Amos & Andrew
Tags: satire

Plot synopsis:
When Andrew Sterling (Samuel L. Jackson), a successful black urbanite writer, buys a vacation home on a resort in New England, two of his new neighbors mistake him for a burglar as he sets up his new stereo. The neighbors have no idea that the former residents of that home had moved and soon call the police.
Police surround the home, armed and body armored as Andrew reads peacefully inside the home. Meanwhile, down the road, the Gillmans meet reporters as they walk back to their home and inform the press of the story. As the police move in, Andrew's car alarm goes off and with keys in hand, goes outside to shut it off; where he is met with gunfire. The reporters arrive and interview Chief Tolliver (Dabney Coleman), who speaks to Andrew over the phone and realizes his mistake. To avoid the bad publicity, the Chief offers a thief in his jail, Amos Odell (Nicolas Cage), a deal.
The Chief orders Amos to break into Andrew's home, hold the writer hostage, and give himself up, in exchange for free passage out of town. Armed with the shotgun given to him by the Chief, Amos enters the house under the Chief's direction and ties up Andrew. Andrew believes Amos is an assassin sent to kill him due to his published views against "white America".
As the press piles up outside of Andrew's home, the Chief calls Amos to release Andrew as soon as the press is in place, promising to leave Amos's name and face out of the news. While Amos waits, he turns on the news to see he has been betrayed, with his name and face all over the television. With his deal broken, Amos steps outside and demands a ransom for the famous author.
Andrew asks Amos how he came managed to come across the island and as Amos reveals his story, the Chief comes in the back door demanding Amos surrender. The Chief shows his true colors and his lack of concern with Andrew's well being, stating his opposition to Andrew living on the island. During a scuffle, Andrew hits the Chief unconscious with his frying pan and goes for the shotgun. Amos takes the gun back and tells Andrew he will remain his hostage.
With the Chief's handcuffs, Amos cuffs himself to Andrew and runs through the backwoods behind the home and hole themselves up in the Gillmans' home. Unable to find the key to the Gillmans' car, Amos decides to change his clothes and plan his escape. As Amos makes his plans, Amos and Andrew share their childhoods and their family stories with one another. The Gillmans return home and Amos demands the keys to their car, to which Mr. Gillman refuses stating the car was a cherished anniversary present from his second wife. The Chief, now free from captivity, once again demands Amos surrender, believing he is still somewhere in Andrew's home. When the Chief tells Amos he is not concerned with Andrew's safety and intends to prosecute him for assaulting him with the frying pan, Amos reveals he now holds the Gillmans hostage as well. With his two new hostages, Amos repeats his ransom demand.
As Amos, Andrew, and the Gillmans await the ransom, Amos shows the Gillmans' interview tape that the Chief had confiscated. Amos and Andrew watch the Gillmans' news interview, explaining how the incident started because they had seen a black man inside of the house and assumed he was up to no good, much to the Gillmans' embarrassment. A pizza Amos ordered arrives at the Gillman home, upon which Amos realizes the Gillman home is not surrounded by police as he thought.
Amos bids the pizza girl a fond farewell, and gives her the Gillmans' and the Chief's interview tape to give back to the press. Back in the Gillmans' home Amos demands the keys to the Gillmans' car, which Mr. Gillman still refuses to give up. With help from Andrew, Amos finds the key to the Gillmans' car. Amos invites Andrew to join him, declaring him his partner in crime, which disgusts Andrew. After a heated argument Andrew and Amos begin to fight, ending with Andrew telling Amos that some things he said about him may have been true, but he admits that it isn't too much to ask to set up his own stereo equipment without being declared a thief.
