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American Buffalo Details

1996 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 50
  • from 275 members

A plot to steal a potentially valuable buffalo-head nickel binds together two mistrusting, disaffected schlubs and their young, would-be accomplice. David Mamet adapted the screenplay from his hard-biting 1975 stage play. Read more

Starring Dennis Franz, Dustin Hoffman, Sean Nelson
Director Michael Corrente
Genres Drama

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American Buffalo

A plot to steal a potentially valuable buffalo-head nickel binds together two mistrusting, disaffected schlubs and their young, would-be accomplice. David Mamet adapted the screenplay from his hard-biting 1975 stage play.

Starring Dennis Franz, Dustin Hoffman, Sean Nelson
Director Michael Corrente
Studio CINEMA CLUB
Run time DVD: 1 hr 23 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Drama
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 03 Feb 2003
Production year: 1996
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (6) of American Buffalo

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  • 3 stars out of 5

    Dustin Hoffman returns to the skid row of Midnight Cowboy's Ratso Rizzo for this talkfest, scripted by David Mamet from his stage play and directed by Michael Corrente. Hoffman's an aggressive petty thief who decides to muscle in on the burglary plans of ghetto junk dealer Dennis Franz (of NYPD Blue fame), at the expense of Franz's teenage sidekick, Sean Nelson. The plot disappears into the Pinteresque pauses, but the dialogue has such power, the acting such conviction, you hang on every word however obscene it is.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006
  • 2 stars out of 4

    A conversation piece that shows its theatrical origins, but survives the transition to the screen thanks to Mamet's demotic dialogue and the expert performances it receives.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

  • Most helpful member's review of American Buffalo

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  • 4 out of 5 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Y-a-w-n

    I originally saw this film in a small, empty cinema in a small empty town in Canada while the snow fell heavily outside. Being half drunk at the time and in quite high spirits I had quite a fondness for this film at the time. To be honest, I could have watched 2 hours of Sunset Beach and I still would have been happy.

    David Mamet is a brilliant playwright and screenwriter (The Untouchables, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Glengarry Glen Ross) so you know he's got the talent. The problem with this he knows he's clever but wants to rub it in your face.

    All of the actors give fine performances, Dustin Hoffman as a lead character is as intense as ever and the fat dude with the moustache from NYPD Blue (David Franz?) shows he is a talent and can hold his own on the big screen. Hoffman said of his character that, 'On the surface, Teach is an ineffective, petty criminal, but what is intriguing is the unexpected vulnerability and complexity he reveals.' Well, maybe he's intense Hoffers but he's a bit one dimensional. Too often it all becomes tedious and little more than a mechanism for delivering some fine lines. I walked off to make cups of coffee throughout it, sitting through it again because I kept hoping it would speed up and get interesting. But no.

    It's one of those films where you start off with high hopes but it quickly becomes apparent that this would be an incredible play but in reality just an average film. It doesn't translate that well to the screen.

    I'd highly recommend this if you've just taken a valium and want to see how long you can delay the sweet release of a deep sleep.

      • Kaz from London
      • Posted 07 Jul 2004 10:13

  • Most recent members' review of American Buffalo

    View all
  • 4 out of 5 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Y-a-w-n

    I originally saw this film in a small, empty cinema in a small empty town in Canada while the snow fell heavily outside. Being half drunk at the time and in quite high spirits I had quite a fondness for this film at the time. To be honest, I could have watched 2 hours of Sunset Beach and I still would have been happy.

    David Mamet is a brilliant playwright and screenwriter (The Untouchables, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Glengarry Glen Ross) so you know he's got the talent. The problem with this he knows he's clever but wants to rub it in your face.

    All of the actors give fine performances, Dustin Hoffman as a lead character is as intense as ever and the fat dude with the moustache from NYPD Blue (David Franz?) shows he is a talent and can hold his own on the big screen. Hoffman said of his character that, 'On the surface, Teach is an ineffective, petty criminal, but what is intriguing is the unexpected vulnerability and complexity he reveals.' Well, maybe he's intense Hoffers but he's a bit one dimensional. Too often it all becomes tedious and little more than a mechanism for delivering some fine lines. I walked off to make cups of coffee throughout it, sitting through it again because I kept hoping it would speed up and get interesting. But no.

    It's one of those films where you start off with high hopes but it quickly becomes apparent that this would be an incredible play but in reality just an average film. It doesn't translate that well to the screen.

    I'd highly recommend this if you've just taken a valium and want to see how long you can delay the sweet release of a deep sleep.

      • Kaz from London
      • Posted 07 Jul 2004 10:13

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Rating breakdown

275 Member ratings
  • 100
10
  • 90
8
  • 80
18
  • 70
28
  • 60
54
  • 50
35
  • 40
39
  • 30
33
  • 20
34
  • 10
16

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      • A plot to steal a potentially valuable buffalo-head nickel binds together two mistrusting, disaffected schlubs and their young, would-be accomplice. David Mamet adapted the screenplay from his hard-...