"The Leading Man" peers into the lives of thespians including a playwright who is having an affair with an actress much to the chagrin of his wife. Enter the leading man, Bon Jovi, who offers to seduce the playwright's wife to distract her from her constant ruminations about her husbands affair. What happens after that is probably not what you would expect which is what makes this movie a pleasant surprise. Well cast, acted, written, directed, and shot, "The Leading Man" is an enjoyable little sleeper for mature tv audiences.
14 Reviews
Excellent, right up to the end!
mrpentax23 February 1999
This was a very decent movie on a very indecent topic, right up until the end. Unfortunately, the final plot twists leave you scratching your head and asking yourself, "What's wrong with this picture?" (pardon the pun). Still worth watching, but be warned, it will leave you twisted.
Nice Surprise!
Tunica3 October 1998
"The Leading Man" is one of those overlooked gems we all like to find. It's sly and sophisticated. It is also reassuring to that, while giant corporations have taken over most independent studios [Miramax, New Line, October, Goldwyn, etc.], the number of independent productions seems to have actually increased over the last two years.
Reasonable story - but was Bon Jovi the best choice?
bob the moo17 September 2001
When I watched this I enjoyed the plot and the fact that any twists in the story were emotional twists (people's feelings and motives being revealed - sometimes to the person themselves). However I felt that John Bon Jovi was not quite right in the main role and his dialogue sometimes sounded like he was reading it. However the other main roles of playwright, his wife and his lover were well played and fitted their roles well.
Overall the film is enjoyable and sensuous. It's a story where all the action takes place in people's hearts - so if you're into that sort of drama then this should be for you.
Overall the film is enjoyable and sensuous. It's a story where all the action takes place in people's hearts - so if you're into that sort of drama then this should be for you.
intriguing and seductive
blanche-215 January 2001
The center of this film is the interesting performance of Jon Bon Jovi as a somewhat mysterious actor who is portraying a hit man in a play written by Lambert Wilson. Bon Jovi is very effective and keeps you guessing throughout. Wilson is excellent as a confused playwright half in love with an ingenue but who finds, when the chips are down, that he's not quite ready to give up his wife. With such an attractive cast and wondering about the motives of Jon Bon Jovi, the movie is quite intriguing, though draggy in parts.
Serial Seducer
bkoganbing21 December 2018
The Leading Man cast Jon Bon Jovi as a charming seducer willing to help a friend
for consideration. Bon Jovi was looking to spread his wings a little and try
straight acting like Crosby and Sinatra did as the best examples of singers who
expanded their careers.
In fact Bon Jovi is in London after suffering a discreet blacklist involving him bedding the wife of some studio executive. He's hoping to jumpstart his career again on the London stage. He's in a play that Lambert Wilson wrote, in fact in the title role of The Hit Man.
Wilson has his problems, he's falling in love with his leading lady Thandie Newton. No problem, Bon Jovi offers to nail Wilson's wife Anna Gallena for favors to be named later. It works like a charm.
I have to say that the climax which occurs at the premier of the play and the aftermath kind of fooled me. Which is the mark of a good film in my humble opinion. Bon Jovi did a good job in the lead and got good support from the other three in the foursided triangle. In fact he went above and beyond the call of duty.
Two others to note in the cast are Barry Humphries as the director and veteran actor David Warner as a veteran actor.
Looking at his credits I see Bon Jovi decided to concentrate on music, his career choice.
In fact Bon Jovi is in London after suffering a discreet blacklist involving him bedding the wife of some studio executive. He's hoping to jumpstart his career again on the London stage. He's in a play that Lambert Wilson wrote, in fact in the title role of The Hit Man.
Wilson has his problems, he's falling in love with his leading lady Thandie Newton. No problem, Bon Jovi offers to nail Wilson's wife Anna Gallena for favors to be named later. It works like a charm.
I have to say that the climax which occurs at the premier of the play and the aftermath kind of fooled me. Which is the mark of a good film in my humble opinion. Bon Jovi did a good job in the lead and got good support from the other three in the foursided triangle. In fact he went above and beyond the call of duty.
Two others to note in the cast are Barry Humphries as the director and veteran actor David Warner as a veteran actor.
Looking at his credits I see Bon Jovi decided to concentrate on music, his career choice.
Bon Jovi Does His Job But Overall, This Soaper Is Boring
ccthemovieman-128 December 2007
This was a below-average soap opera about British actors and general low-life people. The worst of them all was the lone American, played by singer Jon Bon Jovi, who did a decent job of acting, playing the part of American movie star "Robin Grange."
Lambert Mason playing British playwright "Felix Webb" is the other main guy. He's an adulterer and one who gets caught up with his mistress demanding things. It's the usual story of the younger mistress demanding the older man can his wife and settle down with her. Yawn! How many times have we seen that?