Back at Andrew's home, an associate of Andrew, Reverend Brunch, attempts to cash in on the publicity and appears, demanding the police, whom he believes to be holding Andrew, to release Andrew to himself and the crowd. In a scuffle between the crowd and the police, Andrew's home is set on fire. The pizza girl returns the interview tape to the reporters. The Chief sends out a man with his two bloodhounds to find Andrew, and Amos, as he is chased through a field, believing the bloodhounds to be attack dogs, rescues Andrew and the two watch as Andrew's home burns in the distance.
Still upset at the Chief, Andrew uses the Chief's wallet, which Amos had taken from him and sics the bloodhounds on the Chief using the new scent. In the middle of the news interview, the reporters reveal they know the truth about the incident. As the Chief realizes he no longer possesses the tape of his interview, the two bloodhounds chase him from the scene.
Amos and Andrew are shown having boarded a barge, now on the other side of the island, where Amos and Andrew meet up with Andrew's wife. Amos drives away as Andrew and his wife hug, and the two part ways as friends. The last scene shows Amos at stop sign saying "Canada here I come" and then turning onto Interstate 95...heading in the wrong direction.

Review: The reviews for `Amos & Andrew' are all over the place, from Leonard Maltin's `BOMB' to The Washington Post Style section critic's rave (though the Post's Weekend section reviewer gave it a devastating pan).Any movie that gets this range of reaction is not all bad, and `Amos & Andrew' has a number of redeeming values.Its racial satire (which can be serious as well as slapstick, often in the same minute) seems a natural extension of Stanley Kramer's `The Defiant Ones' (1958).
In both films, a white and a black man are handcuffed together and escaping from the law.The differences between the films are telling, however.
They know little about each other's race, except what they think is the bad stuff (if I remember the film correctly).
But both are poor and, as the film reveals, have much more in common than they thought.In `A&A,' the black man is a third generation, college-educated upper middleclass professional.
And he's as much an outsider as the black man.These ideas, and the comedy evolving from them, make `A&A' fascinating and, sometimes in a simplistic way, thought-provoking.
So the film is both clever and stupid, original and cliché.I often found myself laughing out loud as the film piled on smart gag after smart gag, slowing down only at the obvious, familiar and overplayed ones.Some may find the basic premise, a black man thought to be a burglar only because he's seen in a house in an exclusive white neighborhood, as tasteless and offensive, or at least not played out with sufficient outrage.Others may be grateful that such a pointed idea was dramatized without self-righteous anger and superiority.
To them, this modest, light touch conveyed the message much more effectively, especially to those who needed to hear it, than a harder-edged film might have.Overall, there's enough good stuff in 'A&A,' including the acting by Nicholas Cage (when he still was good) and Samuel L.
Jackson to push the film to a 2 ½ to 3-star rating.
Hated by some critics, ignored by the movie-viewing public, "Amos and Andrew" is a very underrated movie with a message.
Nicholas Cage, Samuel L.
Jackson, Dabney Coleman, all of them were hilarious in this movie.
Jackson actually act instead of just being some cop or criminal advocating senseless violence, see this movie.
Second of all, the script was great; I loved all the twists and turns that the plot took.
It's part of what made this movie so funny.
I also enjoyed the political satire in Dabney Coleman's character.
One of the most underrated, overlooked comedies of the 1990s, and a social satire that DOES work, Maltin's faulty opinion to the contrary.
Unfortunately, the film's ending was apparently re-worked, to the satisfaction of almost no one on the creative team.Coincidentally, the angry mob torch scene in this movie was shot practically the same time the 'Rodney King' riots unfolded 3000 miles away in LA..
When famous Pulitzer Prize winner Andrew Sterling (Samuel L.
Jackson) moves into a new home on a New England resort island, he is mistaken by his new neighbors Phil (Michael Lerner) and Judy Gillman (Margaret Colin) as a thief because they see him through his window with his stereo equipment in his hands!
The Chief of Police Cecil Talliver (Dabney Coleman) and his band of bungling deputies show-up and then the fun begins.
When Talliver realizes that he and his deputies have shot at a famous man, he must engineer a cover-up by using a con-artist currently incarcerated in his jail, Amos Odell (Nicolas Cage).
