top movie executive (Kevin Spacey) who almost immediately begins to
wear down his new assistant's exuberance with his whining, egomaniacal
tantrums and relentless verbal abuse, even as he promises his young
charge a chance to move up the ladder. Culminating in a violent and
ultimately ironic confrontation between mentor and
protégé, this brutal 1994 black comedy benefits from
some razor-sharp writing and terrific comic turns from both Whaley (Hoffa) as one
whose idealism is irrevocably shattered, and Spacey (Seven, L.A. Confidential), deliciously funny as a caustic,
belligerent, and ultimately sad figure. A savage indictment of both
the movie business and the price of ambition, Swimming with
Sharks is one of the best black comedies in recent
years. --Robert Lane
