Calling Old Dogs utterly unbearable may be the understatement of the year alongside "healthcare needs an overhaul." A family comedy by genre only, this John Travolta and Robin Williams vehicle is so maligned, mismanaged and other "M" words, that a point is reached in the movie where audiences are forced to ask, "Wait, is this a joke? Is Old Dogs really this godawful or is Walt Becker playing a huge yet fabulously hilarious prank on me?"
No. Director Walt Becker (Wild Hogs) is not playing a prank on you, unless you call wasting an hour and a half of your life on this poo trap a "prank."
Travolta and Williams are longtime buddies who head a sports PR firm. Travolta's Charlie likes to have good times while Williams' Dan is a pent-up fuddy-duddy. Both are exhausting. When Dan reunites with Vicki (Kelly Preston, Travolta's real-life wife), his one-night stand from almost a decade earlier,...
No. Director Walt Becker (Wild Hogs) is not playing a prank on you, unless you call wasting an hour and a half of your life on this poo trap a "prank."
Travolta and Williams are longtime buddies who head a sports PR firm. Travolta's Charlie likes to have good times while Williams' Dan is a pent-up fuddy-duddy. Both are exhausting. When Dan reunites with Vicki (Kelly Preston, Travolta's real-life wife), his one-night stand from almost a decade earlier,...
- 3/19/2010
- Denver Movies Examiner
This is competition for Old Dogs (directed by Walt Becker and starring John Travolta, Robin Williams, Kelly Preston, Conner Rayburn, Ella Bleu Travolta, Lori Loughlin, Seth Green, Bernie Mac and Matt Dillon). To celebrate the release of Old Dogs, in cinemas on March 19, Pure Movies has teamed up with Disney to give away favourites like Pulp Fiction, The Thin Red Line, Swordfish, Mrs Doubtfire, Good Will Hunting and Dead Poets Society.
- 3/19/2010
- by Dan Higgins
- Pure Movies
John Travolta and Robin Williams: The only ones laughing in 'Old Dogs'
Calling Old Dogs utterly unbearable may be the understatement of the year alongside “healthcare needs an overhaul.” A family comedy by genre only, this John Travolta and Robin Williams vehicle is so maligned, mismanaged and other “M” words, that a point is reached in the movie where audiences are forced to ask, “Wait, is this a joke? Is Old Dogs really this godawful or is Walt Becker playing a huge yet fabulously hilarious prank on me?”
No. Director Walt Becker (Wild Hogs) is not playing a prank on you, unless you call wasting an hour and a half of your life on this poo trap a “prank.”
Travolta and Williams are longtime buddies who head a sports PR firm. Travolta’s Charlie likes to have good times while Williams’ Dan is a pent-up fuddy-duddy. Both are exhausting.
Calling Old Dogs utterly unbearable may be the understatement of the year alongside “healthcare needs an overhaul.” A family comedy by genre only, this John Travolta and Robin Williams vehicle is so maligned, mismanaged and other “M” words, that a point is reached in the movie where audiences are forced to ask, “Wait, is this a joke? Is Old Dogs really this godawful or is Walt Becker playing a huge yet fabulously hilarious prank on me?”
No. Director Walt Becker (Wild Hogs) is not playing a prank on you, unless you call wasting an hour and a half of your life on this poo trap a “prank.”
Travolta and Williams are longtime buddies who head a sports PR firm. Travolta’s Charlie likes to have good times while Williams’ Dan is a pent-up fuddy-duddy. Both are exhausting.
- 3/17/2010
- by Erik Buckman
- ReelLoop.com
Playing Dad is harder than it looks for two best friends who suddenly find themselves caring for seven-year-old twins in Old Dogs, the knockout family comedy, coming to Disney Blu-ray, DVD, and Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy Combo Pack on March 9, 2010 from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.
Starring Academy Award® winner Robin Williams, (Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Good Will Hunting, 1997) and John Travolta (Wild Hogs), Old Dogs is a fresh and funny Disney treat that Pete Hammond of Boxoffice Magazine calls “Hilarious! Fun for the whole family.”
With bonus features including laugh-out-loud boopers, exclusive music videos, behind-the-scenes peeks and a digital copy of the film, the Old Dogs Combo Pack will have audiences howling with laughter! Kelly Preston (Jerry McGuire), Conner Rayburn (The Invention of Lying), Seth Green (Can’t Hardly Wait), Matt Dillon (There’s Something About Mary) and, in her screen debut, Ella Bleu Travolta (real life...