Samuel Jackson and Nicolas Cage are believable in their roles.
The whole movie is a comedy of errors with several scenes that are laugh-out-loud funny.
Clumsily written, the quasi-buddy comedy of mistaken identity stars Samuel L.
Jackson as a racist writer on a posh Massachusetts island who is mistaken for being a burglar.
Rather than face internal affairs, the cops let a car thief (Nicholas Cage) out of jail to go in the home with a shotgun and act as the `burglar'.
The arrest of Henry Louis Gates Jr., Harvard University's top expert on African-American history and culture, sounded a familiar note, the plot of AMOS AND ANDREW.Samuel L.
Jackson playing an internationally known author is presumed to be a burglar in his own home by passers-by.
A siege of his home by local police caricatures the Cambridge police department.The film's supporting cast of Michael Lerner and Margaret Colin as well as Dabney Coleman make this a light comic view of what could have become a raw, racial confrontation.Leonard Maltin after commenting that this was like a 1960's Disney film, continues, "maybe they should have called this THAT DARN AFRO-American.If Nicholas Cage played his role with more fervor the IMDb rating would be higher.
Nic Cage is amazing in it and Jackson is as versatile as always.
I had this movie in a VHS format and could not help getting it in a DVD format.
This is a comedy classic that you should purchase just to be able to watch it when you feel like it.
Cage and Jackson were great together and the picture was funny.
The neighbors run to the police to tell them a "black" man has broke into our neighbors house.
Now the police, FBI, reporters, & Black Christians (don't ask) are surrounding the house.
The only man who can save the night is Cage.This film has comedy, action, and adventure just the way I like it.
Nicholas Cage is hilarious and Samuel L.
If you liked "Honey In Vegas" then you will love "Amos & Andrew".
It was a cool movie to watch.
This is a very good comedy that has you laughing regularly!
A lot of so called comedies have one or two laughs in them and they've gotten better ratings than this show.
I have watched this show several times and will do so again because it is that good.
If I have company and people want to watch a comedy I may drag this movie out as not many people have seen it.
Hilarious Comedy and Still So Relevant today.
This was another underrated movie by IMDB.
The acting is great, the characters are hilarious and the even though you can easily get ahead of the situations that are about to happen, I still laughed my head off.
Yes, this movie is for those who love pure entertainment.
It was great to see a toned down Samuel Jackson who didn't play his usual clichéd persona.
Nicholas Cage, is reminiscent of his character in Raising Arizona as a bumbling idiot of a criminal.
Dabney Coleman nailed it as the politically minded sheriff and the look on his face when he realizes what has just gone down is priceless.
The fact that this kind of thing still happens today makes the movie a timeless classic.
Although the main focus here is undoubtedly on comedy, what makes it all the more successful is the underlying (highly unflattering) portrait of suburban America, often flirting with caricature yet not altogether devoid of subtlety; it avoids in particular the Black/White manicheanism often present even in more "serious" cinematic depictions of racism.
Jackson and Cage are as usual wonderful actors, and the supporting cast does a pretty good job too at impersonating a variety of morons and other petty opportunists..
Social commentary kind of comedy..
This film doesn't really work, but it's an interesting idea, the black man mistook for a criminal.
I watched it for Nickolas Cage, I'm a big "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" fan,  and he was pretty good.
Samuel Jackson is really good in this film, he too played a real character.
Good Nicolas Cage Movie.
Amos & Andrew (1993).Andrew Sterling (Samuel L.
Jackson) is a rich and successful black man who buys a vacation house in New England.And as he is unpacking some of his belongs the Neighbours see him and mistake him for a burglar so they call the police.After the police surround the house and try to kill him they realize that they made a big mistake.So the chef of the police decided to use a man in jail named Amos Odell (Nicolas Cage) to fake a kidnapping of Andrew Sterling because he did not want bad publicity.I bought this movie a few weeks ago on a second hand video tape for a few dollars and i finally got around to watching it today.I never watched this movie before i bought it and i am glad i bought it because this movie is good and i can see myself watching this movie over and over again.Over all this movie is worth your time to watch and i think you will really enjoy this movie.My rating for this movie is 6 out of 10..
