Search - The Minus Man on DVD

The Minus Man is a spectacular film!

Christelle N. | LA, CA | 02/18/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This film lived up to all of my expectations. I'd seen the ad campaign and heard reviews from friends saying it was an intense film, and after watching it, I had to agree! I thought it was a terrific adaptation from the book, and I was as much disturbed as I was pleased. I love to have my ideas of normalcy challenged! Owen Wilson played the part really well- toned down and kind on the outside... Garofalo played a smitten, sensitive woman for the first time I've seen, and was perfect in her role! All the acting in this movie is great, but I was most surprised by Sheryl Crow's performance. She was totally in character and a lot of fun to watch.I had to own this movie- I found that it translated great on DVD in widescreen."

Minus Man

Danny W. Shelby II | Atlanta, GA | 04/23/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The movie follows a serial killer, Vann (Owen Wilson) , into a small town to start a new life. Before he gets there he meets "Laurie" (Sheryl Crow), a dead beat drug user. When Vann arrives in the small town, some locals begin to disappear. No one really knows who or what is doing it. Vann has a job as a postman and becomes friends with Janeane Garofalo's character and the story unfolds from there. Janeane Garofalo has been in some not-so-great movies as of late, but this was one that was sadly over looked. Sheryl Crow's first acting roll is a must see. She pulls it off well. This is the first time I've seen Owen Wilson, and now I think I'll go look him up on Amazon to see what else he is in. All three actor's performances are wonderful and the movie is told in a not-so-traditional manner, making for a great film. DVD extras include: Serial Killer biographies, Theatrical and video trailers, production notes, cast & creww information, and more."

The Void is Between the Ears

Bruce Kendall | Southern Pines, NC | 06/25/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Vann Seigert (Owen Wilson) has a little joke he shares with his friends: "I was lying in the grass one time and this spider came along and crawled in my ear. It came out again and you know what it said?" "What" "Nobody home." (big smile) That lame joke sums up Wilson's character: banal, empty, a cipher, a void, a nil, a negative number, "a minus man." So what is it about this character, who is in every scene in the movie, that makes him so intriguingly watchable? It is the creepy acknowledgment that it is just such a nondescript, seemingly harmless, even likeable person who can contain such a world of evil within. "Don't judge a book by its cover." "Still waters run deep." The movie also investigates the theme of "the banality of evil," a topic that gained credence after the Nuremburg trials. Seemingly average people, with relatively benign upbringing and background, who are nevertheless capable of the most inhumane acts and who go about performing their atrocities in the most calm and matter-of-fact manner. Van Siegert is indeed the Angel of Death. His acts are more often than not entirely random. There is no prerequisite as far as the selection precess goes. If you happen to cross his path at a particular matrix in time, you will be amongst the chosen. Captain of the football team, heroin addict, a complete stranger in a diner. It could be you. Owen Wilson, with his boyish, broken nosed surfer looks and his goofy smile, is the perfect vehicle for this unforgettable character. The rest of the cast is splendid, but Brian Cox (the Albert Finney look-alike) is particularly adroit at pulling off a bravura turn as the manic-depressive head of the Durwin household that welcomes Siegert into their fold. This Emmy-winning actor should have been up for an Oscar for his work in this film. One of the really intriguing things about this movie is the fact that, according to the IMDB, it marks the directorial debut of Hampton Fancher, previously best known as the script writer for Blade Runner. The guy has obviously been around a while and knows how to set up a scene and how to get great performances out of a cast. A most impressive debut, indeed. For an offbeat, but highly rewarding viewing experience, give The Minus Man a go. BEK"

Sociopath on the loose

C. J. Hormann | Wellington, New Zealand | 07/29/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I must say that I had no idea what this movie would be like but found myself pleasantly surprised by both the story and the central perfomances.A young drifter by the name of Vann Siegert wanders into a small coastal town and slowly people in the town begin to disappear - it's no plot spoiler to say that Vann is the man causing these disappearances - we do see the movie through his eyes. He possesses a disarming charm and kindness that people feel they can trust him, most notably his landlord Doug followed by his wife Jane and his co-worker at the Post Office, Ferrin. Slowly things begin to change and tension builds as Vann ensures that his cover is not blown.While this probably doesn't sound too different from your average serial killer yarn, it is made more believable by spot on performances. Owen Wilson is a revelation as the drifter Vann, with the charm of a Tom Ripley, his drawling voice and easy smile, not once suggesting a killer behind it. Brian Cox and Mercedes Ruehl are both excellent as Vann's landlords, with Ruehl just topping Cox with a lovely understated performance not overshadowed by Cox's occasional histrionics. Finally, rounding out the main cast is Janene Garofolo, as Ferrin, and she nails her role as the co-worker who hopes for romance perfectly.The distraction of Vann's hallucinations don't work that well but this is a minor discrepancy in an otherwise excellent film. With his work on this movie and scene-stealing turns in such movies as the otherwise awful "The Haunting", and "Meet the Parents", Wilson certainly shows he is capable of much more."