Starring Academy Award® winner Robin Williams, (Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Good Will Hunting, 1997) and John Travolta (Wild Hogs), Old Dogs is a fresh and funny Disney treat that Pete Hammond of Boxoffice Magazine calls “Hilarious! Fun for the whole family.”
With bonus features including laugh-out-loud boopers, exclusive music videos, behind-the-scenes peeks and a digital copy of the film, the Old Dogs Combo Pack will have audiences howling with laughter! Kelly Preston (Jerry McGuire), Conner Rayburn (The Invention of Lying), Seth Green (Can’t Hardly Wait), Matt Dillon (There’s Something About Mary) and, in her screen debut, Ella Bleu Travolta (real life...
- 2/8/2010
- MoviesOnline.ca
Fun for Wednesdays! We look at an image from an upcoming movie or TV show and write snarky, witty, or otherwise entertaining captions for it. No prizes, it’s just for fun. I haven’t seen this, not just because Disney won’t invite me to screenings anymore, but also because everything about it gives me the screaming heebie-jeebies: Disney tells us about the film: Two best friends—one unlucky-in-love divorcee (Robin Williams) and the other a fun-loving bachelor (John Travolta)—have their lives turned upside down when they’re unexpectedly charged with the care of 7-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so-kid-savvy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins (newcomers Ella Bleu Travolta and Conner Rayburn), leading to one debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-found understanding of what’s really important in life.
- 11/25/2009
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
A turkey. Over stuffed. More sour than cranberry sauce. As flat as a thin layer of mashed potatoes. More painful than the post-turkey dinner walk to the couch. Take your pick of these Thanksgiving euphemisms that, each one of them, describes the new comedy Old Dogs, a film so void of successful humor, it could be eligible for Best Drama at next year’s Golden Globe awards if it were any good. It’s not. In fact, it’s downright infuriating to watch so much effort put into something so delusional of itself.
You can thank director Walt Becker, who didn’t do enough damage to John Travolta’s career when he put him in a biker gang with Tim Allen, William H. Macy, and Martin Lawrence, for much of Old Dogs’ failures. Becker’s come a ways since his days of dishing out R-rated fare like Van Wilder and the straight-to-video Buying The Cow.
You can thank director Walt Becker, who didn’t do enough damage to John Travolta’s career when he put him in a biker gang with Tim Allen, William H. Macy, and Martin Lawrence, for much of Old Dogs’ failures. Becker’s come a ways since his days of dishing out R-rated fare like Van Wilder and the straight-to-video Buying The Cow.
- 11/25/2009
- by Kirk
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures.
So Old Dogs is a buddy-comedy movie from Walt Disney Pictures that is being released on Thanksgiving day. Need we say more? One should know what type of flick they're walking into right away. Having the two leads being played by John Travolta and Robin Williams, will at the very least give the flick some energy. Once the 88 minute feature concluded, one may feel like they just watched a combo of Look Who's Talking Now and Mrs. Doubtfire.
Our story begins with meeting Dan (Robin Williams) and his best friend/business partner Charlie (John Travolta). Charlie is your bachelor for life type of guy and refuses to accept his age. Dan is in the same boat but isn't opposed to marriage. Both live for their successful sports marketing firm and they're on the verge of making their biggest deal ever. Enter in Vicki (Kelly Preston...
So Old Dogs is a buddy-comedy movie from Walt Disney Pictures that is being released on Thanksgiving day. Need we say more? One should know what type of flick they're walking into right away. Having the two leads being played by John Travolta and Robin Williams, will at the very least give the flick some energy. Once the 88 minute feature concluded, one may feel like they just watched a combo of Look Who's Talking Now and Mrs. Doubtfire.
Our story begins with meeting Dan (Robin Williams) and his best friend/business partner Charlie (John Travolta). Charlie is your bachelor for life type of guy and refuses to accept his age. Dan is in the same boat but isn't opposed to marriage. Both live for their successful sports marketing firm and they're on the verge of making their biggest deal ever. Enter in Vicki (Kelly Preston...
- 11/25/2009
- Tampa Film Examiner
We haveadded a new clip from Walt Disney Picture's upcoming comedy, 'OldDogs'. The film stars John Travolta, Robin Williams, Bernie Mac, MattDillon and Kelly Preston.Watch the clip below;Two best friends.one unlucky-in-love divorcee (Robin Williams) and the other a fun-loving bachelor (John Travolta).have their lives turned upside down when they.re unexpectedly charged with the care of six-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so-kidsavvy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins (newcomers Ella Bleu Travolta and Conner Rayburn), leading to one debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-found understandingof what.s really important in life.
- 11/20/2009
- by Anthony Pearson
- Monsters and Critics
We are pleased to offer you new clips from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures' "Old Dogs," starring John Travolta, Robin Williams, Kelly Preston, Seth Green, Ella Bleu Travolta, Lori Loughlin and Matt Dillon. Walt Becker ("Wild Hogs") directs from the writing by David Diamon and David Weissman. Andrew Panay, Robert L. Levy and Peter Abrams-produced comedy sees theatres on November 25th and looks absolutey hilarious. Two best friends -- one unlucky-in-love divorcee (Robin Williams) and the other a fun-loving bachelor (John Travolta) -- have their lives turned upside down when they’re unexpectedly charged with the care of six-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so-kid-savvy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins (newcomers Ella Bleu Travolta and Conner Rayburn), leading to one debacle after...
- 11/17/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
See new images from the film as well as new clips and new footage from the premiere of "Old Dogs," starring John Travolta, Robin Williams, Kelly Preston, Seth Green, Ella Bleu Travolta, Lori Loughlin and Matt Dillon. Walt Becker who really made me laugh to tears with "Wild Hogs," directs from the writing by David Diamond and David Weissman. The film is produced by Andrew Panay, Robert L. Levy and Peter Abrams. Two best friends -- one unlucky-in-love divorcee (Robin Williams) and the other a fun-loving bachelor (John Travolta) -- have their lives turned upside down when they’re unexpectedly charged with the care of six-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so-kid-savvy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins (newcomers Ella Bleu Travolta and Conner Rayburn), leading to one debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-found...
- 11/11/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Check out a new clip from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures' "Old Dogs," starring John Travolta, Robin Williams, Kelly Preston, Seth Green, Ella Bleu Travolta, Lori Loughlin and Matt Dillon. Two best friends — one unlucky-in-love divorcee (Robin Williams) and the other a fun-loving bachelor (John Travolta) — have their lives turned upside down when they’re unexpectedly charged with the care of six-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so-kid-savvy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins (newcomers Ella Bleu Travolta and Conner Rayburn), leading to one debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-found understanding of what’s really important in life.
- 11/5/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Check out this new clip from the Walt Becker ("Wild Hogs") comedy "Old Dogs." Robin Williams and Seth Green become involved in a hard hitting game of golf in “Nut Job.” Two best friends -- one unlucky-in-love divorcee (Robin Williams) and the other a fun-loving bachelor (John Travolta) -- have their lives turned upside down when they’re unexpectedly charged with the care of 7-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so-kid-savvy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins (newcomers Ella Bleu Travolta and Conner Rayburn), leading to one debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-found understanding of what’s really important in life...
- 11/4/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
There's a new exclusive internet-only trailer from Disney’s Old Dogs is now available! See what happens when two best friends (Robin Williams and John Travolta) have their lives turned upside when they’re unexpectedly charged with the care of 7-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so-kid-savvy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins (newcomers Ella Bleu Travolta and Conner Rayburn), leading to one debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-found understanding of what’s really important in life.
- 10/21/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Please forgive us for our lack of coverage of Old Dogs. Teaming up John Travolta and Robin Williams in a Thanksgiving family film at first felt desperate, but the addition of Seth Green and a hilarious new er, trailer finally caught my attention.
Old Dogs Trailer
Two best friends -- one unlucky-in-love divorcee (Robin Williams) and the other a fun-loving bachelor (John Travolta) -- have their lives turned upside down when they're unexpectedly charged with the care of six-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so-kid-savvy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins (newcomers Ella Bleu Travolta and Conner Rayburn), leading to one debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-found understanding of what's really important in life.
Old Dogs Trailer
Two best friends -- one unlucky-in-love divorcee (Robin Williams) and the other a fun-loving bachelor (John Travolta) -- have their lives turned upside down when they're unexpectedly charged with the care of six-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so-kid-savvy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins (newcomers Ella Bleu Travolta and Conner Rayburn), leading to one debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-found understanding of what's really important in life.
- 10/19/2009
- www.canmag.com
Pete Travis, director of Vantage Point, recruited William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Strong and Johnny Lee Miller to star in a new film called Endgame and it was finally picked up by small-time distributor Monterey Media and the first trailer has made its way online. Along with Endgame, a trailer for Tales from the Golden Age, which was helmed by an international crew of directors starting with 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days helmer Christian Mungiu along with Ioana Uricaru, Hanno Hofer, Razvan Marculescu and Constantin Popescu; and a second trailer for the John Travolta and Robin Williams comedy Old Dogs has arrived.
I have featured each trailer below along with the synopsis as well as a link for each. Enjoy.
Endgame - Trailer November 6, 2009 South Africa, 1985. While the country is under siege, sanctions are biting, Mandela's imprisonment is an international cause celebre, and the Anc guerrilla terrorist attacks are escalating.
I have featured each trailer below along with the synopsis as well as a link for each. Enjoy.
Endgame - Trailer November 6, 2009 South Africa, 1985. While the country is under siege, sanctions are biting, Mandela's imprisonment is an international cause celebre, and the Anc guerrilla terrorist attacks are escalating.
- 10/18/2009
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
There.s something incredibly frustrating about seeing great talent wasted on a generic kid.s flick. John Travolta, Robin Williams, Kelly Preston, Seth Green, Matt Dillon, Rita Wilson, Dax Shepard, Bernie Mac, Luis Guzman and Conner Rayburn all star in a Disney.s Old Dogs. What has the world come to? Williams and Travolta play two good pals who are entrusted with a pair of seven-year-olds. Obviously, calamity ensues. You want to know what the worst part of all of this is? The trailer actually made me laugh. Even worse? This brand new second trailer makes me laugh too! Am I that immature or is Old Dogs actually funny?...
- 10/17/2009
- cinemablend.com
Below from Disney comes the poster for Old Dogs which stars John Travolta and Robin Williams. Two best friends -- one unlucky-in-love divorcee (Robin Williams) and the other a fun-loving bachelor (John Travolta) -- have their lives turned upside down when they’re unexpectedly charged with the care of six-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so-kid-savvy bachelors stumble in their efforts to take care of the twins (newcomers Ella Bleu Travolta and Conner Rayburn), leading to one debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-foun...
- 4/20/2009
- MoviesOnline.ca
After barely escaping cancellation for the last two years, it looks like the network grim reaper has finally caught up with According to Jim. The ABC sitcom is ending its long run at the end of this season. The network hasn't announced it but one of the series stars has.
According to Jim is a lighthearted sitcom that revolves around a suburban father named Jim (Jim Belushi). Though he means well, he often gets into trouble while trying to be the king of his castle, manipulate his beautiful wife Cheryl (Courtney Thorne-Smith), and trying to raise his kids (Taylor Atelian, Billi Bruno, and Conner Rayburn). Adding to his troubles are Cheryl's strong-willed sister, Dana (Kimberly Williams-Paisley), and her hapless brother, Andy (Larry Joe Campbell). Other series performers include Tony Braunagel, John Rubano, Mitch Rouse, and Charlie Hartsock.
The ABC sitcom debuted back in 2001 and averaged 10 million viewers for its freshman year.
According to Jim is a lighthearted sitcom that revolves around a suburban father named Jim (Jim Belushi). Though he means well, he often gets into trouble while trying to be the king of his castle, manipulate his beautiful wife Cheryl (Courtney Thorne-Smith), and trying to raise his kids (Taylor Atelian, Billi Bruno, and Conner Rayburn). Adding to his troubles are Cheryl's strong-willed sister, Dana (Kimberly Williams-Paisley), and her hapless brother, Andy (Larry Joe Campbell). Other series performers include Tony Braunagel, John Rubano, Mitch Rouse, and Charlie Hartsock.
The ABC sitcom debuted back in 2001 and averaged 10 million viewers for its freshman year.
- 1/15/2009
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
A whole bunch of new images have hit the internets today, and while I feel a little weird merging family-friendly entertainment with two freakishly crazy flicks, not only do I save space (does that count as my "green" Mitzvah of the day?), but I'm also saving you time. So here we go ...
Below are some new stills from some of Disney's 2009 films, then head after the jump for more -- as well as a look at Mickey Rourke in the 13 Tzameti remake, and a brand new image from Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds.
Old Dogs (pictured above) - Release Date: November 25, 2009
Two best friends-one unlucky-in-love divorcee (Robin Williams) and the other a fun-loving bachelor (John Travolta)-have their lives turned upside down when they're unexpectedly charged with the care of six-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so kidsavvy bachelors stumble in...
Below are some new stills from some of Disney's 2009 films, then head after the jump for more -- as well as a look at Mickey Rourke in the 13 Tzameti remake, and a brand new image from Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds.
Old Dogs (pictured above) - Release Date: November 25, 2009
Two best friends-one unlucky-in-love divorcee (Robin Williams) and the other a fun-loving bachelor (John Travolta)-have their lives turned upside down when they're unexpectedly charged with the care of six-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives. The not-so kidsavvy bachelors stumble in...
- 12/18/2008
- by Erik Davis
- Cinematical
Walt Disney Pictures is the latest studio to drop off some new images and information regarding their 2009 slate of films and fortunately for me they have supplied very little in way of pictures, which makes my job much easier, however for you it means you aren't going to get as many goodies such as no images from G-Force, nothing new for Up and not even a preview image for A Christmas Carol. From what I can tell the most exciting thing is a scruffy pic of Bruse Willis in Surrogates, but how about you be the judge? Over the next three pages are all 14 of Disney's upcoming flicks with cast, director, synopsis and picture gallery links where they apply. Remember, the links open in a new browser window so just close the new window to return to this article and continue the preview. Enjoy! Confessions Of A Shopaholic Feb. 13, 2009 Photo:...
- 12/17/2008
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
This review was written for the theatrical release of "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story".After a barrage of downer movies filled with gore, war and other bleak subject matter, finally there's a holiday release that's all about making spirits bright.
"Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" is a pitch-perfect musical comedy that at long last moves the talented John C. Reilly up the billing ladder from second banana to top banana.
Sprinting through the decades like Forrest Gump with a gee-tar, Reilly's blissfully oblivious Dewey Cox and the Jake Kasdan film (co-written with some guy called Judd Apatow) is just plain, undemanding fun.
Along the way it takes playful jabs at familiar music biopics, especially "Walk the Line", against a soundtrack of terrific original tunes that channel everyone from Johnny and June, Roy Orbison and Dylan to the Beatles and beyond.
The unmistakably adult-oriented results -- this is one comedy that really earns its R rating -- will nevertheless play to a wide-reaching demographic from the younger-skewing fans of Apatow's summer treats "Knocked Up" and "Superbad" to boomers who will get a kick out of all those '60s and '70s pop culture references.
Audiences should find themselves laughing hard well into the new year.
Utilizing that familiar screen bio bookend device of starting just before the end and then flashing all the way back to the central character's earliest memories, "Walk Hard" dutifully traces Dewey's formative years as a young boy (Conner Rayburn) growing up poor in '40s-era Springberry, Ala.
The fateful die is cast one day when Dewey accidentally cuts his older brother, Nate (Chip Hormess), in half real bad while play-dueling with their dad's collectible machetes.
With the family physician unable to save Nate, declaring it "a particularly bad case of somebody being cut in half," the already guilt-ridden Dewey will forever be reminded by his father (Raymond J. Barry) that the wrong son died.
Determined to make something of himself, Dewey, who discovers an aptitude for playing a mean blues guitar, later puts a band together along with drug-dabbling drummer Sam (never funnier "Saturday Night Live" alum Tim Meadows), bass player Theo (Chris Parnell) and guitarist Dave Matt Besser), ultimately impressing the suits at Planet Record studios (a trio of Hasidic Jews, played by Harold Ramis, Phil Rosenthal and Martin Starr) with their signature song, "Walk Hard".
Soon Dewey and the boys are cranking out hit records as fast as his wife, Edith (Kirsten Wiig), is popping out babies, but life yields its share of temptations, most notably in the form of the lovely Darlene (Jenna Fischer of "The Office"), his virtuous new backup singer.
Along the way, Dewey gets swept up in the protest movement (taking up the cause of women and midgets), '60s psychedelia (meeting up with the Beatles in India, with an unbilled Paul Rudd and Jack Black respectively playing a bickering Lennon and McCartney), Brian Wilson-style excess and, ultimately, redemption.
While this type of parody can be hard to sustain, director and co-writer Kasdan, who demonstrated a nice satiric touch with "The TV Set", keeps things humming along quite efficiently.
Granted, there's a bit of a lull in the middle -- one too many rehab sequences -- but "Walk Hard" quickly gets back up to speed, propelled by Reilly's fearless, tour-de-farce performance, not to mention those wacky cameos: Frankie Muniz as Buddy Holly? Jack White as Elvis? Lyle Lovett, Jackson Browne, Jewel, Ghostface Killah and Eddie Vedder as themselves?
Add in those Christopher Guest-worthy song parodies contributed by composer Mike Andrews, Dan Bern, Mike Viola ("That Thing You Do!") and even the legendary Van Dyke Parks, and you've got yourself a holiday "Walk" that's refreshingly on the wild side.
WALK HARD: THE DEWEY COX STORY
Columbia Pictures
Columbia presents in association with Relativity Media
a Nominated Films production
Credits:
Director: Jake Kasdan
Screenwriters: Judd Apatow, Jake Kasdan
Producers: Judd Apatow, Jake Kasdan, Clayton Townsend
Executive producer: Lew Morton
Director of photography: Uta Briesewitz
Production designer: Jefferson D. Sage
Music: Michael Andrews
Music supervisors: Manish Raval, Tom Wolfe
Costume designer: Debra McGuire
Editors: Tara Timpone, Steve Welch
Cast:
Dewey Cox: John C. Reilly
Darlene Madison Cox: Jenna Fischer
Sam: Tim Meadows
Edith Cox: Kirsten Wiig
Pa Cox: Raymond J. Barry
L'Chai'm: Harold Ramis
Ma Cox: Margo Martindale
Theo: Chris Parnell
Dave: Matt Besser
Schwartzberg: David Krumholtz
Running time -- 96 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
"Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" is a pitch-perfect musical comedy that at long last moves the talented John C. Reilly up the billing ladder from second banana to top banana.
Sprinting through the decades like Forrest Gump with a gee-tar, Reilly's blissfully oblivious Dewey Cox and the Jake Kasdan film (co-written with some guy called Judd Apatow) is just plain, undemanding fun.
Along the way it takes playful jabs at familiar music biopics, especially "Walk the Line", against a soundtrack of terrific original tunes that channel everyone from Johnny and June, Roy Orbison and Dylan to the Beatles and beyond.
The unmistakably adult-oriented results -- this is one comedy that really earns its R rating -- will nevertheless play to a wide-reaching demographic from the younger-skewing fans of Apatow's summer treats "Knocked Up" and "Superbad" to boomers who will get a kick out of all those '60s and '70s pop culture references.
Audiences should find themselves laughing hard well into the new year.
Utilizing that familiar screen bio bookend device of starting just before the end and then flashing all the way back to the central character's earliest memories, "Walk Hard" dutifully traces Dewey's formative years as a young boy (Conner Rayburn) growing up poor in '40s-era Springberry, Ala.
The fateful die is cast one day when Dewey accidentally cuts his older brother, Nate (Chip Hormess), in half real bad while play-dueling with their dad's collectible machetes.
With the family physician unable to save Nate, declaring it "a particularly bad case of somebody being cut in half," the already guilt-ridden Dewey will forever be reminded by his father (Raymond J. Barry) that the wrong son died.
Determined to make something of himself, Dewey, who discovers an aptitude for playing a mean blues guitar, later puts a band together along with drug-dabbling drummer Sam (never funnier "Saturday Night Live" alum Tim Meadows), bass player Theo (Chris Parnell) and guitarist Dave Matt Besser), ultimately impressing the suits at Planet Record studios (a trio of Hasidic Jews, played by Harold Ramis, Phil Rosenthal and Martin Starr) with their signature song, "Walk Hard".
Soon Dewey and the boys are cranking out hit records as fast as his wife, Edith (Kirsten Wiig), is popping out babies, but life yields its share of temptations, most notably in the form of the lovely Darlene (Jenna Fischer of "The Office"), his virtuous new backup singer.
Along the way, Dewey gets swept up in the protest movement (taking up the cause of women and midgets), '60s psychedelia (meeting up with the Beatles in India, with an unbilled Paul Rudd and Jack Black respectively playing a bickering Lennon and McCartney), Brian Wilson-style excess and, ultimately, redemption.
While this type of parody can be hard to sustain, director and co-writer Kasdan, who demonstrated a nice satiric touch with "The TV Set", keeps things humming along quite efficiently.
Granted, there's a bit of a lull in the middle -- one too many rehab sequences -- but "Walk Hard" quickly gets back up to speed, propelled by Reilly's fearless, tour-de-farce performance, not to mention those wacky cameos: Frankie Muniz as Buddy Holly? Jack White as Elvis? Lyle Lovett, Jackson Browne, Jewel, Ghostface Killah and Eddie Vedder as themselves?
Add in those Christopher Guest-worthy song parodies contributed by composer Mike Andrews, Dan Bern, Mike Viola ("That Thing You Do!") and even the legendary Van Dyke Parks, and you've got yourself a holiday "Walk" that's refreshingly on the wild side.
WALK HARD: THE DEWEY COX STORY
Columbia Pictures
Columbia presents in association with Relativity Media
a Nominated Films production
Credits:
Director: Jake Kasdan
Screenwriters: Judd Apatow, Jake Kasdan
Producers: Judd Apatow, Jake Kasdan, Clayton Townsend
Executive producer: Lew Morton
Director of photography: Uta Briesewitz
Production designer: Jefferson D. Sage
Music: Michael Andrews
Music supervisors: Manish Raval, Tom Wolfe
Costume designer: Debra McGuire
Editors: Tara Timpone, Steve Welch
Cast:
Dewey Cox: John C. Reilly
Darlene Madison Cox: Jenna Fischer
Sam: Tim Meadows
Edith Cox: Kirsten Wiig
Pa Cox: Raymond J. Barry
L'Chai'm: Harold Ramis
Ma Cox: Margo Martindale
Theo: Chris Parnell
Dave: Matt Besser
Schwartzberg: David Krumholtz
Running time -- 96 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 12/17/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After a barrage of downer movies filled with gore, war and other bleak subject matter, finally there's a holiday release that's all about making spirits bright.
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is a pitch-perfect musical comedy that at long last moves the talented John C. Reilly up the billing ladder from second banana to top banana.
Sprinting through the decades like Forrest Gump with a gee-tar, Reilly's blissfully oblivious Dewey Cox and the Jake Kasdan film (co-written with some guy called Judd Apatow) is just plain, undemanding fun.
Along the way it takes playful jabs at familiar music biopics, especially Walk the Line, against a soundtrack of terrific original tunes that channel everyone from Johnny and June, Roy Orbison and Dylan to the Beatles and beyond.
The unmistakably adult-oriented results -- this is one comedy that really earns its R rating -- will nevertheless play to a wide-reaching demographic from the younger-skewing fans of Apatow's summer treats Knocked Up and Superbad to boomers who will get a kick out of all those '60s and '70s pop culture references.
Audiences should find themselves laughing hard well into the new year.
Utilizing that familiar screen bio bookend device of starting just before the end and then flashing all the way back to the central character's earliest memories, Walk Hard dutifully traces Dewey's formative years as a young boy (Conner Rayburn) growing up poor in '40s-era Springberry, Ala.
The fateful die is cast one day when Dewey accidentally cuts his older brother, Nate (Chip Hormess), in half real bad while play-dueling with their dad's collectible machetes.
With the family physician unable to save Nate, declaring it "a particularly bad case of somebody being cut in half," the already guilt-ridden Dewey will forever be reminded by his father (Raymond J. Barry) that the wrong son died.
Determined to make something of himself, Dewey, who discovers an aptitude for playing a mean blues guitar, later puts a band together along with drug-dabbling drummer Sam (never funnier Saturday Night Live alum Tim Meadows), bass player Theo (Chris Parnell) and guitarist Dave Matt Besser), ultimately impressing the suits at Planet Record studios (a trio of Hasidic Jews, played by Harold Ramis, Phil Rosenthal and Martin Starr) with their signature song, Walk Hard.
Soon Dewey and the boys are cranking out hit records as fast as his wife, Edith (Kirsten Wiig), is popping out babies, but life yields its share of temptations, most notably in the form of the lovely Darlene (Jenna Fischer of The Office), his virtuous new backup singer.
Along the way, Dewey gets swept up in the protest movement (taking up the cause of women and midgets), '60s psychedelia (meeting up with the Beatles in India, with an unbilled Paul Rudd and Jack Black respectively playing a bickering Lennon and McCartney), Brian Wilson-style excess and, ultimately, redemption.
While this type of parody can be hard to sustain, director and co-writer Kasdan, who demonstrated a nice satiric touch with The TV Set, keeps things humming along quite efficiently.
Granted, there's a bit of a lull in the middle -- one too many rehab sequences -- but Walk Hard quickly gets back up to speed, propelled by Reilly's fearless, tour-de-farce performance, not to mention those wacky cameos: Frankie Muniz as Buddy Holly? Jack White as Elvis? Lyle Lovett, Jackson Browne, Jewel, Ghostface Killah and Eddie Vedder as themselves?
Add in those Christopher Guest-worthy song parodies contributed by composer Mike Andrews, Dan Bern, Mike Viola ("That Thing You Do!") and even the legendary Van Dyke Parks, and you've got yourself a holiday Walk that's refreshingly on the wild side.
WALK HARD: THE DEWEY COX STORY
Columbia Pictures
Columbia presents in association with Relativity Media
a Nominated Films production
Credits:
Director: Jake Kasdan
Screenwriters: Judd Apatow, Jake Kasdan
Producers: Judd Apatow, Jake Kasdan, Clayton Townsend
Executive producer: Lew Morton
Director of photography: Uta Briesewitz
Production designer: Jefferson D. Sage
Music: Michael Andrews
Music supervisors: Manish Raval, Tom Wolfe
Costume designer: Debra McGuire
Editors: Tara Timpone, Steve Welch
Cast:
Dewey Cox: John C. Reilly
Darlene Madison Cox: Jenna Fischer
Sam: Tim Meadows
Edith Cox: Kirsten Wiig
Pa Cox: Raymond J. Barry
L'Chai'm: Harold Ramis
Ma Cox: Margo Martindale
Theo: Chris Parnell
Dave: Matt Besser
Schwartzberg: David Krumholtz
Running time -- 96 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is a pitch-perfect musical comedy that at long last moves the talented John C. Reilly up the billing ladder from second banana to top banana.