Comedy of errors, sheriff gets what he deserves..
Good comedy, well written & acted.
Unusual part for Samuel Jackson, a nice change, and he does an excellent job in his roll.
This movie does have a good social commentary, and it is the root of it's creation.
It is a fun production, and a good popcorn & soda spitter, worth your time if you haven't seen it.
When you see a black man with a stereo in his hands in a million dollar mansion, what do you think?
Great hilarious satire about white (and black) prejudices..
Seen it many times and this comedy is a classic that is here to stay, because the racial prejudices jokes are just hilarious and still ring true to this very day.
Both black and white prejudices are being made fun of in this hilariously funny farce about a rich black man (Samuel L.
Jackson) moving into a wealthy neighbourhood, while getting mistaken for a thief in his own house when he is simply connecting his new stereo.
The consequences of this mistaken identity are way over the top, including media cover ups, rigged elections, black marches and a dog hunt, to name a few.Best thing about this comedy is that it is funny as can be.
The oneliners are great, the mix ups are hilarious and the racial prejudice jokes are spot on.
Acting by Nicolas Cage, Samuel L Jackson and the supporting actors are hilarious as well.
Racial prejudice comedy classic!
Highly recomnended if you just wanna have a good laugh!.
Another Weak Nicolas Cage Comedy.
As an action star, Nicolas Cage is tops but when he tries to tackle other genres, my views on those films often meet with bad or mixed results and this 1993 Columbia Pictures release is no exception.
Cage portrays Amos, a slacker drifter who becomes the unwitting pawn in a cover up scam being planned by police chief Dabney Coleman who's only exploiting him to protect his own image.
Jackson portrays Andrew, a popular black author whose relocation to an racially mixed neighborhood causes an uproar.
Offensive at times and a lame attempt at comedy..
This movie definitely isn't the best, but it is very much underrated.
It was an enjoyable movie to watch.
Jackson is always great, and Cage isn't that bad.
It wasn't that great of a movie, but you can't help but to be interested in it.
The most funny thing about this movie is the concept.
A man (Samuel L.
Jackson) is because of his skin color mistaken for a burglar.
When the police surrounds the house and realize the mistake they made they come up with the idea of letting a real criminal (Nicolas Cage) take the black man hostage and hold him for ransom to avoid the bad publicity.
Sounds like a good concept for a comedy, unfortunately it sounds better than it is.Nicolas Cage is not the greatest comical talent and Samuel L.
Jackson once again plays the role that he played so many times before, the black man who becomes the victim of white society.
Jackson but he should stop playing this kind of roles.
Luckily Dabney Coleman and Brad Dourif still provide some good comical moments.For a comedy it certainly lacks some funny moments, there are some but simply not enough to make a good comedy.
Nicolas Cage and Samuel L.
And I liked the rap song at the end by Sir Mix A Lot, which pretty much sums up the film's themes in a nutshell.
"Amos and Andrew" is not a memorable comedy, but it's worth watching, especially if you're a fan of the two main actors.
I rented this because I'm a big fan of Jackson and Cage and thought this would be vintage work by them.
A noted black author (Samuel L.
Jackson), mistaken for a prowler in his own house, is pinned down by the local Keystone Kops, and police chief Dabney Coleman tries to cover the goof by giving white trash petty criminal Nicholas Cage a loaded shotgun so he can pretend to hold Jackson hostage for a few minutes.
Why Coleman didn't think to begin this unlikely charade at the moment of arrest is anyone's guess, but Cage (of course) plays it for real, with entirely predictable consequences.
