Great dialogue

Glengarry Glen Ross is an intense drama, which thrives on its dialogue. The story is simple: In an economic recession, real estate agents are faced with losing their jobs if they don't sell land. The opening sequence shows the desperation of these men. Jack Lemmon plays, Sheldon "The Machine" Levine, going through a bad streak, and in need of money to help pay for hospital bills. It is a rainy night, and the general feel is of heaviness and despair. He and the others are called to a meeting in the office where they work. At the meeting, they are confronted by a successful business man, who teases them with promising sales leads. In a blistering five minute appearance, Alec Baldwin steals the show as the aggressor, giving the salesmen an ultimatum. He presents them with a contest in which, "First prize, you win a cadillac. Second prize, a set of steak knives. Third prize, you're fired." The problem is that the men won't be given the new leads until they make good with the old ones. As much as they try, the old leads don't pan out. It is a recession, and people simply aren't buying land.
Al Pacino plays Ricky Roma, the young hot shot of the group. He tops the board in sales, and flaunts his success to the others. It is easy to see how a person such as Roma can wind up being a person similar to Levine. The business of selling land is volatile, and anyone having a good streak can wind up in the gutter with a bit of bad luck. Roma's attention is focused on James Link, a man he meets in the local bar. Sensing a bit of weakness (and possibly repressed homosexuality), he pushes Link into buying land. It is clear that Link doesn't want to buy land, but Roma manipulates him into doing it. This is the new style of selling: make your money quick, and get out of the business.
The two other salesmen are played by Alan Arkin and Ed Harris. They are of the old school of selling, which is to say, sell a guy five cars over ten years. They establish long standing relationships with their clients and reap the profits over many years. With poor economic conditions, they haven't made a substantial sale in a month. Faced with losing their jobs, they begin to scheme a way to beat the system. If they were to steal the new leads, while making it look like a robbery, they could reap the profits.
Most movies rely on splashy special effects or intricate plot lines. This movie draws power in its strong dialogue. There is rarely a moment of silence, as the characters are constantly shooting quips at each other. In one of the strongest acting sequences of Jack Lemmon's career, he digs deep into his emotions to show how desperate his character is to make a sale.
This film has become required viewing for many service based companies. It gives a true and gritty look at the dog-eat-dog world of sales. For those uninterested in business, Glengarry Glen Ross offers superb dialogue based on the David Mamet play. The ensemble cast, which includes Kevin Spacey as the manager of the salesmen, are able to make this vehicle shine. This film is an example of extremly talented individuals coming together and giving it their all.