User reviews

Although this film has some of the funniest Latin comedians inluding Sid Caesar and Martinez (Gomez in the 1990's Addams Family) this film has a good plot, but somehow lacks the hilarity. Maybe it is the quickly switching between characters. One moment the film is focused on the helpless romantics, next a political activist who can get his voice heard, then Sid Casear as homeless man with filthy habits. Although there a some of slapstick humor it is unfortunately too far apart.

Watching this movie which promised wonderful things -- not just the suit, but the titles, the art direction, a magical Sid Caesar, a heart-thumping Esai Morales -- watching all this go along on the one level that Bradbury allows, all human dimensions squeezed into his One Poetic Idea. Of course the dirty guy is going to take a bath. Of course Gomez won't get on the bus. etc. Joe Mantegna, who i believe has incredible range as an actor, is given one dimension to convey. Caricature. Then, beautiful emotional face of the young man Gonzalez -- also beautiful editing. Next time i watch with no sound.

this is a movie that is not mad at anyone, not trying to push a world view, not really trying to impress. They just told a simple story well. I think the cast had a great time making the movie. It is a simple, pleasant movie with charming colors and agreeable characters. I would recommend it for family viewing and for children alone. It does not take forever to watch, either.

I'm not familiar with the original story, but I had read really positive reviews about this version. At first, I had high expectations, but I quickly learned the movie would not improve as I continued watching.

The actors, are not the problem. The problem, or so it seems, is the way the movie is delivered. This story might work well as a play, but not work as well for a movie.

On a positive note, the movie has an upbeat soundtrack and a unique setting(East. L.A). One of the best things I liked about this is the colorful intro and the mood the film has.

This is a wonderful Ray Bradbury story. Four men who believe a special suit will change their lives, set upon a plan to purchase said suit, and it does. But is it because of the suit or because they mustered the courage to believe that the change was possible. The fifth man wonderfully played by Edward James Almos is content as he is but gets sucked into the plan and ends up changing in spite of himself. Sid Ceasar and Howard Morris, two fine actors from the golden age television play the shop owners who sell them the suit. Gregory Sierra is too fine for words. Joe Montagna is wonderful in this. Clifton Collings is adorable. And Esai Morales.......you have to rent "The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca" another fine work with Esai. One critique. I am extremely frustrated and disappointed that there is no sound track for this or DVD. The opening song done in English and Spanish is a very fine piece and the songs sung my Esai Morales are very much worthy of a soundtrack. Someone really goofed on that one.

The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, from the magical opening credits, to the heart-warming end, holds your attention with humor and music. This movie has the heart and soul of an old-fashioned musical. This movie rates a 9 out of 10!

This is the story of Gomez, a man who has a dream of owning an ice cream white suit that he saw in a local suit store. He needs $100 to buy this suit but only has $20. He recruits Dominguez (a skilled guitar player), Villanazul (a talented speaker) and Martin (young kid) to help buy the suit. They are all the same height, same weight and same build. One catch together they only have $80. They then reluctantly recruit Vamenos a stinky and dirty homeless man who has $20. Upon buying the suit they decide to wear it 1 hour each. This is when they discover that the suit makes the wearer's dreams come true as well as building a friendship between 5 men. In the end Martin sums it up the best. He says, this morning I had no friends but tonight I have many friends.

Like you probably did, when I saw the cover to this movie at Blockbuster with my buddies, I knew that was the movie we were watching that night. I mean, c'mon-- four guys all fawning over this other guy in a bright white suit? It's pure gold!

Well, we were all a little disappointed. I concluded that "The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit" had been written as a play and then they made a movie, because it looked like we were just watching a stinkin' play on TV. The acting, the music, the whole story... it just felt like a play. And it's kind of weird, too. I love to watch bad movies, but this one just wasn't fun like "Slumber Party Massacre II" or "Black Spring Break" are. The salon scene was pretty cool (worth rewinding and watching over and over). It's definitely not the best bad movie I've ever seen, but the 77 minute runtime makes it kind of easy. You know, a light viewing for you and your friends when you've had a heavy helping of awful movies.

I refuse to even contemplate living in a world in which Ray Bradbury does not exist. For within Bradbury's mind resides an entire universe filled with metaphor and dreams; galaxies teeming with life and love and poetry, with tales told and untold of such things as this world has never known and would never know, except for that magic that flows from his heart, through his brain and out through his fingertips, where they are born on the keys of his typewriter. And within that very same, ever fertile imagination, that wellspring of creativity, the words were formed, in a rush! and a swirl!, then tempered on Bradbury's mental forge of the fantastic, that ultimately came together and burst! forth as `The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit,' a transporting film directed by Stuart Gordon.

