Gary (Andy Garcia) makes his living in NYC scalping tickets. A charming crook, he has attracted the attention of would-be chef Linda (Andie MacDowell). They have had a go at a relationship but Linda has become unhappy about his profession and his careless ways. Seeing no future in the involvement, Linda has tried to end it. Yet, Gary keeps coming around, weakening her resolve. As these things go, other scalpers seem to be encroaching on Gary's territory. Will he give up the criminal life to win the affections of his girlfriend?This movie works because of the appeal of Garcia and MacDowell. They have a sparkling chemistry which is infectious. There are some funny scenes involving Garcia at Catholic confession as well as some dramatic ones concerning the up and down lives of the other scalpers. The ending is a demonstration of the adage "all's well that ends well". Although it is not the best romantic comedy out there, fans of the genre should give this movie a whirl. It might be just the ticket for an enjoyable evening of entertainment.

A charming guy, Gary, played by Andy Garcia is an irresponsible but an irresistable goodhearted soul; all of his friends are Runyoneque. Trouble is Gary is a 'scalper'. His 'Guardain Angel', Benny, played by Richard Bradford, buys his tickets and sells them off at highly increased prices. Gary falls for Linda, played by Andie MacDowell, but he is awkward and afraid to say he loves her. She puts him off and then he tries to win her back by selling tickets to the Pope's visit to town, but ends up in jail because he lost the cash - funny film, but cute and exciting, and there are a few forgotten famous actors including Abe Vigoda and Ron Leibman. I recommend it highly! 7/10

I love it. It just made me so happy watching it, and you can tell that Andy Garcia had a really good time making this by the way he acts.If I could make just one film in my life, this would be it, Richard Wenk can die a happy man (hopefully not for a very long time). I hope to see another one from these two guys. I know it is a long shot but I really feel that Andy should get an Oscar for this, this is his finest hour, this is so good and so true that you forget it is acting. The original screenplay also deserves and Oscar, it is thoughtful, funny and touching. What more do you want.If you want to see a good film, go rent or buy this, it is Just The Ticket.

`Just The Ticket' This current trend of movies being announced for home video before, or during, a theatrical run is very heartbreaking. Good movies are lost in the stampede for the rental market, and I feel it cheapens the minor magic of seeing a film in the theater. `Another Day In Paradise', "Go", and `At First Sight' are recent examples of this. `Just The Ticket' is the latest. Appearing in the Phoenix area 6 weeks after its debut, it's also about 6 weeks before you can go to Blockbuster and rent it. Sad. What that means to me, and seemingly only me due to the reviews I have read, is that a very amiable and charming romantic-comedy-drama is going to fall below the radar with most people. Andy Garcia is an actor with an amazing dramatic charge that easily makes him one of the best actors we have. It's his choice of films that taint that assessment considerably.I like him a lot, and `Ticket' gives Garcia that perfect opportunity to show off his range. His performance here as a ticket scalper ranks with his best work. He can take hold of the moment with the best of them, and he has an unbelievably funny scene involving the laserdisc of "Stargate". With Andie MacDowell, who I have always believed had the range of a half-empty box of Honey Nut Cherrios, Garcia creates believable chemistry. Their scenes of foreplay are truly enjoyable. The background story of `Ticket' is that they shot the New York street scenes without a permit, often having the citizens around them not aware that a movie was being made.This aspect of the movie is its strongest asset. The dirty, low budget mentality makes the flick more enjoyable. The grainy film stock, passerby's looking into the camera, and Garcia actually seeming like he's having fun is such a breath of fresh air. It's like a student film with A list actors. Truth be told, the film falters when it reaches for more dramatically satisfying material. A drug addicted pregnant girl, a life-challenged mentor, and a rival scalper make for some weak moments. They threaten to crush the film. Somehow Garcia, with director Richard Wenk, make everything come together with a decent ending that doesn't feel forced. This isn't landmark material, but it is the rare film that isn't too forceful, and has complete faith in the power of its actors.------------- 8