New movie reviews, DVD reviews, interviews, and all things film.

Follow Me

• Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
• Safe House ***
• The Vow **1/2
• The Innkeepers ***1/2
• The Woman in Black ***
• The Grey ***
• Man on a Ledge ***
• Underworld Awakening **
• Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos ***
• Haywire ***
• Beauty and the Beast ****
• Contraband ***
• The Divide *
• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy ****
• The Devil Inside **
• The Iron Lady **
• A Separation ***
• Pariah ***1/2
• Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close ***
• The Darkest Hour **
• More

• Anonymous
• Essential Killing
• Lady and the Tramp
• La Jetée
• Sans Soleil
• Story of a Love Affair
• 3
• A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas
• 2011: The Year's Best DVDs and Blu-Rays
• More

• 2011: The Year's Best Films
• Year's Best DVDs and Blu-Rays
• San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards
• Interview: Steve McQueen and Michael Fassbender
• Interview: Simon Curtis
• Interview: Werner Herzog
• Interview: John Cho
• Interview: Roland Emmerich
• Interview: Stephen Bishop on Moneyball
• Interview: Nick Swardson
• Interview: Lynn Hershman Leeson
• Interview: Lone Scherfig
• Interview: Jesse Eisenberg & Aziz Ansari
• Interview: Wayne Wang
• Interview: Andre Ovredal on 'Trollhunter'
• Interview: Ewan McGregor & Mike Mills
• Interview: Kelly Reichardt (Examiner link)
• The 54th San Francisco International Film Festival - 2011 Coverage
• Interview: Emma Roberts
• Rainn Wilson & James Gunn (Examiner link)
• Interview: Tom McCarthy
• Interview: Abigail Breslin (Examiner link)
• 2010: The Year's Best Films
• 2010: The Year's Best DVDs & Blu-Rays
• Interview: Sofia Coppola
• Interview: George A. Romero
• The Decade's Ten Best Films: 2000-2009
• My Top 100 Films [Updated]
• My Top 60 Directors [Updated]
• Christmas Movies
• Essential Halloween & Horror Movies
• Cult Movies
• Actress Interview Gallery
• More Features and Interviews

• Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas, by Alonso Duralde
• Not Quite a Memoir: Of Films, Books, the World, by Judy Stone
• James Agee: The Library of America Collection, by James Agee
• Just Making Movies, by Ronald L. Davis
• More Books

• Home
• Reviews A-C
• Reviews D-F
• Reviews G-J
• Reviews K-M
• Reviews N-Q
• Reviews R-T
• Reviews U-Z

The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

SEARCH MOVIES / CELEB

Swingers (1996)

Rating: 3 Stars (out of 4)

Vegas, Baby

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Director Doug Liman, actor/writer Jon Favreau and actors Vince Vaughn and Ron Livingston all made their breakthroughs with this amiable indie comedy, filled with catchy slang ("that's so money!"). It's all about trying to make it big. Wannabe comedian Mike (Favreau) has been dumped and fast-talking Trent (Vaughn) and his other buddies try to cheer him up. They eventually head to Vegas for a big blowout. The arc is nothing new, but the writing and pacing make it fresh and energetic, at least enough for it to have became a cult classic.

In 2011, Lionsgate, which acquired Blu-Ray rights for some of the Miramax library, released a very good Blu-Ray edition of this cult classic. (It's, you know, totally "money.") Extras include an audio commentary track with director Doug Liman and editor Stephen Mirrione, a commentary with writer/actor Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn, "Making it Hollywood" documentary series, a short film, Swingblade, deleted footage taken from raw dailies, and a trailer.

Buy Blu-Ray | Buy DVD

iTunes Download

Starring: Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, Ron Livingston, Patrick Van Horn, Alex Desert, Heather Graham, Deena Martin, Katherine Kendall, Brooke Langton, Rio Hackford
Written by: Jon Favreau
Directed by: Doug Liman
MPAA Rating: R for language throughout
Running Time: 96 minutes
Date: January 10, 2003