It winds up being a soap opera about so-and-so fooling around with people they shouldn't, observers seeing all of this and putting their two cents in, and .......well, I might as well not spoil it for anyone who likes this sort of thing.
The main problem with the movie, in my opinion and in a nutshell, was that it was boring and it had too many characters one simply doesn't care about. Add those two negatives up and a you get a "not recommended" film.
Lambert Mason playing British playwright "Felix Webb" is the other main guy. He's an adulterer and one who gets caught up with his mistress demanding things. It's the usual story of the younger mistress demanding the older man can his wife and settle down with her. Yawn! How many times have we seen that?
It winds up being a soap opera about so-and-so fooling around with people they shouldn't, observers seeing all of this and putting their two cents in, and .......well, I might as well not spoil it for anyone who likes this sort of thing.
The main problem with the movie, in my opinion and in a nutshell, was that it was boring and it had too many characters one simply doesn't care about. Add those two negatives up and a you get a "not recommended" film.
British drama packaged with an American music icon...
dwpollar7 October 2021
1st watched 10/3/2021 - (Dir- John Duigan):
British drama packaged with an American music icon isn't horrible, but not completely memorable either. The story revolves around a playwright couple played by Lambert Wilson and Anna Galiena who's marriage has been falling apart because the woman is only a mom - the man is still writing plays and on the verge of being famous. Enters the new leading man played by Jon Bon Jovi in an obvious star piece of the man's new play. He is an obvious player who has departed America primarily because of this. To complicate things the male playwright is having an affair with the leading actress played by Thandie Newton, and is hoping their marriage will somehow be abolished. He than hires the Bon Jovi character to seduce his wife to (I think) have a cause for a separation. Things get worse as Bon Jovi can't keep his hands off anyone including the mistress. This complex story with a lot of emotions rising up brings about an even more complex ending. Bon Jovi carries himself ok as an actor, but doesn't pull off the deviousness that is obvious in the character. Unfortunately, he's too likeable as himself. The rest of the cast do a good job and the twist ending almost swayed me, but overall this movie is just there. I think if the intention wasn't as a vehicle for the singer it would have been better. Also, the direction was too straight-forward, especially for an amateur actor to pull this off. There are things I liked about it though, but not enough to recommend it.
Jon Bon Jovi for Robin Grange: Great pick!
ipekmine31 March 2007
I was pleasantly surprised by this movie when I saw it at the cinema years ago. I hadn't expected much, had gone there just to see Jon Bon Jovi's performance in it but it'd be fair to say that the movie gave me more than what I'd bargained for. In the first place, it was not filled with clichés and most of the cast did a real good job through the movie. And, most of all, Robin Grange was so much fun to watch, it was a very smart pick to choose Jon Bon Jovi to play such an irresistible, charming character -if you know what I mean. All in all, the movie was surprisingly good for me and through the years I've seen it at least a dozen times and what I think of it still hasn't changed.
Charming and wonderfully funny
karier134 September 2001
An excellent cast makes this movie well worth watching. There are a couple of places that drag a bit but the rest more than make up for it. Robin Grange (Jon Bon Jovi) is an actor on the run from Hollywood after a faux paux with the wife of the head of the studio. In England he takes the part of a hit man in a play, offers and is hired to seduce the wife of the plays author and reaps the rewards. The author, Felix Webb (Lambert Wilson) seems not to know what hits him when Robin is going after not only his wife but his mistress. Helena Webb (Anna Galiena) does not take very long to decide to opt for the handsome leading man over the older spouse. And the long suffering mistress, Hilary Rule (Thandie Newton), finally gets her man (Felix). There is mystery surrounding Robin which lures not only Helena and Hilary but any other female in the vacinity. A very interesting and enjoyable movie. Jon Bon Jovi is fun to watch as the seductive, mysterious Robin Grange. The rest of the cast is also excellent. A movie to watch more than once.
Intriguing, compelling, wonderful.
bertine centen25 July 2001
Um...
mdlngstr23 January 2002
This movie was kinda weird. It had Jon Bon Jovi in it...so of course...I HAD to see it. The actors were good, the story line was good, but it just didn't CLICK to me...lol. Jon Bon Jovi's acting was horrible in it...sorry. :( I love him, but *shakes head* I thought at this point of his acting career he should've stuck with singing. I don't know what it was tho. The movie dragged out badly in some parts and I kept checking my watch thru out the whole thing. Sure...there were some 'good' parts in it...*evil grin*, but I didn't really enjoy it.
Average romance soap
kenandraf7 September 2002
Average romance drama that has a good story and adequate cast but a bad script/screenplay.Good moral lesson for men who want a misstress despite having a good wife.The movie starts very slow,has a promising middle part but ends weakly.Only for big fans of romance drama soaps and fans of the lead actors.....
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