Atlantic City

Louis Malle's beautiful Oscar-nominated 1981 film is bolstered by a wonderful performance from Burt Lancaster as Lou, an aging, small-time braggart who does odd jobs around Atlantic City, while also tending to a bedridden gangster's moll (comically played by Kate Reid). Puffing himself up, he becomes involved with a fish seller named Sally (Susan Sarandon), who dreams of becoming a casino dealer, but when Sally's husband is murdered in a mixed up drug deal and she ends up with the cash (and the mob on her tail), rescuer Lou is forced to deliver on the big guy talk he's been spouting. A brilliant dissection of the American dream, Atlantic City reminds us that while there may be some winners, there will always be losers. Sadly, this is a no-frills DVD release, sporting serviceable Dolby Digital mono sound, and a picture image that--while reasonably sharp overall--is a bit grainy in places. Even without the "special" treatment, however, this is still highly recommended. (R. Pitman)