Born to Win

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member I don’t know if I’m easy to please or what, but this film was actually surprisingly good. I can’t believe how much bad luck one guy can have, obviously the acting and music could be better but what do you expect. George Segal plays a down on his luck junkie perfectly in this movie, and even though the general consensus is that this is a bad movie still watch it once. Pleasantly surprised especially since I went into it with very very low expectations. 3.5/5 stars. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/02/24 Full Review delysid d shitty looking movie and an odd story, a movie only for 70s lovers Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/19/21 Full Review Audience Member Has comic moments, but Roger Ebert wrote "a good-bad movie that doesn't always work but has some really brilliant scenes." DeNiro: 2 minutes film time. This Czechslovac director, Ivan Passer, had a weird sense of humor making this film and casting comic actor Segal somehow made it legitimate as a comedy? It has few comic bits and it's NOT a comedy or even a dark comedy as often suggested. No, it's just a drama with some comic relief thrown in. [img]http://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/movie/movie_poster/born-to-win-1972/large_a3ZByaaOxykYXr0OO4WZxUPmmBn.jpg[/img] I like the then star of the film, George Segal (see-gal), a then semi-comedic actor for the most part but did serious dramatic roles as in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? a classic of the era. For me, seeing early DeNiro (for 1 minute total film time) and Karen Black was an extra added attraction. Listen at the 28:21 second point in the film. Segal and his friend run off with a package of heroin and there is dialog spoken as if in a Western movie. Listen closely and you will here a HORSE whinny! No kidding, the sound of a horse as heard in hundreds of westerns! Also at this point Robert DeNiro enters the film as an undercover agent with his police partner. He's only shown for about 2 minutes and near the end of the film! [img]http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSsteXHJ5lJP7LtdRcjcoEL86ZGB_yWChxHi6_RLV-HgUaDWTpXsg[/img] George Segal SEE the entire film here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbgUkq4IDi0 [img]http://www.movieposterdb.com/posters/09_02/1971/66856/l_66856_4c774f8f.jpg[/img] REVIEWS: 40% Drama about the hardships of a junkie whose addiction ruins his chance at having a normal life and has him involved in crime life just to get his fix.... 10% You would think with a cast like George Seagal, Hector Elizando and Robert DeNiro that this movie would be mediocre at best. I must say this is one of... 80% Roger Ebert wrote: [Director]Passer has a nice cynical sense of humor, and [George] Segal is a virtuoso at making his character funny and sad, laughing and laughed at, brave and pathetic. 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[/img] DeNiro appears for approximately 2 minutes of film time Directed by Ivan Passer Produced by Philip Langner Written by David Scott Milton (story) Ivan Passer [img]http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ_FmyhfUQRdO6JcrDtvM1J8aGHz5UcbQYwt9vEWZUStvB2Wdna7g[/img] Karen Black in 1971, now a veteran actress Starring George Segal Paula Prentiss Karen Black Hector Elizondo Jay Fletcher Robert De Niro Ed Madsen Music by William S. Fisher Cinematography Richard C. Kratina Jack Priestley Editing by Ralph Rosenblum December 1, 1971 Running time 88 min [img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e0/Dvd_Born_to_Win.jpg/220px-Dvd_Born_to_Win.jpg[/img] Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member Drama about the hardships of a junkie whose addiction ruins his chance at having a normal life and has him involved in crime life just to get his fix. The screenplay is second rate, and it makes the whole film look weak, particularly in comparison to the better films that were coming out during the same period and that were built around the same subject. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member As great as Segal is with his character, it is Karen Black who steals the show. Her portrayal of Parm feels oddly contemporary--were this a current film we'd be drawing comparisons to Natalie Portman (particularly Garden State-era) and Zooey Deschanel. The love story between her and J (Segal) is alluring to the romantically-inclined viewers. But J's heroin addiction has him in constant danger. And his addiction has him going back for more. For as much delightfully humorous moments make up this movie, there isn't really any romanticization of the drug lifestyle. Perhaps one of the more scarily accurate portrayals of junkie life I've seen. Even when things are looking up and escape is so close you can taste it, the siren call of one more hit resounds... Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member This is really the type of film that lives and dies with it's lead performance. Luckily, George Segal gives a great subtle, yet extravagant performance as a heroin addict Jay Jay. He's really a well developed character whose off-kilter antics and carefree disposition are just so endearing. Actually, I am really surprised that George Segal's performance in this film hasn't received more accolades. Born to Win is a pitch black comedy and the 1970s New York setting is just perfect. The filthy, grime and grain which is associated with many of the films taking place during period in New York is intact and I just love this setting. It's a black comedy that has a lot of great comedic moments from George Segal running around in a laides night gown, to a sequence where he tries to get chummy with a drug dealer by talking about the benefits of vidal sasson. The ending has a rather suprising amount of dramatic weight to it as well. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Born to Win

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