*WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING*
*WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING*
- Synopsis . . .
- General Credits . . .
- About The Cast . . .
- About The Filmmakers . . .
- Bios . . .
- Request Movie Info . . .
- The Real Life of a Diamond man . . .
- Diamond Men Still Shots . . .
- HOME
Available on VHS and DVD!
What The Critics Are Saying...
- Leonard
Maltin, Entertainment Tonight - "This year, Maltin has
championed two films: 'Songcatcher' and 'Diamond Men.' … " -
- EBERT
& ROEPER - "Two BIG thumbs up. A treasure." Roger
Ebert: 'A real discovery-funny, touching, sexy, and deviously
surprising….a treasure.' Richard Roeper: 'A fantastic film..with a good
cast, good writing, and assured direction. It's got everything you want
in a movie… treasure.'" -
- Andrew
Sarris - New York Observer - "Daniel M. Cohen's Diamond
Men, from his own screenplay, functions as a charmingly observant comedy
of mercantile manners until a wild plot twist places it in the ranks of
the great screwball caper movies….Diamond Men is a gem of a movie." -
- Stephen
Hunter - The Washington Post - "Gets the fall off to a
great start. Genuine, amusing and best of all, humanly scaled and
humanely oriented. Fundamentally, "Diamond Men" asks but one question:
Is Eddie Miller Willy Loman or is he Professor Harold Hill, who knows
the territory? The answer is worth finding out." -
- Carrie
Rickey - Philadelphia Inquirer - "Diamond Men, a charming
comedy from rookie director Daniel M. Cohen, is a witty, winning
inversion of the famous Arthur Miller play. This time, it's Life of a
Salesman, this story that begins with a heart attack and ends with a
spiritual resurrection. Much of the pleasure of Diamond Men is that of
watching a pro at the top of his game. It's about professionalism,
commitment and mutual respect, and whether these have any value in
centralized, corporate centers far from small-town Main Streets. I was
surprised at how much it moved me." -
- Joseph
Morgenstern - Wall Street Journal - "Diamond Men is
extraordinary on several counts: it's knowledge of an arcane trade (Mr.
Cohen ran his family's diamond business after his father dieid); its
fondness for telling good life stories; and, Mr. Foster doesn't flinch
from making Eddie forlorn, but his diamond man is brave and touching
too." -
- Desson
Howe - The Washington Post - "'Diamond Men' Sparkles….A
great little film, dignified by a superb performance. ANY DOUBTS that we
improve with age are put to rest by Robert Forster in 'Diamond Men.'
After watching his subtle, touching performance in this movie, you'll
think that being over 50 is just about the coolest thing in the world.
Cohen, who wrote, directed and produced this 2000 movie, creates great
texture - born of firsthand experience. Three generations of the Cohen
family were diamond salesmen. He grew up with this stuff. And in this
movie, it shows nicely." -
- Prairie
Miller - Soundtrack Web Radio - "'Diamond Men' succeeds in
being tender and touching without sacrificing a bit of its bold humor."
-
- Harvey
Karten - Compuserve - "'Diamond Men' is a clever, humorous,
sardonic and exquisitely acted indie about contemporary life in America.
'Diamond Men' is a rejoinder to the groaners who complain that there's
just nothing out there in the movie theaters any more: The first four
star movie of the year." -
- Gary
Thompson - Philadelphia Daily News - "You think you know
this story - expendable, pathetic, obsolete, discarded salesman at the
end of his rope - but you don't. 'Diamond Men' develops smoothly into a
laid-back comedy, full of low-key laughs, cops and robbers, and hookers
with hearts of gold. 'Diamond Men' is Willy Loman reimagined, told with
an affectionate appreciation of the craft of the salesman, and the
genius of the diamond man who knows both the retail and emotional value
of his product. This is an actors' picture, with reappearing fugitives
like Armstrong adding unexpected grace, Wahlberg showing that he can
fill out a larger part, and everybody staying out of the way of
Forster." -
- Stephen
Holden - New York Times - "A finely acted slice of American
life… a touching meditation on youth and age and male desire. Mr.
Wahlberg, in his first major movie role, reveals himself to be a
charismatic screen natural much like his younger brother Mark." -
- Jay
Carr - Boston Globe - "'Diamond' an unusual gem of a buddy
movie. 'Diamond Men' is the kind of keenly observed, artfully crafted,
warmly humane movie that keeps us going through the weekly helping of
big-screen duds. It's intimately scaled and informed by the experience
of Cohen's father and grandfather in the jewelry business, away from
bustling city centers. The first pleasant surprise is how effortlessly
Cohen specifies the world inhabited by the film. The second lies in the
way he convinces us, or, rather, makes us want to believe, that the two
men can change each other's lives as they do. Cohen isn't one to cop out
with sitcom generational sparring. 'Diamond Men' is a sparkly film
that's easy to love." -
- Stanley
Kaufmann - The New Republic - "Cohen, who has been in the
diamond business, has directed with a sure, non-wasteful hand and with
touching empathy for both men. Donnie Wahlberg, older brother of Mark,
gives Bobby bounce and makes him a believable knockout with young women
along the way. Robert Forster's performance is even more of a pleasure.
Here he gets what is probably the role of his career, and he succeeds
completely by not treating it that way. Reticent, contained, aware of
the shabbiness of life and the need for pride because of it, Forster's
diamond salesman is a gem." -
- Jack
Garner - Democrat and Chronicle - "Veteran actor Robert
Forster is taking a circuitous route to greatness, but he's getting
there just the same. Even without Forster, Diamond Men would have had an
agreeable charm as the director captures the details of a salesman's
life on the road, thanks partly to his memories of his diamond-selling
father. But Forster's rich, realistic, heartfelt portrayal elevates
Diamond Men even further. He gives this tale of getting old on the job a
humanity and a depth of feeling that brings to mind nothing less than
the classic Death of a Salesman. No mean feat, that. " -
- KENNETH
TURAN, Times Film Critic - "MOVIE REVIEW - 'Recommended'
Forster Wears This 'Diamond' Well A small tale about gem salesmen gets a
big boost from the actor, who quietly adds depth.
By KENNETH TURAN, Times Film Critic 'Diamond Men' is an easygoing venture of the feel-good variety. What sets it apart is something even larger pictures often lack: an excellent performance by its star.
Watching "Diamond Men," it's easy to see what the fuss about Forster is about. The actor has a gift for simply existing on the screen, for bringing an almost casual but unmistakable depth and dignity to roles.
(“Diamond Men”) never gives up on believing in its people, and they come through for it in the end." -