Gary (Andy Garcia) makes his living in NYC scalping tickets. A charming crook, he has attracted the attention of would-be chef Linda (Andie MacDowell). They have had a go at a relationship but Linda has become unhappy about his profession and his careless ways. Seeing no future in the involvement, Linda has tried to end it. Yet, Gary keeps coming around, weakening her resolve. As these things go, other scalpers seem to be encroaching on Gary's territory. Will he give up the criminal life to win the affections of his girlfriend?This movie works because of the appeal of Garcia and MacDowell. They have a sparkling chemistry which is infectious. There are some funny scenes involving Garcia at Catholic confession as well as some dramatic ones concerning the up and down lives of the other scalpers. The ending is a demonstration of the adage "all's well that ends well". Although it is not the best romantic comedy out there, fans of the genre should give this movie a whirl. It might be just the ticket for an enjoyable evening of entertainment.

Garcia plays a lovable bum who makes his living by knowing how to work the city streets. MacDowell is good as the girlfriend who can no longer put up with his unstable ways. This was a good romantic comedy; an unusual story about the other half of the ticket industry.

If you are looking for a movie that's perfect, and you want to nitpick about the chemistry between the characters or the subtle nuances of one particular character, don't watch this one. But if you're the kind that, instead of using a microscope to analyze something, would prefer to appreciate something by standing back at a distance and taking it all in, and especially if you like romantic comedies, this is absolutely, definitely the movie for you.I can't believe any company would decide not to put this movie in the theaters. It was a very good movie; not a "Bull Durham" in quality of storyline, directing, etc., but it made me feel a helluva lot better than "Bull Durham" did in the end. There are more than a few moments where you will probably cry if you are emotional (as evidenced by my wife's reaction), and though the laughs aren't big, the lighter moments certainly work.I've never liked Andie MacDowell, and I believe she is the weak link of the entire movie. I could have seen someone like a Shelley Long or somebody else prettier than MacDowell and certainly someone with more range who would have connected better with Garcia. But it's probably that fact that makes you really want Andy Garcia to win throughout the movie. He can actually be likeable in his character's helpless role, though it's more like the Al Pacino impression that he always does. Look for Don Novello, a/k/a "Father Guido Sarducci" as one of Gary's friends. Kudos to Richard Bradford, who really made the movie special with his portrayal of Benny, the punch-drunk former boxer & ticket hustler; he brought the "heart" to the movie.It really moves well from the 30 minute point on, so give it a few minutes if you're not getting into it, but I predict, if you have a heart at all, you will appreciate this movie from start to finish, and it builds and progresses like a good movie should to a great and cute ending.It was so good I bought the DVD!

I saw this movie in a screening about a year ago (January 1998), when it was just called "The Scalper". Of course the studio had to monkey with the title, but I can't imagine what's taken them so long to get it out -- it was a perfectly good romantic comedy/drama when we saw it, with plenty of humor and energy. I couldn't really think of anything wrong with it, and as a matter of fact, Andy Garcia was standing outside after the screening and we told him how much we liked the movie. I hope they didn't screw with it TOO much, it was fine the way it was!