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Set in 1963 Baltimore, Barry Levinson's TIN MEN is a comical vendetta with a twist. As aluminum siding salesman B.B. (Richard Dreyfuss) takes the wheel of his brand-new Cadillac, he's involved in an accident with Tilley (Danny DeVito), who, coincidentally, also drives a Cadillac and sells siding. Soon after the accident, the nasty game of revenge and one-upmanship begins with each man vandalizing the other's Caddy. But ladies' man B.B. raises the stakes when he deliberately seduces Tilley's lonely and unhappy wife, Nora (Barbara Hershey). The second installment of Levinson's Baltimore Trilogy--which also includes DINER and AVALON--TIN MEN is brimming with nostalgia, recalling the days when salesmen went door-to-door and devised elaborate scams to win over customers. It also delves into the hearings related to the code of ethics instituted by the Maryland Home Improvement Commission in 1963 that stopped the more creative salesmen in their tracks. The first-rate supporting cast includes John Mahoney, Bruno Kirby, and Michael Tucker. Music from Fine Young Cannibals, who also appear in the film, gives the soundtrack a 1960s feel with a fresh edge.
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