Liman’s second feature really put him on the map. “Swingers” is a cool, casual romp through modern Los Angeles, which at the time just happened to be fixated on cultural movements of the past (specifically swing dancing and its assorted affectations).
Written by Jon Favreau, who also costars, alongside young actors like Vince Vaughn and Heather Graham, it introduced a stylized old timey vernacular that would soon become cringe-worthy. But when you were having this much fun just hanging out with these characters, it was all worth it. Judging by “Swingers,” you’d think that Liman would have veered towards Linklater-esque character studies, but instead he’s ramped up the action and suspense ever since.
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