The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard

I wanted to see this when it came on in theaters but somehow missed it. I just watched it on DVD and loved it. It's a little uneven and over the top sometimes but they made a strong effort to get some good laughs. I was most impressed with an amazing cast. You either love or hate this movie. What blew me away is all of the actors I recognized. You should see it just for the amazing talent this movie features.

Let's first start with the star, Jeremy Piven. I'm a big fan of this actor since I saw him star in one of my all time favorite movies, PCU. Say Anything is one of my favorite movies and I think that's his second movie ever. He followed John Cusack into a roll in the movie Grosse Pointe Blank. He was also in The Grifters with John Cusack. I just learned why. They're buddies. He was in Black Hawk Down? I don't remember his character. OK, let's move on.

Ving Rhames is #2 in the credits. I have seen him in a lot of movies, none that I can recall by memory but a quick look on NetFlix and I see that I saw him in Jacob's Ladder, Dave, Striptease, Mission Impossible I and II, Con Air and Surrogates. I definitely remember him now from Pulp Fiction.

Will Farrell has a short but memorable roll in the film.











Alan Thicke whom I first saw as the dad on Growing Pains. I have the feeling I've seen him in other movies but I can't think of them.

I don't recall ever seeing James Brolin before but I have seen his movies for example Our Man Flint, Fantastic Voyage, Westworld, The Car, Capricon One and Catch me if you can.






I remember David Koechner from The 40 year old Virgin, Thank You for Smoking, Talladega Nights, Snakes on a Plane, Drillbit Taylor, Get Smart, Sex Drive, Extract and on TV, The Office.










For me, Kathryn Hahn had the best character. She really went beyond what she normally plays. I've seen her in Anchorman, The Last Mimzy, Crossing Jordan (TV) and Step Brothers.











I love Ed Helms in The Office. Here he plays a very similar character except a little more extreme and nasty. He was awesome in The Hangover. I've seen him in Walk Hard, Semi-Pro and Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.








Another delight was Jordana Spiro. I can't recall ever seeing her before but she was not your typical female start. She had a very unusual voice that made her stand out. I haven't really seen her movies but I might have caught her on TV. She's done episodes of CSI:NY and Cold Case to name a couple.

Craig Robinson is one funny guy. He was a crazy SOB in this movie. I'm familiar with him from The Office, Knocked Up, Walk Hard, Fanboys and Pineapple Express. I especially liked him in Zack and Miri make a Porno and most recently, Hot Tub Time Machine. The guy is a riot.


I first got to know Tony Hale in Arrested Development. I think he's under utilized in this movie. I've seen him in RV and The Informant!







I've seen Ken Jeong in a lot of movies. I didn't like this character in Furry Vegeance but I've enjoyed him in The Hangover, Knocked Up, Step Brother's, Pineapple Express and Couples Retreat.







I've seen Rob Riggle (funny name) in Step Brothers, The Hanger, The Office and Furry Vengeance.












Joey Kern is the only main actor I didn't recognize from another movie or TV show. He was one of the "boys" in the man band BigUps.










The old guy who fought in a World War is Charles Napier. He's so old, he was in an episode of Hogan's Heroes in 1969. He was also in one episode of Star Trek (the original series 1969). I was in the TV shows Mission Impossible, Kojak, Baretta, The Rockford Files and Starsky and Hutch so I've probably seen him when he was younger. He was in the movie The Blues Brothers movie and other TV shows I've seen like BJ and the Bear, Walking Tall, Private Benjamin, The Incredible Hulk, Knight Rider, Simon & Simon, CHiPs, Dallas, Night Court, The A-Team, Murder She Wrote, Louis & Clark, Star Trek DS9, CSI, Monk and The Night Stalker. Other movies I've seen that he was in are Silence of the Lambs, The Grifters, Philadelphia and Austin Powers. It sure would be great if they had a photo of the actor from every movie and TV show they were in. I'd probably recognize the guy.




And last but certain not least in the funny dept is Kristen Schaal who I first became aware in the series Flight of the Conchords for which I've seen every episode. I've seen her interviewed and she really does act and talk like that.