Product Description

No Description Available.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: PG
Release Date: 6-JAN-2004
Media Type: DVD

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #46353 in DVD
• Brand: WEAVER,SIGOURNEY
• Released on: 2003-09-09
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds
• Running time: 85 minutes

Amazon.com
The premise of The Guys is simple: A fire captain (Anthony LaPaglia), who lost eight firemen in the fall of the World Trade Center, asks a journalist (Sigourney Weaver) to help him compose eulogies for these men. It's only a week after the attack; their bodies haven't yet been found, but the families are holding services. The writer cajoles the sometimes inarticulate and plain-spoken captain into talking about the men--who range from the captain's best friend to a newcomer he'd only know a few weeks--until she's gleaned enough to piece together a tribute. Originally a play by Anne Nelson, the movie captures much of the texture of New York through montages woven into the storyline; but the piece lives or dies by the performances, and both Weaver and LaPaglia give subdued and unfancy but carefully wrought performances that make the most of this potent material. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews

Unusual movie, powerful reminder of 9/11
*****
This movie is, on the surface, a simple story about a fire captain who is assisted by a writer in composing eulogies for the men he lost in 9/11. However, it is much more than this. As the writer tells her story (how she worked with the captain), she explores the many complex ramifications of 9/11 on New York City, and indeed, upon all of us. Moreover, as the captain and the writer work together, you come to see the firefighters individually, and to appreciate their daily service and sacrifice.

It is a moving and powerful movie. It is somewhat painful, but in a good way, as we all need to be reminded of 9/11, to never forget. There are no graphic scenes or heavily disturbing visual scenes. I cried at several parts through it. It deeply affected me, and I will not forget it, as I do many movies, once their story has been told. I don't think I'll ever look at firefighters the same way, either. Although it is a movie about one moment in America's history, it is a movie about all of life, too, and a good exploration of grief and existential things (without being preachy or intellectual at all).

The acting was great, music great, and it was put together in an unusual way--9/11 through the eyes of two people writing eulogies--who would think of this? But it works, and it works well.

This is a movie to own. If the idea of the movie interested you enough to even read this review, I would highly recommend getting it.
****

A Powerful And Moving Eulogy For The Guys!
On September 11, 2001, 343, (three hundred forty-three), of New York City's Bravest were killed while doing their job, rescuing people at the World Trade Center. The tragedy of September 11, and the loss of these courageous men and women, as well as the deaths of thousands of innocent human beings, haunts the people of New York to this day. "The Guys" is a most powerful and fitting eulogy to those who sacrificed their lives so that others could live.

A fire captain, (Anthony LaPaglia), of a ladder company located in lower Manhattan, lost eight of his men when the Twin Towers collapsed. Six other men in his firehouse, part of the engine company, also died that day. He is experiencing tremendous grief, and is obviously still in shock, when he approaches a journalist, (Sigourney Weaver), to ask her for help in composing eulogies for "his guys." He says, "The call came. The guys went out. They haven't found them yet. The families want a service. What am I going to tell them?" The journalist, living with her own grief, sadness and depression, has felt helpless, useless when confronting the terrible events that have so impacted her city, the nation and the world. At last, by helping this grieving, inarticulate man to compose the eulogies for his men and their families, she can do something to help.

The writer coaxes information about each lost firefighter from the captain, piecing together anecdote and tidbit until portraits emerge that give life to each individual. The result is a thoughtful and powerful tribute that makes men who became heroes into human beings again - recognizable to friends, family and co-workers.

The screenplay is superb, as is the acting of Weaver and LaPaglia. He is steeped in sorrow and loss, but emerges from his shell occasionally to relate stories about the guys. Ms. Weaver, appears to be walking a fine line between giving in to her feelings and trying to be objective, to empathize with LaPaglia in order to glean as much information as she can.

This film has been produced in a very tasteful manner. There are no shots of fire and destruction. The catastrophe is portrayed in a very poignant manner, by sheets of paper from the WTC flying along the street, near the firehouse. The music is exquisite and appropriate. As a New Yorker, I feel better having seen the film, and for this powerful reminder of The Guys.
JANA

Excellent, Moving, Powerful
I was fortunate enough to see this movie when it was released in April at Lincoln Center in NYC and a second time in a smaller theather in Westchester, and was even more priveledged to have Jim Simpson, Anne Nelson & Sigourney Weaver at the screening to answer questions. That night after I saw it, I immediately e-mailed everyone I knew and told them they "MUST SEE" this film!!!

This is an extremely moving story, articulating the thoughts and emotions of most New Yorkers who endured the tragedy in our own city. Beautifully written, acted and directed. People out of the NY area might not appreciate it as much as the rest of us, but nonetheless, extremely powerful and touching.

P.S. - There are no scenes of the towers for those who are hesitant to see it.