Netflix pick for 5/5/2014 – ‘Swimming With Sharks’

“Swimming With Sharks” was part of that indie film revival of the early to mid 90s, movies made on the cheap, with one or two slumming movie stars, made by people are writer/directors, involving lots of fast dialogue and a splash of violence meant to shock.

From 1994, this is the story of young aspiring Hollywood writer Guy (Frank Whaley) who gets a career opportunity of a lifetime by getting an assistant job for movie mogul Buddy (Kevin Spacey). The problem for Guy is that Buddy is sadistic asshole keen on heaping as much abuse on his assistants as humanely and legally possible, so Guy gets beat down for awhile before HE CAN’T TAKES IT NO MO’! Know what I mean?

It is a pretty good story, well acted, and with a good ending that was definitely meant to be a little twisty like “oh shit surprise!” but given the satirical tone of much of the film (truly much of Buddy’s action border on criminal), the ending falls in line pretty well with everything else and still packs a punch. A little indie punch.

So check out “Swimming With Sharks” here, it gets pretty wild and you just might like it.