Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

MamaGravity good back-story, and good acting

Numerootno A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

Jenni Devyn Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

carbuff I saw this a long time ago and remembered liking it OK, but I'm definitely liking it better now than when I originally saw it. This is probably because it actually has a plot, unlike the majority of modern American movies which are simply built around special effects and cartoonish action. It is frequently downright hilarious and brings back memories of the 1980s, which seems like a painfully innocent time compared to today. It is also quite politically incorrect at points, something that' harder to get away with nowadays, even if it rings totally true. It would be a straight up 10-star flick if it weren't for the awful casting. Every major star (although they weren't major stars when this was filmed), while not completely terrible, just feels wrong for their roles; however, the strength of the script rescues the film, and, like fine wine, it only gets better with age. So ignore the mediocre acting performances, and just enjoy a really fun (and for many of us, nostalgic) motion picture experience.

betty dalton The mistress of Tom Hanks does a hit and run and Hanks becomes the fall guy, when he wasnt even driving the car. Smack in the middle of upcoming elections, politicians and media are feeding on this hit and run story because Tom Hanks' character is a rich WASP (White Anglo Saxon Protestant). The ideal man to prey on for publicity. Will Tom Hanks get convicted of a crime he didnt commit?"Bonfire of the Vanities" is an hilariously funny parody. The characters are larger than life. Their flaws are blown up beyond proportions, but for effective comical reasons. Everything from editing to soundtrack to supporting actors (Morgan Freeman, Bruce Willis) is just topnotch! In the end I think this is truly one of De Palma's masterpieces, but because it is an hilarious comedy it will never be regarded as one. That's the eternal curse ALL comedies have to bear. I dont mind, I just can't stop laughing everytime I see it. Must have seen it dozens of times and I still can't get enough of the disastrous but hilarious situations people can get themselves into because of their vanities...Nice Story. Great Acting. Hilariously funny. Endnote: camerawork by legendary Vilmos Zsigmond, who shot the longest one take scene in history in the opening sequence of this movie. Just as a puzzlegame please try and count how many minutes in a row, the camera films Bruce Willis WITHOUT ANY cut. (Check Imdb Trivia for the answer). I just wanted to point out with this technical example that "Bonfire of the Vanities" is truly an artistic gem, which is higly underrated because of critics who compare this great comedy with a novel they adore. Never compare movies to books. This movie has stood the test of time. It has gained great popularity after its release in Europe. And I truly believe it is Brian de Palma's comedy masterpiece!

Burnley Vest Thanks to this film, I have now resolved to avoid film adaptations whenever possible. I saw the film on release and walked out of the theatre. Tom Hanks is passable. Melanie Griffith's awful Southern accent is distracting. Bruce Willis is horribly miscast as a wry British journalist. We should be thankful that he doesn't attempt a British accent, but without the outsider status and the subtlety that such a role demands, Willis falls flat. DePalma takes the novel's wry winks and turns them into desperate leers. It's like Steve Martin in character as The Jerk is sitting next to me in the theatre with a laser pointer saying say "LOOK! HOW FUNNY!!!".If I could bring myself to watch the film again, I could go on and on pointing out particular moments that irked me into walking out on this film (something I very rarely do). Fat chance.I realize that many folks out there will have never read Wolfe's excellent book, and if you haven't, this film might work as passable farce. If you HAVE read the book, you will very likely hate this film.

Sean Lamberger Self-absorbed, ridiculously carried-away trash that thinks it's way more edgy and pertinent than it actually is. An adaptation of a popular novel, it's clearly the victim of a studio mandate to swing hard, if not particularly accurately. It's loaded with starpower, with Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith and Morgan Freeman sharing the spotlight, but none can help their sailing astronomically over the top with the material. Each character is more selfish and despicable than the last, even Freeman's grandstanding judge and Hanks's over-his-head bond trader on trial as political fodder. Lofty hunks of social commentary are swung around with all the subtlety of a war hammer, belaboring the point until we all lay bruised, bloodied and beaten on the floor. Potentially-pointed stereotypes get played like aces, but fail to register as more than a long series of cartoon characters with a big vocabulary. It's confused, sneering and wretched; no surprise it could only attract flies at the box office.