True West

This filmed adaptation of playwright/actor Sam Shepard's tale of two brothers is an absolute gem. John Malkovich (currently starring in Making Mr. Right) is a tour-de-force as one of the scummiest characters on Earth. His brother (Gary Sinise) is house-sitting, working on a screenplay, while their mother is on vacation. Malkovich, after years in the desert, drops in on his little brother. At first he's just a hilarious--and rather threatening--nuisance, but as the story progresses, the roles are reversed, and Malkovich--after swindling a film producer--desperately struggles to write a screenplay, while his brother (whose screenplay has been put on the back burner) gets drunk and harasses his brother. As a comedy, the film is first- rate; as a philosophical look at human nature, the film is first-rate; and as a showcase for some tremendous acting, the film is first-rate. Don't pass this one up. Highly recommended.