Gomez (Joe Mantegna) lives in the barrio; a poor man, except in spirit, for Gomez has dreams, ah, such dreams! of something better, of a better life, of the magic that can happen if you but want it badly enough and will it to! And Gomez knows how to make that magic happen. There is a store, a certain clothing store, and in the window there is a suit; not just any suit, but a magnificent white suit, as white as the clouds, as white as the snow that falls in the mountains. Oh, such a suit! The kind of a suit that can make the man who wears it anything he wants to be. And the price? The cost of this bottle holding a genie who can grant your every wish, your every desire? $100.00!

Gomez has $20.00...

But, he has a plan! If he can only find four others like himself-- others with dreams but no means-- and of equal size and weight (and, of course, $20.00), they could buy the suit together, and share the magic! Ah, such a plan for such a suit! For one day at a time, taking turns, they could each wear the magnificent suit that's as shiny and bright and as white as ice cream; and for a time be able to realize their dreams. And so, very quickly, or even sooner, at that very moment! Gomez puts his plan into action, driven on by the vision he holds in his mind's eye of himself, wearing that wonderful ice cream suit.

Ray Bradbury wrote the screenplay for this film, which he adapted from his own play of the same title, and this is vintage Bradbury. Under the auspices of director Gordon, the film successfully captures the very essence of Bradbury the writer, Bradbury the poet, Bradbury the genius, Bradbury the beautiful dreamer; this man from Illinois, who walks with kings and dines with gods, and dares to dream such dreams. More than a film, this is a celebration of life; an acknowledgement of the joys of living, captured exuberantly in music and song, poetry, performance and, of course, in Bradbury's words-- those exquisite, noble, transcendent words, born of some special, personal, inner muse-- that flow so splendidly in time with the rhythm of his heart and conjure up the images of his singular vision. All of which Gordon manages to grasp, grab hold of and transfer so resplendently to the silver screen.

The performances are first rate, beginning with Mantegna as the indomitable Gomez, who believes he can rule the world when wearing that wonderful suit; Esai Morales, as Dominguez, who dreams of enchanting beautiful women with his music and songs, and knows he can with the suit; Gregory Sierra, as Villanazul, who looks to the suit for the words of hope and encouragement he can take to his people; Clifton Gonzalez-Gonzalez, as Martinez, hoping that the suit will attract the girl of his dreams; and Edward James Olmos, as Vamanos, who just wants to have a good time! Respectively, their portrayals are alive, and with their collective breath, they bring this film to life, as well.

The supporting cast includes Liz Torres (Ruby Escadrillo), Sid Caesar (Sid), Howard Morris (Leo), Lisa Vidal (Ramona), Mike Moroff (Toro) and Mercedes Ortega as the beautiful Celia Obregon. From the opening credits, awash with dazzling color and brilliant imagery, `The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit' is an exhilarating, unique treasure to be embraced with the heart; a masterpiece of delights to be watched again and again. And most importantly, it honors the man who created it all, Ray Bradbury; a man who is, himself, invested with the same kind of life and joy his film brings to the screen. It's a fitting tribute to the inimitable Bradbury, Purveyor of Happiness, Magistrate of Joy.

--Then through an open window blew the winds of night, and creatures, dark they were and golden-eyed; and calling to the Son of Kong they whispered `Something wicked this way comes!' And then, a sound of thunder! She rises! She rises! And from twenty thousand fathoms came the dragon, as if summoned by his master from the deeps; and the Man from Illinois held his sword above the crowd, the blue flame cracked and sparked and leapt into our bodies! then, `Farewell, my friends,' said he as on the dragon's back he mounted, `Live forever!' `Live forever!' Live forever...

(From the poem, `Bradbury,' by JH Clues)

I rate this one 10/10!

I thought that "The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit" was a lovely little movie. Rarely do we see a movie in which men talk about their hopes and work co-operatively in order to achieve them. The men in this movie can address their fears and act to triumph over them.There is no violence nor nudity so it appears to be a children's tale, but the themes that are developed in this literate motion picture are important to people of any age.

I had read a review of this movie otherwise I don't know that I would have ever found it. I brought it home and put it on for my rather critical 16 year old son and joy-loving 17 year old daughter, not knowing what they would think. It was rather late at night and we should have been heading to bed, but I threw this on and we were all caught up in the story. My cynic I think enjoyed it even more than my joy-lover, and I enjoyed both the movie and my kids' reactions to it.

I love these off-beat (so-called because they don't quite follow the Hollywood formulae) fun movies. And what a shock to see Olmos in such an unusual part! He was always so deadly serious in anything I'd seen him in before.

It was a really fun tale and I recommend it!

