CADILLAC MAN starts out as a portrait of those smooth-talking, high pressure car salesmen who live to make a deal. Joey O'Brien (Robin Williams) is in a tight spot. Not only is he in debt to the mob, but his various girl friends are pressuring him for a commitment, and his ex-wife
berates him for not paying attention to their missing daughter. What's more, Joey's job is on the line; he must sell a dozen cars during Turgeon Motors' big sale, or he'll be let go. During the sale, while Joey is trying to placate several disgruntled customers, Larry (Tim Robbins) bursts through
the glass wall of the dealership on his motorcycle. But Larry is not your average psycho: once he breaks in and the police surround the place, Larry is not sure what he wants. While he's deciding what to do next, Larry holds the dealership's employees and customers hostage.
Like Larry, CADILLAC MAN doesn't know quite what it wants to do. At first the film seems to be a low-key comedy about a small-time hustler, then it becomes a kind of DOG DAY AFTERNOON-style melodrama. Ultimately it is an uneasy mix of the two. Nevertheless, the film does have several things going
for it. To begin with, there are the spirited performances by Williams and Robbins, although these roles are hardly a stretch for either actor. CADILLAC MAN also has some unusual touches and crazy characters that raise it a cut above typical frenzied comedies. There's Lori Petty as Lila, Joey's
designer girl friend, who wears outrageous Cyndi Lauper-type outfits and uses Joey's captivity as a publicity opportunity; and Fran Drescher is perfect as Joey's married lover, an archetypal Queens housewife, complete with nasal voice and an obnoxious, snapping Pomeranian dog. Lauren Tom is also
funny as a deadpan, wisecracking waitress in a Chinese restaurant. leave a comment
