I have seen a ton of reviews of this movie over the years and I am always shocked and disappointed as to how "low" the movie is rated. This is simply one of the best movies ever made. It's that simple. Look at the cast: John Malkevich, Joseph Montegna, Chloe Webb, Linda Fiorentino, Kevin Bacon, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ken Olin, and on and on (including Tom Waits - hysterical as Monte). It is sweet and funny and engaging and the sound track is super. I have the DVD and I have lent it out to friends dozens of times and the before and after is always the same: before "never heard of it" - after "loved it" --- and it doesn't matter the age or gender or politics of the viewer. Sure it helps if they are from some urban area as opposed to a rural area. And it helps if childhood friendships still mean something to them. But even if you're a lifelong lonely country boy, you should love this movie.

It is a shame that I could not give this movie a much higher rating. The acting was great. Kevin Bacon played Dennis, a struggling actor in L.A. who returned home for his friend Ray's (Ken Olin)wedding. Bacon does a terrific job playing someone who is superficially cheerful, hiding his insecurities and loneliness. The other actors and actresses were also very good. Joe Mantegna plays Al, an extroverted person, who isn't afraid to be himself. John Malkhovich also does his usual good job, playing Eliot, a man trapped in the machoistic World of Queens, yet struggling with his homosexuality. Perhaps the best scene is when Eliot tells a "pesky" homosexual to "bug off", because he just doesn't like him. This movie could have been a lot more, but it tried to do too much, didn't explain to the viewer what was going on, and became predictable by the ending. First of all, we never understand why exactly Al's wife, played by Linda Fiorentino, leaves him so suddenly and violently. All we know is that she is mad at him. We similarly understand that Ray is having second thoughts about getting married. We understand that Eliot is kind of an angry character. We never really find out why. Eliot befriends a homosexual pianist. We never really find out much about the pianist, except that he is rather mild mannered. There are also things that just don't help the plot much. Jamie Lee Curtis plays a character who is never really developed well, and in the end we have no idea why she behaved the way she did (and how this changed Al's life). Another scene that doesn't work is the swimming pool scene. Al's wife steals Al and all four or five of his buddies clothing, yet somehow he has spare clothing for all of them in his car. This movie could have been a good movie. Instead, it was confusing and not very well written.

God - I love this movie! I must've seen it 20 times by now, and I still can't pass it up when it appears on some random cable station at 1 in the morning! This film was an epiphany to me - great cast, great characters, great story, great locations - all without becoming a stereotyped "Nu Yawk" movie. And Tom Waits as Monte? Perfect! Whenever I see this, it makes me miss the City. I was really lucky to have lived there in the early 90's - only a little later than the film's setting. Anyone who doesn't think these Bridge & Tunnel characters are real should spend some time in the boroughs. I highly recommend this film to anyone who wants a slice of New York City life away from the glitz of Manhattan.

I think it's a wonderful movie and it's been unjustly underestimated:it's oneiric,sentimental,poetic and the dramatic plot is dealt with a sense of humour.There are various issues like male bonding,homosexuality,friendship and I think every role is proper for the actor who plays it:my favourite actor JOHN MALKOVICH(GREAT)is a homosexual with some existential problems and he falls in love with Marty(Michael Zelniker)and they get engaged at the end of the film;Dennis(Kevin Bacon)has in vain tried to get successful in Hollywood as a musician,Al(Joe Mantegna)grows up thanks of Jamie Lee Curtis,Vinny(Tony Spiridakis)dreams to become an actor and Ray(Ken Olin)a painter.Even if the dreams of some of these guys don't come through,their strong and profound tie is the reason to continue to hope in the future.I also think the title is the only very funny thing of the movie(in Italian language it's "Dreaming Manhattan")but the film succeeds to alternate melancholy and thoughtless scenes:Mantegna climbs up the bridge which links Astoria to Manhattan,Ken Olin listens to his message "I love you guys" while he's thinking about his life,Kevin Bacon and Michael Zelniker play "ordinary people song" while Zelniker and Malkovich look at each other,Malkovich jilts Terry Kinney,who had fallen in love with him,because he doesn't like the way he talks about his friends(when Kinney asked him if those guys were his type,he replied "that I don't know but they are the best I could do"),Tony Spiridakis howls with a healer without a reason,Tom Waits reads his odd poem at Jack's,Jamie Lee Curtis takes Mantegna's gun and learns him to throw all away,Chloe Webb tells Madame Rose,a palmist, she's surrounded by idiots,the five boys shout out Arnold's name while they're having a bath under Hellgate during the night because he was the only guy,apart from Mantegna,who climbed up that bridge and they don't see Linda Fiorentino stealing their clothes out of spite,because her husband Mantegna spent all his time with his friends(he also kisses John Malkovich at the disco)...well,these guys are amazing!They are either crazy or gay,either sad or happy,sometimes they make you cry,sometimes they make you amuse.Personally I was a depressed sixteen year old girl when I saw this movie for the first time on a night during last summer and it made me dream:this movie is everything for me,it lets me to take refuge in another world and it makes me isolate from my reality,whom I hate as much as I can, but fortunately I'm not here,I'm under Hellgate Bridge to dream with other Queens.I thank Tony Spiridakis,who wrote the story,and all the actors very much for this wonderful movie!!!