Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Aiden Melton The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Bumpy Chip It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Desertman84 A powerful behind-the-scenes man in politics and show business finds himself skidding into a very public scandal in this taut drama entitled,People I Know.It stars Al Pacino,Kim Basinger,Ryan O'Neal and Téa Leoni.The movie was directed by Daniel Algrant.Eli Wurman was raised in the deep South, attended Harvard Law School, and has devoted his spare time to progressive political causes since working alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960's. However, Wurman now makes his living as a press agent and PR man, and while he's near the top of his profession, years of overwork, constant smoking and drinking, and ceaseless tension are taking their toll, leaving him on the verge of collapse, with only the prescriptions of his friend Dr. Napier keeping him on his feet. One of Wurman's biggest clients is Cary Launer, a fading film star with political aspirations who, after attending a disastrous Broadway opening, asks Wurman to do him a big favor which is to bail Launer's girlfriend, Jilli out of jail and keep an eye on her. Wurman manages to get Jilli out of the stir, but she insists upon being escorted to an exclusive sex and opium den for a night of heavy drinking and drugging, and then reveals to Wurman that she owns a device which she's used to record footage of the most public figures who attend the club, including Elliott Sharansky, a billionaire Jewish civic leader. That night, a half out-of-it Eli accompanies Jilli back to her hotel room when an intruder barges in and forces an overdose on her, killing her instantly. The next morning, Wurman has only fuzzy memories of what transpired. He decides to focus on his attempts to set up a political fund raiser, but has a hard time getting the right A-list celebrities to appear, just as many of New York's power brokers aren't especially interesting in working with Wurman or Launer. In the midst of this chaos, Victoria, who was married to Wurman's late brother, arrives in New York and urges him to leave the city and his career behind while he still can.There are juicy possibilities in Jon Robin Baitz's script, and with a topnotch director and a little more better elements that they might have blossomed. As it is, despite a couple of nifty gotchas, the movie never quite gets into full stride. Tea Leoni shines as an addicted actress with a flinty vocabulary, but Kim Basinger is less lucky with her plot- device role. Pacino looks as though he's about to draw his last breath in every shot, which is precisely how he should look.With an unforgettable performance this is one of Pacino's best as you won't want to miss a minute of this gripping motion picture despite being deeply flawed thriller due to excess of plot points that fail to coalesce.

George Wright At the start, the movie seemed like a washout but as it moved to its climax, it became more and more gripping. Al Pacino is an actor par excellence. In this show, he is a man on a mission to bring all the old hack liberals together in an event to support a cause for people who would otherwise be ignored. He calls in debts from all the name celebrities and politicians he knows in New York. It is a challenge that requires him to appeal to their own self-interest.His health has taken a heavy toll over the years since his glory days in Selma. He is still trying to live up to the promise he once showed. As he says more than once: I finished fourth in my graduating class. Despite himself, he outshines them all in his integrity. Watch this movie, not for the story, but to see a first-rate actor at work.

Snoopymichele CONTAINS SPOILERS BELOW As a long time Al Pacino fan, I decided to rent this film because the DVD box made it seem like an interesting watch. Too bad it didn't live up to the promise the description on the box gave. On paper, it seems like a great idea for a movie-an Ivy League Southern Boy out of his element amongst the gliterati of the who's who in New York Society. Pacino is outstanding as Eli, a once-idealistic Harvard Law School grad who chooses to spend his time "cleaning up messes" for his famous client (he's a publicist). Too bad his own life is a mess. He's a bachelor who may or may not like women (it was a bit ambiguous at times), a pill popping bundle of nerves, and is plagued with a health problem that takes the viewer on a journey inside his bladder (was this an excuse for the screenwriter to get Al to utter a line about his male anatomy?). From the get-go, you know the character is not long for this world-and it makes you wonder if he's going to go by natural causes or open up his big mouth and invite someone to murder him. As an actor, Pacino is never afraid to take chances, and his work here is excellent as usual.The supporting cast of Tea Leoni (who steals the movie as a hedonistic TV actress/model), Ryan O'Neal (it was good to see him on screen again, but it was a shame that he wasn't on more) Kim Basinger (as a Southern Bell hot to trot for Eli) and Robert Kline (who knew he could play a menacing character?) was terrific.The basic premise was interesting, but the story gets caught up in political self-righteousness and loses focus. By the time it ends predictably, you find yourself not caring about what happens to Eli.Overall, it's not a wasted hour and a half, but it's not one of Al's best films overall. True Pacino fans will want to see it for Al's trademark tirades, and there is one in there that is a doozy. I give People I Know a 6 out of 10.

Dylan Cross The only good thing about "People I Know" is that it serves as a perfect example of movies that Al Pacino should avoid performing in. The first big turn-off I had was the way in which Pacino tried to portray a Georgia accent; at times it was weak and unattractive while in other segments it seemed too overdone. Dialogue and character interaction was terrible along with a weak plot. The supporting cast did an extremely perfunctory job in keeping the movie interesting, and within an hour I still saw no signs of a sturdy plot. The story overall is a real bore, and I had to slap myself in the face a few times to keep myself awake.This movie will surely bore you as well...avoid at all costs.