Overrated

Rating: Null/10 (19 September 1999)

F. Murray Abraham is a talented actor, and deserved the oscar for his role in Amadeus, but the movie itself wasn't as special as many in hollywood would like to believe. Tom Hulce gave a disasterously unconvincing performance as Mozart, he shouldve let Animal House remain the only work for which he is known. Jeffrey Jones was actually good as the emperor, but the rest of the virtually unknown cast didn't leave much of an impression. The attempt at recreating post Baroque Vienna was admirable, but the grossly rewritten history was insulting and blasphemous. Who would believe that Mozart spent his last hours writing music with his good buddy Salieri? The scene in Heat where Pacino and DeNiro have coffee together was more realistic! Milos Forman's direction was noble and this film wouldve been much better with a different Mozart, a better supporting cast, and a plausible story.