Interesting, if not altogether captivating slice o' night and consequences of one Edmond Burke; a man who is driven to the edge, and all areas after, following his decision to essentially walk away from everything due to feeling unfulfilled in life. Working from this always relate-able premise, Mamet crafts a more intelligent, more realistic version of last decade's controversial but safe Falling Down, and in turn offers some of the year's best societal release. Problems arise however when the actions slow down and the talking speeds up, where monologues and even back and forth dialogs seem to be coming from the writer's mouth instead of the characters. This all goes south in the second half, where Macy's sermonizing kills some of the script's authenticity and integrity, due to the long-winded, self righteous, and ultimately distracting and uninvolved nature of his lines. For a film that approaches a gritty New York night with style and ease, with a scriptwriter as esteemed and knowledgeable as David Mamet, it was a shame to see some of the later scenes become a pulpit for Mr. Mamet to talk through instead of more subtle suggestion, but it is still far from making this movie avoidable. With some of William H Macy's most powerful work, Edmond is still a triumph of a character based thriller, leaving me satisfied with it's profound conclusion.

Edmond looks like a man that is not in touch with reality, when one first meet him. He is leaving the office and is told an appointment has been rescheduled for 1.15pm and it's handed a piece of paper with those numbers. The next thing he knows is he is standing in front of a fortune teller shop that has the same number on the door. As the cards are read, it appears Edmond is doomed. Those digits will prove fateful when he sees again that number 115.

Edmond Bruke is a man that has not dealt with reality for quite some time. After leaving his wife, he tries to assert himself with dismal results. He has no clue of what's going on in the seamy world of sex clubs. His reaction toward the price of drinks at the Allegro club, that was recommended to him by a man he has met before, shows an individual that has no clue as to what is going on. Edmond will try to bargain the price with other people he encounter, something strange from a man that one assumes has been a law abiding citizen all his life.

It's hard to realize that Edmond will be naive enough not to think the three card Monte players are just plain hoodlums, as they blatantly cheat him, then proceed to rob him and beat him. Edmond keeps going in his pursuit of getting sex in the wrong places, with the wrong people. His encounter with a hustler makes him snap out of his old self and assume a new, more aggressive personality. This proves fatal during his encounter with the sweet Glenna, a waitress who should have known better than to have anything to do with this loose cannon.

At the end, Edmond is caught in the same web he spun around him; he is reduced to being a victim once again because his black partner will make him rethink all his prejudices when he is rendered helpless against a formidable foe. Since no one will listen to him, he joins the list of the people he resented before. His ranting and raving about who he hated before is made useless by what he has to endure at the end.

Stuart Gordon, the director of "Edmond", has done an amazing job in bringing David Mamet's play to the screen. It's typical Mamet dialog, terse and to the point. The only thing about the main character is disbelief in the transformation this sad man undergoes right before our eyes. Edmond appears to be a victim of the same society in which he lived before oblivious to people other than himself and his circumstances. That comes into question as he decides to try his luck among people that are completely opposite of what he is. Edmond, in the end, has to pay for his own mistakes in ways that abase him and his manhood.

The obvious reason for watching this film is to catch a magnificent actor in action. William H. Macy has been associated with David Mamet for many years and it shows he is the man to translate that language for us. There is no false movements in his amazing performance. One cannot think another actor who could have done better justice to Edmond Burke the way Mr. Macy has. The other actor that comes close to perfection is Joe Mantegna, whose brief appearance in a pivotal role enhances the film. Both Mr. Mantegna and Mr. Macy are worth the admission price to the film. Bookem Woodbine, Julia Stiles, Debi Mazar, and the others in the cast do what they can, but they're overshadowed in their scenes with Mr. Macy.

The great jazzy musical score by Bobby Johnston plays well within the context of the film. Denis Maloney's inspired cinematography shows the streets of Los Angeles, that are supposed to be seen as Manhattan's shabby side, in all its tacky seediness. Stuart Gordon shows great affinity to the work of David Mamet as shown in the finished product.