Ten Benny (1995)

Sadly Over-hyped

It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

This kitchen sink drama directed and co-written by Eric Bross of RESTAURANT fame follows a group of boyhood pals from suburban New Jersey -- chiefly charismatic Adrien Brody as Ray, a young shoe salesman (the original title, TEN BENNY, is shoe store slang for size 10B, supposedly the size one time customer Paul Newman wears) whose overestimation of his own sharpness leads to gambling debts, p***ed-off loan sharks, and overall misery. The film is as realistic as it is glum and predictable. I felt like I was watching a documentary about younger contemporary versions of my gambler/bookie dad and his goombah pals. I knew the film was striking a chord when, despite Brody's cocky charm and good looks therein, I spent much of the film smirking, shaking my head, and muttering, `Dumbass!' every time Ray made another bad judgment call or generally acted like a jerk. Still, despite its better moments, this story is nothing that folks like Martin Scorsese haven't done earlier and more powerfully. NOTHING TO LOSE (not to be confused with the 1997 Tim Robbins/Martin Lawrence flick) is worth a look primarily if you're a Brody fan and/or an aficionado of Italian-American angst, and you happen to stumble across this one on cable. (I find it interesting, though, that writer/director Bross went on to direct ON THE LINE with those two N'Sync guys.)

This movie is a must see for the riveting performance of ADRIEN BRODY. Though the writing and directing may be average, keep in mind it was the first film for writer/director, ERIC BROSS. Bross does get better with age and experience. I enjoyed the performances of all the cast, however, I wish the character Mrs. Deturo, played by actress ANNA MANFREDI, would have had a more significant part. Whenever she appeared in a scene she lit up the room - She is talented, has star quality, is interesting, and I would like to see more of her in future films.Mr. Bross would have been wise to utilize Ms. Manfredi in the party scene -developing her character and defining her as Joanne's mother - he neglected to develop a relationship between mother and daughter. (When you are wandering all around looking for your boyfriend, it is a knee jerk reaction to ask your mom if she has seen him when you walk right past her. Joanne never once talks to her mother or acknowledges her as her mother. This made the entire scene lacking in content. Bross has the party scene so cluttered with people that it is distracting from the events taking place, as if the party takes place in Grand Central rather than Mrs. Deturo's (Joanne's mother) home with a gathering of relatives.One should never under-estimate the importance of a "mother" in developing a character. You learn early on that Ray, played by Brody, grew up without his mother who left when he was a child. This helps explain why Ray was so messed up. We completely lose all empathy for Joanne, played by Sybil Temchen, during this scene, as she is cold and menacing as she totally ignores her mother, played by Ms. Manfredi, as if the character is just a stranger amongst a bunch of strangers.So to sum it all up - - ADRIEN BRODY IS FANTASTIC and LET'S SEE MORE OF ANNA MANFREDI IN UPCOMING FILMS!!!

This film is another boring, so-called coming-of-age story.If I have seen these characters once, I have see them 100 times.This film and those like it have little relevance or appeal to anyone who recognizes ethnic stereotypes and unoriginal writing.Sybil Temchen is the only bright spot. Sadly, she'll probably end up in the same club as Adrienne Shelly (good actress performs well in indies, goes on to perform well in a few bad mainstream films and then disappears into films no one who is asleep at 3 a.m. ever sees).Maybe Temchen will get lucky with a good cable-TV series (that's what rescued Edie Falco from Shelly's fate).Cross your fingers (and your toes) for her.

A story you might have already heard is shot in the chest with a flash of something new and electric. That something is named Adrien Brody. After having seen his work in "The Thin Red Line" and particularly "Summer of Sam", it became a point to check for his name in conjunction with any new film being released. I had not been disappointed by any of his work when I first saw the film, and "Ten Benny" was no exception. Not the most original story, but definitely worth watching if for no other reason than Brody's fabulous turn as Ray, an addicted gambler who struggles with life, love, friends and finances. **** for Brody. *** Overall.