Things Change

Synopsis: Gino, an Italian-American shoe-shiner with a remarkable similarity to a certain mafia don, is paid to take the rap for a murder. Jerry, a two-bit gangster on probation, is given a chance for redemption by guarding Gino for the weekend. But instead of sitting around a dingy hotel room, Jerry decides to give Gino a weekend to remember, taking him to Lake Tahoe. Jerry's bragging to his friends of his important charge, as well as Gino's dignified, quiet demeanor, soon result in much complication for them both.
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Director(s): David Mamet
Production: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
  2 wins & 2 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.0
Metacritic:
71
Rotten Tomatoes:
83%
PG
Year:
1988
100 min
375 Views


1

May I help you?

A friend of ours would like

to speak to you this evening.

I just-a shine shoes.

There'll be shoes there.

People like that.

You know who I mean.

Two weeks ago, a man named

Aaronberg was shot to death

at the corner of Racine and Belden.

This is public knowledge.

Two people saw the crime,

and this was also in the papers.

This is public knowledge.

What I am going to tell you now

is not public knowledge.

Do you understand?

Good.

The act was committed

by a person unknown.

A man in a gray overcoat.

Unfortunately, a friend of ours

has been mistakenly identified

as the man who did the murder.

Show him the picture.

This is the man who

has been mistakenly accused.

Do you understand?

To prevent a grave injustice

from being done,

to protect an innocent man,

someone must confess to the crime.

Someone who looks like...

This person would plead guilty to murder,

and would unfortunately spend a term

of three to five years in prison.

To such a person

we are prepared to pay...

this amount of money per year,

for each year he spent in prison.

You could say you were in prison now.

You must have a dream.

Do you have a dream?

What is that dream?

A boat.

A boat?

A fishing boat.

Your dream is a fishing boat.

In Sicily.

In three years, you could have

that fishing boat.

You could earn yourself that boat.

If you stay in your shoe store,

what will you have in three years?

What do you have in three years?

What do you have now?

Will you do it for me?

No?

You've just made a grave mistake.

All right.

Shine 'em "uppa," Joe.

Get me Marty in Detroit.

Tell him I want to see him

as soon as possible.

And get me what's-his-name downtown.

Yes, sir.

Watch out for the socks.

These are cashmere socks.

Yes, dear.

Mr. Silver,

get me downtown...

and tell 'em I need a guy

for that project

which we were discussing.

- He'll know what I mean.

- Yes, sir.

Come on, boy.

We wanna get you back

to your shoe shine stand.

This is Mr. Silver in Chicago.

That's right.

No, I have the number on his boat,

but I'm informed I can find him here.

I'll hold.

- A man comes into my house.

- What does he want?

I tell him, "Whatever you want."

A fellow's dying.

Fifty bucks a week.

Says, "Buy me a boat."

Fine. I'll buy him

a pushcart.

I'll buy him an organ with a monkey,

and he can put a bandana on his head.

Son of a b*tch immigrant

said he wanted a boat.

I'll give him a boat.

I do it!

Just a minute.

It won't be necessary.

Thank you.

This is a Sicilian coin.

The Sicilian people say,

SILVER:
Mr. Green?

"A big man..." Excuse me.

"A big man knows the value

of a small coin."

My friendship is a small coin,

but it is all I have to offer you.

Thank you.

The papers, please.

Sign here.

This is your confession.

Good.

And now...

We need your fingerprints.

Pick up the gun and close it.

To my new friend.

- I should hope so.

- We put a lot of money in there.

Bellenza.

Yeah.

You done good on that thing.

Thanks, Frank.

Marcotti.

What, are you getting ambition?

Just doin' a job, Frank.

Willie.

Thanks, Frank.

Guys.

Thank you.

Jerry, we got a... What is this?

Jerry something-or-other works here?

I thought we sent him to the farm team.

Why was that, Frank?

Seems he can't follow orders.

Can't follow orders? Is

the guy a team player or what?

It would seem not.

That's a shame, Frank.

Yes, I agree.

No pain, no pals, no prospects.

What kind of guy is that?

A word to the wise is sufficient.

What's happening on the south side?

Lead off with the shipping thing.

Here are the figures on the shipping.

Love to hear from you too, Jerry.

Maybe when you get off probation.

Do you think you can get this clean?

What does a guy get

who can't toe the line?

- Probation.

- Right.

Frankie.

I've got a little errand for you.

I want you to pick the right guy for this

and take care of it for me.

Hey, Cinderella.

Come here.

Come here. Who'd you get me

on the errand business?

Jerry's gonna handle it.

He's a very good man.

What'd you tell him?

I told him to stick like glue

for the whole weekend.

He won't let him out of sight.

Don't screw this up.

Jerry's good.

He'll handle it.

Mr. Green.

All right, listen and learn something.

You do this one right...

I'm doin' it right.

I'm gettin' off probation.

Just do this, and then we'll see.

Why did you kill him?

He was a no-good son of a b*tch.

And? He... You owed him money.

Yeah, yeah.

I owe him some-a money.

How much did you owe him?

Fifteen hundred dollars.

That's right.

What'd you do with the money?

I lose it at the race-a track.

What time was it you killed him?

Hold it. You know that one.

How many times did you shoot him?

Three time-a.

Don't get it too pat.

Three or four.

I shoot him a-three

or four times. Son of a b*tch.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You're a natural.

You got the thing cold.

We no gonna do no more?

Nah, you know it.

You know it.

Hey, this is ridiculous.

You're goin' to jail for three years.

What?

What do you wanna do?

We'll do something?

What?

What do you... Wanna get

a couple of broads?

Do what? You wanna see a show?

No.

Hey, I'll get you tickets to something.

They tell-a me

I should-a no leave-a this...

They?

There is no "They."

I am "They."

What do you wanna do?

Can we... can we take a walk

down-a by the beach?

It'd be okay?

Okay? Okay?

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David Mamet

David Alan Mamet is an American playwright, essayist, screenwriter, and film director. As a playwright, Mamet has won a Pulitzer Prize and received Tony nominations for Glengarry Glen Ross and Speed-the-Plow. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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