American Buffalo

 Lynn and I saw American Buffalo before she headed back to Florida. For those that don't know, American Buffalo is a famous and critically acclaimed play. I disagree (well with the critically acclaimed part). ON the other hand the acting of an amazing cast was pretty uniformly great - albeit a bit over the top, but I think that is the point.

It is the story of 3 small time hoods. They are all looking for a bigger payout and "a bigger slice of the American Dream". I'not so sure about it.

Act I is all about Laurence Fishbone's character (Donny) proprietor of a junk shop / local hangout helping out a young ex-drug user who maybe not so ex-user anymore. Darren Criss plays Bobby, who is both a recovering addict and rather slow minded. For some reason Donny has taken an almost parental role with Bobby. And Bobby has taken on a sincere desire to please Donny and make him proud

Enter Sam Rockwell (as Teach), a loudmouth, hyper confident, and misogynistic petty crook demanding respect and cowing others into submission. Donny tells Teach about a man who bought a coin off him for a lot of money, but probably a quarter of its true worth. Donny and Bobby were going to rob the buyer, but Teach convinces Donny to use him as thief rather than inexperienced Bobby.

Act II is about how things go wrong.

Past that, nothing happens. I mean a lot happens, but nothing that might support a theater piece. Donny gets angry, Bobby gets pushed around and Teach shows he is a true asshole and barely repentant. There is no big revel or emotional turning point or character growth. Just a lot of screaming shouting and some stage fighting.

Here is a picture from the show, and the actors from the roles you might remember them by.

Clockwise from the upper right. Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus from the Matrix. He also had the famous line in another movie: "I've had it with these motherfucking snakes on this motherfucking plane".

Sam Rockwell from my favorite of his, "Moon". He also won an Oscar for the movie "Three Billboards outside of Ebbing Missouri." He also was amazing in "Confession of a Dangerous Mind", Chuck Barris' kind of real / kind of parody autobiography where he talks about being a game show host and America spy. "Otherwise, why would the Dating Game send winners and a chaperone to Helsinki so much?"

Then Darren Criss from Glee. He has done a lot more, including an Emmy and Golden Globe turn ad the killer of "The Assassination of Gianni Versace." But we will always remember him singing his little heart out.