Okay, I admit it, I only rented this movie out because Jesse Bradford is in it (which if you ask me is good enough reason alone!) What I got was basically a predictable romance...There are a few amusing scenes in this film (mainly those with Spencer's room-mates) But thats it. The movie relies too heavily on gay jokes and basic plot elements. Best watched for either a Jesse perve, (which is worth it by the way!) Or for an easy-to-watch pretty much brain-less film.
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dushkufan15 March 2003
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rob-2841 July 2004The stale premise - an innocent youth comes to the big city and against all odds wins the career and girl of his dreams - is not made fresher by such devices as a deceased grandma who keeps showing up to offer sage advice. (The only point of marginal interest is the script's limp switcheroo on "The Apartment": Here, it's the junior executive (Kirshner) who's involved with the boss, while the torch-carrying schnook is working class.) In "King of the Hill" Jesse Bradford had enough charisma to carry a film, a quality that appears to have receded as puberty set in. Or maybe he just gets poor career advice. Certainly he is ill served by drek like "SwimFan," "Speedway Junky," and this one. . .
In a subplot tied with the thinnest of threads to the main story, Spencer's roommates (David Krumholtz and Adam Goldberg) are holed up in a mansion they evidently and unaccountably own, attempting to make an amateur porn film. Watching their mirthless antics I was reminded of the efforts of supporting players Abbott and Costello to shine as a team in "One Night in the Tropics," except neither Krumholtz nor Goldberg would qualify as "the funny one." Even the title is off - Spencer is a clueless naif who never expresses any view of life that would qualify as "according to." The picture seems intended as a lighthearted romp among friends, but the results are just heavy, predictable, and dull. -
noblemountain22 November 2005This movie was sub-par at all attempts at comedy,romance,and wit.Most of the movie is spent emphasizing the wounds we all suffer after a relationship is broken or lost.The leading woman was SO boring,she could hardly hold my attention or interest and she just came off as annoying.The best part of the film was Spencer's room-mates.They made me laugh a little,hardly enough to recommend this movie to my friends.The truth is,if this movie made more of an attempt to be a romance or comedy,not both,the characters would be more defined and we could see their point of view and understand why they have certain tendencies towards relationships.So if you want to kill an hour and thirty four minutes,but don't want to get caught up in a movie's plot,see "According To Spencer".
P.S. if your seeing this movie for Giovanni Ribisi,don't turn your head or you'll miss his MINUTE AND A HALF cameo!! -
stellakirby6 August 2004There are elements of this film that surpass the "typical chick-flick" genre.
What shines in this picture are the smaller roles and the writing. Marissa Ribisi and Precious Chong give amazing performances in the "film-within-a-film," and Florence Stanley is, as usual, brilliant.
Yes, it is a treat for the "I could watch Jesse brush his teeth" set, but nothing beats David Krumholtz in his underwear. Even when he's not singing. -
philip-ct14 April 2006What should have been a light-hearted, witty comedy has few laughs and becomes dull, stodgy, lame and predictable.
Despite an appealing cast (Jesse Bradford is good to watch) the film is let down by a script that starts off promisingly and then fades out, becoming infantile, unfocused and rather boringly under- and undeveloped.
I hate not watching films to their completion. And I watched this till the end, where the film became limply predictable. Even the end credits feature jokes and situations which raise eyebrows rather than laughs.
One of the film's dreary subplots involves the (poor) making of a (poor) "art" or pornographic film. Like *that* film, *this* film feels an experimental, in-house drag. It should never have been made. -
riccoh6818 May 2005What a disappointment. That this movie is billed as a comedy is bizarre. I don't recall myself laughing even once. The setting and scripting is juvenile and primitive, and the characterisations hollow and unbelievable. There is almost no development during the movie, nor anything to really pique the interest of the audience.
The jacket description on the DVD was very misleading and thus annoying. While there was great potential in this film, it was never even begun to be realised.
I watched this movie after a four-hour counselling session with a couple who had recently lost their 17-year-old son in a car accident, and was after a pick-me-up - but this movie never even began to offer, even though almost anything could have. -
momma-326 February 2005I saw this movie on cable on rainy day when there was nothing else on TV, not knowing what to expect but my curiosity was peaked by the talent (Mia Kirshner, Giovanni Ribisi, Jesse Bradeford...script by Melissa Ribisi).
I was surprisingly thoroughly entertained and laughed myself silly. It was funny! It's one of those films that if you live of have lived in Los Angeles, you can appreciate the humor. Kind of like Swingers (I saw Swingers when I lived in NY, and I didn't get the hype, then I saw it a few years later after moving to LA and I couldn't stop laughing).
Not a masterpiece but if you're ever home on a rainy day and should happen to stumble across this one on cable, it's the worth the time. -
inkblot1121 February 2005Spencer (Jesse Bradford) moves to Los Angeles to start anew. Unexpectly, he runs into (literally!) a car driven by a girl, Melora (Mia Kershner), from his home town who he has admired for years. Voila! She also works at the same advertising firm where Spencer has just signed on as a mail clerk. However, there are complications. To begin, Melora has an on again, off again relationship with a big ad man from the same company. Also, Spencer has a room in an old mansion owned by a gay male couple, who may need him to star in their film project. It is X-rated! Does Spencer have a chance with the lady of his dreams? For those who love old fashioned love stories, this one is a good one! The two stars are wonderfully attractive and funny and the bizarre stream of characters that inhabit the film hit the funny bone, too. The costumes are a bit dismal but the local scenery is very nice. However, a word of caution is advised. There is some racy dialogue pertaining to the gay couple and their pornographic film. While the number of minutes devoted to them is small, those who like good clean fun may be offended. Nonetheless, this film shoots an almost-straight arrow at the heart of those who cherish the timeless tale of love.
