The sale was high on this one, It bought me. Good chemistry from both Dustin & John with a great performance from both.

Huh? I went into this movie expecting something else…

The Death of a Salesman (1985) is a difficult film to sit with, and not always in the way it intends. John Malkovich delivers a strong performance, capturing Biff’s frustration, sadness, and confusion with real presence. He’s easily the highlight of the film. But overall, the movie is simply uncomfortable. The tone is unrelentingly bleak, and while the story itself is meant to confront disillusionment and the collapse of the American Dream, the film’s execution lacks any real relief or balance. It ends up feeling like a far more depressing, and frankly harsher, version of It’s a Wonderful Life—except here the hope never arrives, and the emotional descent doesn’t feel illuminating so much as draining. The performances outside of Malkovich range from flat to overly theatrical, which makes many scenes feel forced rather than human. The film captures despair, yes, but doesn’t give the audience enough to care before it brings them there. There is value in the material, and there are moments where the tragedy hits. But as a film experience, it left me more exhausted than moved. 5/10.

I started crying like 15 minutes in and didn't stop.

Dustin hoffman always delivers the role