The Leading Man (1998)
Successful playwright Felix Webb has a new play, 'The Hit Man', in rehearsal. Directed by his old friend Humphrey, it is already being hailed as a masterpiece; but Felix can't enjoy his success. He has fallen passionately in love with Hilary, a beautiful, fiesty young actress, and is preparing to desert his perfect family, his wife Elena and three lively children. His intolerable situation is further complicated when Humphrey casts Hilary as one of the leads in 'The Hit Man'. Enter Robin Grange, a charismatic young Hollywood actor making his London theatre debut. Robin is attractive, charming and dangerous, and soon inveigles his way into everyone's life. He ingratiates himself with the cast and, quickly grasping Felix's dilemma, sets about weaving his web of mischief. He suggests that if he were to seduce Elena, she would be distracted from Felix's affair, regain her self respect, and perhaps even willingly part from the unfaithful husband to whom she clings...
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Who payed the critics
An absolute waste of money
A different way of telling a story
Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.
I was pleasantly surprised by this movie when I saw it at the cinema years ago. I hadn't expected much, had gone there just to see Jon Bon Jovi's performance in it but it'd be fair to say that the movie gave me more than what I'd bargained for. In the first place, it was not filled with clichés and most of the cast did a real good job through the movie. And, most of all, Robin Grange was so much fun to watch, it was a very smart pick to choose Jon Bon Jovi to play such an irresistible, charming character -if you know what I mean. All in all, the movie was surprisingly good for me and through the years I've seen it at least a dozen times and what I think of it still hasn't changed.
Just came out on video in Holland. An intriguing movie, keeps you guessing till the end. Jon Bon Jovi is totally convincing, and irresistable as the semi bad guy. Watch it, and you'll know why women cheat.
The center of this film is the interesting performance of Jon Bon Jovi as a somewhat mysterious actor who is portraying a hit man in a play written by Lambert Wilson. Bon Jovi is very effective and keeps you guessing throughout. Wilson is excellent as a confused playwright half in love with an ingenue but who finds, when the chips are down, that he's not quite ready to give up his wife. With such an attractive cast and wondering about the motives of Jon Bon Jovi, the movie is quite intriguing, though draggy in parts.
This was a very decent movie on a very indecent topic, right up until the end. Unfortunately, the final plot twists leave you scratching your head and asking yourself, "What's wrong with this picture?" (pardon the pun). Still worth watching, but be warned, it will leave you twisted.