Silly, light comedy.
Andrew Sterling (Samuel L.
Jackson) is very successful writer and a winner of Pulitzer award; and he decides to buy a vacation home on a resort in New England.
In front of his house police mistakes him for a burglar.
Soon Chief Tolliver (Dabney Coleman) realizes his mistake and to avoid the bad publicity, in election year, he offers Amos Odell (Nicolas Cage) a deal.
Amos is just another ordinary thief, who has to pretend to take Andrew as prisoner and hold him for ransom but let him go and escape.
But everything doesn't go according to the plan.Amos & Andrew is just another light comedy that you shouldn't take too seriously.
It has two great actors: Cage and Jackson and few funny situations.
The important part of the whole story is white and black people in America.
He showed white people who only cares about money and power, just like Chief Tolliver (in election year).
He showed black people who are obsessed with that felling that they are different from others (Andrew Sterling, Reverend Fenton Brunch) and that white people are always trying to back them down.
Mistaken for a burglar in his own house, he soon finds himself the hostage in a situation planned by the local chief of police.Comments: A surprisingly good comedy.
I like movies that start quite slowly but that speeds up with every twist and turn.
So, it surely works as a fun entertainment when you're tired.And if you want, there are some seeds of real importance that you can ponder upon.
A seriously great flick which will make you laugh more than ones.
Great acting, writing and directing and the plot is so brilliant that you want believe it.
Jackson (one of the best actors alive plays Andrew Sterling a extremely rich and successful African American which has just bought a summer house on a "all white" island.
He's nice car outside also make them believe he's holding the previous owners hostage and they call the police.
When the realize how wrong they where the police chief (which is running for Major) makes a plan to justify everything and fool everyone so they make a deal with the life criminal Amos (played by Nicolas Cage) to stage a hostage situation against letting him get out of jail.
Nicolas Cage plays a low life loser in the jail in the Hamptons.Samuel Jackson plays a Nobel prize winning man moving into the Hamptons.While moving in to his new house the neighbors see Jackson carrying stereo equipment; they call the cops because "when you see a black man with an armful of stereo equipment on this island you know damn good and well what is going on!"Let the comedy begin!
This is a comedy with a purpose.This is a story about white\black race relations in America and is very relevant today.
This is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen in my life!.
A few years ago when I first saw a poster with Samuel and Nicolas, I immediatelly rented this movie.
'Cause I am a great fan of both and knowing that they are legendary actors I haven't imagine that this movie could be so average.
However this movie isn't bad at all.
Story is interesting,some jokes are really good,Sam and Nicolas are a great couple , but I think that directing is most negative side of this motion picture.
And maby Max Frye is the one who should be blamed because "Amos & Andrew" is so disappointing movie.
Actually without of Sam and Nicolas this movie would be a complete disaster.
At the end, I wouldn't recommend this movie to all who want a good comedy,but if you are a fan you can watch how your favourite actors made something more out of this movie..
(L)Amos and (BL)Andrew........
When Andrew Sterling, a successful writer buys a vacation home on a resort in New England, locals mistake him for a burglar.
After surrounding his home with armed men, Chief Tolliver realises his mistake and to avoid the bad publicity offers a thief in his jail, Amos Odell a deal.
Amos is to pretend to take Andrew prisoner and hold him for ransom but let him go and escape.
Yes.The writer of this poison, has basically depicted everyone who live on the island apart from Andrew, as moronic Neanderthals from the dark ages, who are fascinated with status and fame.Cage just plays an idiot, plain and simple, and Jackson is basically a calmer version of Zeus from Die Hard 3, who feels oppressed, and this is supposed to be funny?Its not funny, I couldn't think of anybody who wouldn't be offended by this, because the subject matter is dealt with like a soiled nappy.Its no wonder it never got a theatrical release here in the UK.Its a big thing to say this, but its Cages most awful film, and I've seen Deadfall and Stolen..