**A truly remarkable work.** I chose to watch this movie without really knowing what to expect, and I appreciate that feeling—that pleasure, hard to describe—when a film manages to surprise you. Of course, it's possible for those surprises to be unpleasant, and the movie could turn out to be awful. But I think I’ve made my point... Robert Altmann isn't someone whose work I was familiar with. As far as I recall, I’ve only seen “Shortcuts,” and that didn’t particularly impress me. Still, every director has their successes and failures, and you can’t judge them based on just one or two films. In this film, Altmann delivers a pleasant surprise, showing careful direction and an attention to detail that I really enjoyed. The cinematography is solid, the editing is very good, and the pacing is quite enjoyable, with no lulls. The opening scene alone is a cinematic achievement, almost ten minutes without cuts and lots of camera movement. Throughout the movie, there’s a feeling that we're secretly observing a story someone wants to keep hidden. The script reinforces this sense of secrecy, taking us behind the scenes of the film industry through the perspective of an arrogant and unpleasant producer who becomes the target of anonymous threats. He decides to confront the person he suspects—a screenwriter he’d ignored for months—and ends up killing him. From that point on, we follow his attempts to cover everything up, along with the studio he works for, which isn't interested in scandal. This is clearly a critique of Hollywood, where there are plenty of unscrupulous, arrogant, and unpleasant people willing to do anything for ambition, and where studios haven’t always behaved ethically, preferring to ignore or suppress compromising situations whenever possible. Given these elements, the film had the potential to upset many within the industry. However, it did surprisingly well, received a lot of praise, earned a good amount at the box office, and was nominated for three Oscars; even now, it’s regularly shown on television channels dedicated to movies. Beyond the technical quality and the clever, biting story, the cast also contributed with the combined talents of several well-known actors. Tim Robbins delivers one of his most memorable performances, acting in a consistent and impactful way, and he's skillfully supported by Greta Scacchi, who not only resisted the ridiculous idea of appearing nude without reason but also portrayed her character with depth and controversy. In addition to them, Pater Gallagher and Whoopi Goldberg provide solid supporting work, and there’s a veritable parade of cameos and brief appearances by actors, screenwriters, and others playing themselves, many of whom donated their salaries for that single day of filming to support a social project at the time. This procession of notable figures is almost endless, making this film perhaps the American movie with the most cameos and guest stars in commercial cinema history.

Source on TMDB