This gem of a movie only came to my attention because of a back-problem I had suffered a couple of years ago. My Blockbuster store only had 2 copies in, and they were way down on the bottom-most shelf. Since my back had seized in more-or-less a bending stance, it was in the perfect position to catch my eye, and is now one of my favourite films.

It's always great to see Gregory Sierra (Barney Miler, Soap) act, and his portrayal of urban-poet Villanazul illustrates the breadth of his stage and screen presence, most notable during the masterful recitation of his character's work.

Edward James Olmos is barely recognizable in the early parts of the film, hidden beneath the accumulated grime and stink of the vagrant Vamanos. But after the transformation of a bath, shave, haircut and the magic of the white suit, Vamanos shines as bright as any of the others on their best day.

The sequences focusing on Esai Morales, Joe Mantegna and Clifton Gonzales Gonzales round out the fun with music, comedy and a little bit of drama as Mantegna's Gomez struggles with his greed and the thought of betraying his friends. In the end, the suit works it's charm on his conscience and sentimentality.

This is one of the best films released in 98 in my opinion. Don't miss it...

This film is one for the family. The characters are fully developed in a very short time. The writing is such that my family was very quickly caught up in the lives and dreams of these men. The acting is warm and honest. This movie stayed with me for awhile. It is magical and inventive. We loved it.

This little low-budget jewel should become a classic. It's fun, intelligent, and hilarious. Bravo!

I only came across this movie just 2 weeks ago. It was on the shelf of Tower Records in a shopping mall here in Malaysia. I would say the movie is quite good. Of course Joe Mantegna would look much better in some gangster movie. heh.

Edward James Olmos which plays Vamanos is quite funny. To me he looks like a cross of many of the street bum we see in movies. But when he talks, i could swear he sounds like some Mexican pirate. hahaha.

The premise of the movie is quite simple. 4+1 guys pool their money to buy a suit. And then somehow their lives change or somewhat they change it. Thanks to the suit.

It does make the suit seem glorified. Oh yeah the suit would not be out of place in movies for portraying angels. Satin and white as Toyota super white II (a paint color). hahaha.

To me the movie seem to ask you that sometimes, you do need something to push you to your dreams and aspirations. The suit is a way these people. I think many people do too.

When they put the suit on, every fear is overcome. Every borders is crossed. Its almost like when a superhero is in costume! If i were to watch this movie like a reviewer, of course everything doesn't make sense. Everything is not polished and waxed like every movie i have seen. But i looks at it as a self enrichment movie. It is just a simple feel good movie.

By the time it ends, all i wish for is the five men achieves more for themselves than just that night and hour. Gracias!

i wasn't sure what to expect of this film when i started watching it, but it turned out to be a truly wonderful experience, so much so that years after i have seen it i still haven't forgotten it! (and how many people can say that about a film?). the story is: a man can't afford to purchase a suit for himself, so a group of men pool their money together to buy the suit and share it. what ensues? hilarity and solemn moments as they each take turns in wearing the suit. with great lighting effects and actors 'suited' for the roles, this is a 'wonderful' film, and i can't do it justice by explaining it, just watch it for yourself!!

Again a wonderful ensemble of actors. Ray Bradbury fans will love this movie. The soundtrack is most excellent. Each of the main characters has their own particular charm and failing. Their chaotic search of a better life bring them together in a most unusual way.

In a time when Hollywood can't seem to come up with anything, but rehashes trash that was trash before it was rehashed. Along comes a short story and some creative direction. If it had a bigger budget I think it could have hit 11 or 12. We had to track this one down and buy it, one of the rare gems...just open your mind to the unorthodox and enjoy Of course if you don't like ti your probably a republican. You can tell the difference between a novel adapted from a short story and one that has been created in committee in some room where people have degrees in accounting and couldn't be creative unless they're preparing something for the IRS. Edward James Olmos steals the show with an outstanding performance, I never saw him coming, the ending is so un-Hollywood as is the pace and creative direction this very low budget film went.

just kidding....kinda

i LOVED this movie...in these times in which hardly ANY movies are made appropriate for any age, this movie is a gem! the acting is superb - every person in this movie could have won an oscar...the music is great...the cinematography is on point...everything was as it should be...

The most fun I ever had in a theater. Saw this at the StonyBrook Film Festival. Was pure magic, hilarious, fun, heartwarming, an underrated gem of a movie. I've since watched it 20 times, it never gets old.

Just go watch it. You can't not like it.

I cannot believe this is not available on DVD or that there is no CD sound track. The music is delightful and the performances are outstanding. WHAT GIVES HOLLYWOOD!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe now that James Edward Olmos is doing the remake of BattleStar Galactica....they will consider putting this on DVD. What do you think..