Swimming with Sharks – Review

Swimming With Sharks

with Kevin Spacey, Frank Whaley, Benicio Del Toro
Written and directed by George Haung
by Mark Phinney

Right under The Usual Suspects at No. 1, Swimming With Sharks lands a very intense No. 2 spot. Sharing two of the lead roles between them are Kevin Spacey and Benicio Del Toro. The second best film of 1995 is a lesson to heed. Billed as a comedy, this account of Hollywood assistant turned sadist, Guy (Frank Whaley), is anything but…

The fast track to the top in Hollywood is lined with poison, and you could easily lose your head climbing up that ladder. Guy, fresh from the farm, lands a year-long internship as the assistant to Buddy Ackerman (brilliantly played by Kevin Spacey). Ackerman is a relentless, victimizing asshole, torturing and belittling Guy at every turn. Guy eventually has enough and takes revenge. This is when it gets rough. I don’t want to give anything away, but this is one of the most intense slaps in the face you’ll get in a long time. Remember, there are two sides to every story.