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jbnoit126023 February 2005I have read all the reviews before me to see what the "common" viewer has seen in this film. Mosy people take every scene exactly word for word.
I've read comment about "gay" roommates. The filmmaker roommates are not gay. The people who have said the roommates are gay should stop posting if they have no idea what they are talking about. They are struggling directors with no talent. They are the epitome of Hollywood. No one sees the unsuccessful in Hollywood.
Mia's character is a common feminine character in films today. Her character fits the gender role put out by Hollywood and even independent film. Women are depicted as being dependent on a wealthy man. They are interested in men with money. Money makes the world go round.
The film falls apart when they try to find some far fetched way to try to make Jesse Bradford a successful business man. The script is written in a way that seems fake.
I enjoyed to movie. The soundtrack is independent. The problem is that the script is as predictable as 99 percent of all romantic comedies.
I hope this helps. I recommend this movie if you watch many movies. The soundtrack itself is worth the viewing. -
PeachHamBeach18 May 2008Not the greatest or most original story of all time, but curiously sweet and engaging story about a long lost first crush and surprise reunion. I have said previously that I thought Jesse Bradford was a bad actor, but while I still don't think he's spectacular, I think he is very cute and did a great job in this film. (The film I was so harsh about was the awful SWIMFAN. It was just a horrendous film all around, and probably not Bradford's fault at all, since the film had quite a few good actors that I normally enjoy.)
The rest of the cast is even better, including Mia Kirshner, Brad Rowe, Adam Goldberg, David Krumholtz, Shane Edelman (who also directed I believe), Marissa Ribisi, Precious Chong and in a smallish role, Giovanni Ribisi. I had wanted to see the film for several years due to my admiration for Marissa Ribisi and her films. She co-wrote this film, which began life with the title THE MAILROOM. I also really loved her first co-written project, SOME GIRL. I miss these small, low-profile indie comedies and I hope she will give us more of her talent soon. -
sawyoufirst22 August 2004There was a couple things that stood out when I watched this film. 1. Nearly 1/3 of the movie was out of focus. This is a crew position that producers must hire experienced people in. 2. It was very obvious that the Director of Photography was no camera operator.
***Spoilers below***
The story was very flat, and the "roommates" attempt at making a "porn" was so pathetic, it was actually tough to watch. This movie takes place in modern times, yet the "camera" they were using was from what the early 70's? The woman that showed some skin was in her 40's. Couldn't they of found a hot young actress to play that part. Giovanni's sister Marissa was nice, but they were shooting a "porn" with their clothes on....lame.
There was obviously sexual tension and attraction between Spencer and Melora, but nothing develops except they kiss at the end. To make the story at least interesting, they should have gotten it on at some point. Mia's breasts were practically hanging out in a couple scenes, and the practically see through shirts she had on a couple times teased the viewers, but we would have preferred a taste, it would of at least supported the whole sexual theme that was present in the whole movie.
And lastly, what was up with the MULLET on the Ezra character. I grimaced each time I looked at that. Too bad all of his shots were in focus, and most of Mia's were out. If it were the other way around, I wouldn't of minded so much. -
matthew-l-dixon24 May 2005I go to college, and I have to say I didn't mind sitting down and watching this movie. Granted it was at 2 AM on a Monday night, when I was in a weird mood to begin with, but still worth your time :) If you think you aren't going to like chick flicks, I would say don't discount it. Especially if you are in one of those weird moods, like the ones where you are up at 2 am on a Monday night. Mia Kirchner does a great job, and so does the the main actor, Spencer, (forget his real name). The script was pretty good, and i liked the ending a ton. Like I said if you are a guy don't automatically discount it, watch it with the wife, or the girlfriend, or something.
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insomniac_rod15 November 2004I don't know if the director and writer tried to much to create a movie that would be very Kevin Wiliams.
The sub plot of the gay room mates with the idea of making a porn sounded fun and kind of interesting for this kind of movie, but it just didn't work as it was carried in a silly way.
Spencer's love interest plays the main plot of the movie. The guy is a geek with mediocre life and job and suddenly his ideas reach to a high exec. from a publicity company and his life changes for good. He is rich now and he gets the super hot and beautiful Melora. This girl is kind of slutty as dates a guy to make her ex-boyfriend jealous and in the end goes with the nerdy guy that suddenly becomes rich.
Melora played hard to Spencer and rejected him several times. It's beyond reality that she changed her mind and feelings after all that she made Spencer go through.
Anyways, the movie is for pure entertainment as it doesn't make the audience think or generate feelings. It's just a "romantic" comedy that feels very 90's with absurd sub-plots and a predictable ending.
4/10. Watch the movie for Melora and the cute Marisa Ribisi. I catched this movie at 2:00 a.m. on cable. Don't waste your money on this.