Tommy is Johnny, a successful banker/computer business guy who is incredible to everyone, is guaranteed the promotion, and is so so secure. With him are his gorgeous fiancee Lisa, the reformed adult/adolescent neighbor Denny, Lisa’s mother Claudette who is racked by incredible misfortunes, and his best friend Mark.

Seemingly nothing could break up this invulnerable pact of friends, but Lisa cannot stand her circumstances, and since she got Johnny, she feels she can do better. Thus she inebriates the sober Tommy and seduces Mark without him knowing. Along the way she forgets her ambitions and wraps herself up in a deadly game. In the meantime she will keep up the front through pulse-pounding lovemaking and saving Denny from the clutches of drug dealers. It’s rich that she can be so two-faced (even sometimes in the same frame). Put simply Johnny is just too good for Lisa (Claudette says as much).

Ego, cruelty, and selfishness are as foreign to Johnny as he is to human interactions. This pushes him past the point of his own reality, questioning everything in the face of obvious answers, and propelling him into a mythical madness. The cracks form slowly over time, all beginning with Lisa forcing him to take a bite of the poison apple- a whiskey and vodka cocktail.

This is a story of life, which is full of tragedy, comedy, and complete absence of perception of time. The uneven lighting continuity, the random window rain, and repeat shots of the same specific locations (which give no idea of present location) only further isolate the viewer into a universal shared experience. THIS IS LIFE PEOPLE!!!!

And like life we often say the same thing to different people to seem original, laugh at inappropriate times, and have framed photos of utensils on our coffee tables. But seeing as how everyone would rather engage in gossip than act to help their friend Johnny, I’d say these are not good spoon people.

We can lampoon to the end of time, but that is not the lesson. The lesson is making movies is nearly impossible and Tommy made one. And it worked. Ask any studio head or producer in private and they would say the same thing. A hit is a hit. I don’t see any anniversary showings or tours for Bruce Almighty. But here we are! Hearts were warmed, smiles were shared, and friends were made. I don’t care how you see it, I will heartily always recommend this movie.