Search - Simpatico on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Not For Children, Profanity, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 1999 DVD Release: 08/22/2000 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 46 mins Studio: New Line Home Video Total Copies: 34 Genres: Drama, Crime, Psychological Drama, Crime Drama, Ensemble Film

Old rivalries lead to new betrayals in this Sam Shepard drama with comic undertones. Vinnie (Nick Nolte) and Carter (Jeff Bridges) have known each other for years, but their relationship has grown less than cordial. Many years ago, the two men, along with Vinnie's girlfriend Rosie (Sharon Stone), were making good money in a con game at a racetrack until Simms (Albert Finney), the local racing official, got wind of their ruse. Vinnie and Carter hatched a blackmail scheme that ended Simms' career and ruined his life. Years later, Vinnie is an alcoholic low-life who still makes a living from blackmail; Carter is now a successful horse breeder, married to Rosie, and Vinnie has incriminating information about him that he uses to get Carter to pay his living expenses. Carter gets a call from Vinnie one night as he's finalizing the sale of his prize-winning stallion Simpatico; Vinnie is in jail on a morals charge regarding a woman he's been seeing named Cecilia (Catherine Keener). Vinnie makes Carter an offer: if he comes to California to help him out of this mess, he'll hand off the documents that he's been using against him for years. Carter agrees, but when he arrives, it turns out that Vinnie's not in jail, Cecilia has filed no charges against him, and this is just part of a larger scam with Carter as its target. Director Matthew Warchus made his screen debut with this film; he also adapted the screenplay (in collaboration with David Nicholls) from the play by Sam Shepard. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Nick Nolte - Vinnie Webb
Jeff Bridges - Lyle Carter
Sharon Stone - Rosie
Catherine Keener - Cecilia
Albert Finney - Simms
Shawn Hatosy - Young Vinnie

Matthew Warchus directs Jeff Bridges, Nick Nolte, Sharon Stone, and Albert Finney in the little-seen drama Simpatico, which comes to DVD with a pair of transfers. The widescreen anamorphic transfer preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1, and is preferable to the standard full-frame image. Closed-captioned English soundtracks are rendered in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital Surround. English subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include cast and crew filmographies as well as the original theatrical trailer. This is a solid disc that boasts excellent sound and picture quality. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide