Review: Things Change

I used to think it was cool to say, "David Mamet is one of my favorite filmmakers."

Best known as a playwright, Mamet is sorely underappreciated as the director of such awesomeness as Spartan, State and Main, The Winslow Boy, and House of Games. But maybe moviegoers got off to a rocky start with this boring twaddle, Mamet's first movie. Things Change is so dull and disappointing it makes me use grandpaw terms like "boring twaddle."

Don Ameche is, admittedly, kinda charming as an Italian shoeshine guy who gets chosen to take the fall for a murdering mobster whom he resembles (the mobster really resembles James Joyce, but that's neither here nor there). Joe Mantegna (never a favorite, despite House of Games), is the eff-up low level goombah charged with keeping track of Don over the weekend before he "confesses". Joe gets all Last Detail and decides to take the 'shine to Tahoe for a last weekend of fun (i.e. boring hookers and boring gambling). Lack of hilarity ensues. Avoid Things Change so you don't get gun-shy about Mamet, who is definitely great.