The first time I saw The Player was when I lived in the dorms at CSUN. My roommate introduced me to this satirical look at Hollywood starring Tim Robbins. It’s an intriguing and intricate film about a producer brought to the brink of insanity as he tries to discover who’s been sending him death threats. Will he find the person responsible before the threats become a reality?
The Player is a fun film for a variety of reasons. The film is clever and enjoyable to watch. It has all the elements of a great Hollywood film, including action, romance, and humor. There are lots of Hollywood insider jokes that are funny and absurd even if you aren’t “in the know.”
And it’s loaded with over 60 celebrity cameos from the hottest stars at the time (the film is from 1992, so don’t expect to see anyone from Twilight, Transformers, or Inception). But the list of cameos alone makes this film fun to watch, and could provide material for a “name that celebrity” trivia game.
Tim Robbins, as always, delivers a great performance as Griffin Mill, the producer who has become the target of the threats by a writer snubbed by Mill and his studio. All the classic Hollywood clichés are firmly in place throughout the film, which makes the satire come alive. It’s a great film.
The Blu-ray edition special features include: Commentary by Director Robert Altman and Writer Michael Tolkin; Additional Scenes; the featurette One on One with Robert Altman; and the Theatrical Trailer.
For a smart, clever, and entertaining film, I highly recommend The Player.
The Player is available NOW on DVD and Blu-ray!