Sprinting through the decades like Forrest Gump with a gee-tar, Reilly's blissfully oblivious Dewey Cox and the Jake Kasdan film (co-written with some guy called Judd Apatow) is just plain, undemanding fun.
Along the way it takes playful jabs at familiar music biopics, especially Walk the Line, against a soundtrack of terrific original tunes that channel everyone from Johnny and June, Roy Orbison and Dylan to the Beatles and beyond.
The unmistakably adult-oriented results -- this is one comedy that really earns its R rating -- will nevertheless play to a wide-reaching demographic from the younger-skewing fans of Apatow's summer treats Knocked Up and Superbad to boomers who will get a kick out of all those '60s and '70s pop culture references.
Audiences should find themselves laughing hard well into the new year.
Utilizing that familiar screen bio bookend device of starting just before the end and then flashing all the way back to the central character's earliest memories, Walk Hard dutifully traces Dewey's formative years as a young boy (Conner Rayburn) growing up poor in '40s-era Springberry, Ala.
The fateful die is cast one day when Dewey accidentally cuts his older brother, Nate (Chip Hormess), in half real bad while play-dueling with their dad's collectible machetes.
With the family physician unable to save Nate, declaring it "a particularly bad case of somebody being cut in half," the already guilt-ridden Dewey will forever be reminded by his father (Raymond J. Barry) that the wrong son died.
Determined to make something of himself, Dewey, who discovers an aptitude for playing a mean blues guitar, later puts a band together along with drug-dabbling drummer Sam (never funnier Saturday Night Live alum Tim Meadows), bass player Theo (Chris Parnell) and guitarist Dave Matt Besser), ultimately impressing the suits at Planet Record studios (a trio of Hasidic Jews, played by Harold Ramis, Phil Rosenthal and Martin Starr) with their signature song, Walk Hard.
Soon Dewey and the boys are cranking out hit records as fast as his wife, Edith (Kirsten Wiig), is popping out babies, but life yields its share of temptations, most notably in the form of the lovely Darlene (Jenna Fischer of The Office), his virtuous new backup singer.
Along the way, Dewey gets swept up in the protest movement (taking up the cause of women and midgets), '60s psychedelia (meeting up with the Beatles in India, with an unbilled Paul Rudd and Jack Black respectively playing a bickering Lennon and McCartney), Brian Wilson-style excess and, ultimately, redemption.
While this type of parody can be hard to sustain, director and co-writer Kasdan, who demonstrated a nice satiric touch with The TV Set, keeps things humming along quite efficiently.
Granted, there's a bit of a lull in the middle -- one too many rehab sequences -- but Walk Hard quickly gets back up to speed, propelled by Reilly's fearless, tour-de-farce performance, not to mention those wacky cameos: Frankie Muniz as Buddy Holly? Jack White as Elvis? Lyle Lovett, Jackson Browne, Jewel, Ghostface Killah and Eddie Vedder as themselves?
Add in those Christopher Guest-worthy song parodies contributed by composer Mike Andrews, Dan Bern, Mike Viola ("That Thing You Do!") and even the legendary Van Dyke Parks, and you've got yourself a holiday Walk that's refreshingly on the wild side.
WALK HARD: THE DEWEY COX STORY
Columbia Pictures
Columbia presents in association with Relativity Media
a Nominated Films production
Credits:
Director: Jake Kasdan
Screenwriters: Judd Apatow, Jake Kasdan
Producers: Judd Apatow, Jake Kasdan, Clayton Townsend
Executive producer: Lew Morton
Director of photography: Uta Briesewitz
Production designer: Jefferson D. Sage
Music: Michael Andrews
Music supervisors: Manish Raval, Tom Wolfe
Costume designer: Debra McGuire
Editors: Tara Timpone, Steve Welch
Cast:
Dewey Cox: John C. Reilly
Darlene Madison Cox: Jenna Fischer
Sam: Tim Meadows
Edith Cox: Kirsten Wiig
Pa Cox: Raymond J. Barry
L'Chai'm: Harold Ramis
Ma Cox: Margo Martindale
Theo: Chris Parnell
Dave: Matt Besser
Schwartzberg: David Krumholtz
Running time -- 96 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 12/17/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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