The Leading Man (1998)
Successful playwright Felix Webb has a new play, 'The Hit Man', in rehearsal. Directed by his old friend Humphrey, it is already being hailed as a masterpiece; but Felix can't enjoy his success. He has fallen passionately in love with Hilary, a beautiful, fiesty young actress, and is preparing to desert his perfect family, his wife Elena and three lively children. His intolerable situation is further complicated when Humphrey casts Hilary as one of the leads in 'The Hit Man'. Enter Robin Grange, a charismatic young Hollywood actor making his London theatre debut. Robin is attractive, charming and dangerous, and soon inveigles his way into everyone's life. He ingratiates himself with the cast and, quickly grasping Felix's dilemma, sets about weaving his web of mischief. He suggests that if he were to seduce Elena, she would be distracted from Felix's affair, regain her self respect, and perhaps even willingly part from the unfaithful husband to whom she clings...
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Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!
Best movie of this year hands down!
Redundant and unnecessary.
good film but with many flaws
This was a below-average soap opera about British actors and general low-life people. The worst of them all was the lone American, played by singer Jon Bon Jovi, who did a decent job of acting, playing the part of American movie star "Robin Grange."Lambert Mason playing British playwright "Felix Webb" is the other main guy. He's an adulterer and one who gets caught up with his mistress demanding things. It's the usual story of the younger mistress demanding the older man can his wife and settle down with her. Yawn! How many times have we seen that?It winds up being a soap opera about so-and-so fooling around with people they shouldn't, observers seeing all of this and putting their two cents in, and .......well, I might as well not spoil it for anyone who likes this sort of thing.The main problem with the movie, in my opinion and in a nutshell, was that it was boring and it had too many characters one simply doesn't care about. Add those two negatives up and a you get a "not recommended" film.
I was pleasantly surprised by this movie when I saw it at the cinema years ago. I hadn't expected much, had gone there just to see Jon Bon Jovi's performance in it but it'd be fair to say that the movie gave me more than what I'd bargained for. In the first place, it was not filled with clichés and most of the cast did a real good job through the movie. And, most of all, Robin Grange was so much fun to watch, it was a very smart pick to choose Jon Bon Jovi to play such an irresistible, charming character -if you know what I mean. All in all, the movie was surprisingly good for me and through the years I've seen it at least a dozen times and what I think of it still hasn't changed.
This was a very decent movie on a very indecent topic, right up until the end. Unfortunately, the final plot twists leave you scratching your head and asking yourself, "What's wrong with this picture?" (pardon the pun). Still worth watching, but be warned, it will leave you twisted.
"The Leading Man" is one of those overlooked gems we all like to find. It's sly and sophisticated. It is also reassuring to that, while giant corporations have taken over most independent studios [Miramax, New Line, October, Goldwyn, etc.], the number of independent productions seems to have actually increased over the last two years.