The Player
Directed by Robert Altman
- mystery
- drama
- thriller
The story
A Hollywood studio executive is being sent death threats by a writer whose script he rejected - but which one?
What it’s like
Sleek, sun-glazed Los Angeles rendered in long, fluid takes that glide through studio lots, restaurant patios and cocktail parties, with Altman's signature overlapping dialogue and a roving camera that keeps finding new faces in the background. The palette is bright and glossy: white stucco, pale blue sky, flat afternoon sun, the cool gleam of executive offices, and the occasional shock of a dim screening room or a dusky night drive. Cameos crowd the frame, and the score is a light, jazzy hum that slips in and out like elevator music at a studio party. The vibe is sardonic and buzzy, with a slick, cynical edge that tips into dread as the menace builds. Pacing is loose and conversational, with scenes that wander before snapping into tension. Violence is brief and sudden, including a murder and a few tense confrontations, but it stays unsentimental rather than gory. Its protagonist, a smooth and morally slippery executive, slowly unravels under pressure, and the satire keeps him at a comfortable distance from the audience. It suits a sharp-witted night in, or anyone who enjoys satire about the film business and the people who run it.
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