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Confidence [2003]
![Confidence [2003]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5151REGHJGL._SL160_.jpg)
DVD Technical Information:
RRP: £17.99
Our Price: £3.47 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
Bathed in self-conscious cool, Confidence is a heist caper in which the heist is unimportant. As you might expect from Glengarry Glen Ross director James Foley, this pulpy concoction is more interested in giving good actors a lot of hip, salty dialogue as they scheme their way to the royal scam. It's a poor man's Ocean's Eleven, just as enjoyable in its own way, beginning when con artist Jake (Edward Burns) discovers he's accidentally stolen from an eccentric crime boss (Dustin Hoffman, oozing threat in a fine character turn). Promising to make amends by pulling the biggest con of his career, Jake adds a feisty pickpocket (Rachel Weisz) to his crew, which includes scene-stealer Paul Giammatti and Andy Garcia as a dishevelled FBI agent (or is he?). With a cast like this you can't go wrong, but Confidence cons itself into thinking it's original, while Burns's abundant voice-overs state the obvious and plot twists unfold with minimal surprise. --Jeff Shannon
Editorial
DVD Description
Boasting a stellar ensemble cast featuring Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman, Rachel Weisz (The Mummy), Edward Burns (15 Minutes) and Andy Garcia (Ocean’s Eleven), Confidence is a cool, stylish crime thriller with a remarkable twist. In a double-crossing, scam shocking thriller, Jake Vig and his crew, inside man Gordo, the newly recruited, brash Miles and beautiful pickpocket Lily are about to pull off the biggest con of their careers. The key is confidence, pure confidence.
Editorial
Special Features
Editorial
Synopsis
Ed Burns gives arguably the best performance of his career in James Foley's fast-moving CONFIDENCE. Foley, who directed David Mamet's GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, has learned much from his mentor, making a who's-conning-whom film worthy of the master of the genre. Burns plays Jake Vig, the leader of a small group of con artists who unknowingly steals money from a sleazy but powerful underworld lord known as King. In order to get his dough back, King forces Vig and his gang to pull off a nearly impossible con that could get nearly everyone involved killed. Meanwhile, Vig is being watched closely by a stubbly federal agent who is following the money.
Foley has put together a terrific cast, including Paul Giamatti and Rachel Weisz as part of Vig's crew, Andy Garcia as the fed, Dustin Hoffman as King, and Luis Guzman and Donal Logue as two cops on the take. As in Mamet's films, the audience will have to keep guessing whose side the characters are on right up until the final shot, never quite knowing who is conning whom.
Editorial
The Guardian
"A twisty, flashy con thriller in a David Mamet-meets-Quentin Tarantino vein"
Style over substance
Review date: 2007-10-22 Rating: 6 out of 10
Caper movies have been well served in the 90's and to some extent into the noughties. Movies like Ocean's Eleven, The Grifters, Heist and many others, have raised the bar for the con artist on the silver screen. `Confidence' aims high, and just scrapes over the bar, but without much room to spare.
The plot - well, it would spoil it to tell.. but even if I wanted to it would be difficult, as maze-like as it is. Suffice to say, when a con turns out to have inadvertently trodden on a ganglord's toes (Dustin Hoffman), the con-artist (Ed Burns) agrees to pull a huge job to get the money back and keep everyone happy... but who can anyone trust, and what is as it seems?
Great performances abound - the talent on display here is formidable through to the most minor of characters. However, for the most part these fantastic character actors are being called on to play parts which are by their definition artificial. It all works well for the plot, but the sheer cleverness of the whole thing does pull you out of the experience and constantly remind you that this is not real, just a movie.
Having said that, the script is fine, even if lacking that David Mamet style it so much wants to have. Dustin Hoffman in particular benefits from some juicy lines, chewing the scenery as his menacing though dwarf like ganglord with a predilection for sex of any kind. He looks for all the world like Eddy Jordan on speed, turned to a life of crime and hedonism. Ed Burns is a fine actor, but seems a little out of his depth, and Rachel Weisz plays the sexpot admirably well. In the end we do find a satisfying cleverness to the eventual proceedings - But without an investment in the characters that makes us really care one way or the other who did what to who.
It's a stylish movie, and worth watching, but one could have expected more from the talent involved. Watch it, enjoy, and forget it about 5 minutes later.
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Reviews
Confidence - a confident movie!
Review date: 2007-04-25 Rating: 8 out of 10
A solid thriller cum scam movie, which I can highly recommend renting.
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. From the start you know it'll have some twists and turns, some good character acting (Dustin Hoffman is great) and give you a treat. The ending is partially predictable - but not in the way it actually pans out, which is admirable and engaging.
The voice-over narrative keeps the pace moving along rather than interfering or providing a sense of irritation, and the whole movie looks good, sounds good and gels together well.
Emotionally flat
Review date: 2006-01-18 Rating: 6 out of 10
Watching CONFIDENCE was like visiting a fortune-teller just for the fun of it. And that's OK.
To my mind, a film's potential success has at least four determinants: the acting, the plot, the environment (created by the cinematography, soundtrack, FX, etc.), and the degree of bonding between the audience and the characters. CONFIDENCE succeeds in all but the last.
Perhaps the best incentive to see CONFIDENCE is Hoffman's portrayal of the ickiest, creepiest and most venomous character he's ever played. It may be worth a Best Supporting Actor nomination for the next Oscarfest. Burns, as well as the multitude of others in supporting roles, are adequate to advance the (admittedly clever) storyline, but none were endearing, at least to this viewer. Even the moll of the piece, Lily (Rachel Weisz), is too unrelentingly flinty to be attractive.The only character of any interest besides King is Gunther Butan (Andy Garcia), the scruffy Federal agent and Vig's ostensible nemesis, who appears to be the wild card in the evolving scam.
The director made creative use of flashbacks and visual asides to keep my in-seat interest level high.
CONFIDENCE is, ultimately, an emotionally sterile experience.
slicker then average
Review date: 2005-08-12 Rating: 10 out of 10
As a fan of confidence and grifter movies i must say this is the one film that i keep going back to. my reason is this,the cast is great! ed burns,paul giamatti,rachel weisz and dustin hoffman make this great grift of a movie even better.
I love to guess as to whats going on and completely (along with the masterful usual suspects) got it wrong which is what i presume most people who like this type of movie actually wants!
A very realistic confidence scam!
Posh and Sassy
Review date: 2005-01-19 Rating: 8 out of 10
Crackling stuff. Rented it twice then bought it. Simply put, it's The Sting meets Ocean's Eleven. That's to say, a clever team of grifters hit a big "mark" by mistake and have to plan an even bigger con to settle the debt. It's not better or worse than Ocean's 11, but it is a lot more human and less gadgety. It works because you believe the characters. Smashing performance by Paul Giamatti. By the time people read this he has had a personal success in "Sideways", and this is long overdue; I've always enjoyed his performances. Edward Burns would not have been my first choice for the George Clooney rôle but he doesn't put a foot wrong. Rachel Weisz is gorgeous and more than competent as the "brainy bait". Dustin Hoffman is the unfortunate mark and I'm going to upset everyone by saying that I can always see Mr Hoffman acting. He is very clever and does his job immaculately, but I can't seem to penetrate his performance to get through to the character. Hey-ho, you can't have everything. Enjoy.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Louis Lombardi
Rachel Weisz
Morris Chestnut
Leland Orser
Edward Burns
Creators:
Edward Burns (Primary Contributor)
Rachel Weisz (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Momentum Pictures
Manufacturer: Momentum Pictures
EAN: 5060049140674
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2004-03-01
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 93 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2003-04-25
Language: English (Original Language)