Amazon.com

Sophomore jinx hit hard in this second film by Kevin Smith, whose debut Clerks transcended the limits of its setting and budget to become something memorably funny. (Smith followed Mallrats with the wonderful Chasing Amy, so Mallrats definitely had the old curse.) A ramshackle comedy set in a mall, the film follows several story lines involving lovers, enemies, friends, goofballs, and Smith's own "silent" character, who also appeared in Clerks and Chasing Amy. A heavy self-consciousness weighs on everything, as if Smith forgot how to make obscenity funny instead of tedious. Still, it's nice to see some of the director's film family on screen, among them Jason Lee and Joey Lauren Adams. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (304)

Mallrats
This was Kevin Smith's funniest movie! Who ever thought that hanging out at the mall would be funny? Well somehow, Smith did it and he did it very well in this non stop rib breaking comedy.

MALLRATS is about 2 guys T.S. (Jeremy London) and Brodie (Jason Lee). After breaking up with his girlfriend because she agreed to go on her father's copycat version of the Dating Game, he goes over to his friend Brodie's house and finds out that his girl, Renee (Shannon Dougherty) broke up with him as well. Brodie, wanting to make his friend feel better, takes him to the mall. It's a non stop laugh riot from sailboats to stage trashing to the backseat of Volkswagon, MALLRATS will keep you laughing from beginning to end.

This was Jason Lee's first movie and he really made it count. Lee is hilarious in this movie and he steals every scene that he's in. Plus who could forget the comedy due of Jay and Silent Bob? Of course you can't because they're in this one as well. Plus this movie is just wrong. There are some really scandalous scenes (Ms Ivana's fortune telling and the game show). And a very special cameo by Stan Lee, creator of Marvel Comics, doesn't hurt.

There is a lot of swearing, some nudity and some drug references but other than that, all good here. You'll definitely want to add this to your collection. Plus I had to give it 5 stars because this movie was filmed in MN and the "Minneso-TAH accent" (like in FARGO and DROP DEAD GORGEOUS) was not used!! That alone scores serious points. In any case, enjoy MALLRATS and don't forget to pick up Smith's other great titles like CLERKS, CHASING AMY, DOGMA and JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK

SILENT BOB IS BACK ON THE ESCALATOR
Mallrats did horribly at the box office. This fact is undisputable. However this movie has heart. It gets funnier the more you watch it. However if you don't like comics, sci fi movie references and dialogue about anything and everything this movie is not for you. The DVD collectors edition is a gem. There is over an hour of deleted scenes. In fact a whole subplot that got cut because it din't quite work. Commentary throughout the movie with Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes(Jay), Ben Affleck(Shannon) and Jason Lee(Brodie). Well worth it to hear them banter between themselves. You can tell they had a great time makin this movie. It shows in the film as well. This is definately a four star movie and with all the extras it goes straight to five stars. Hey at least Mallrats will make money on video since it bombed at theatres. Snoochie Boochies.

Halarious
I don't care who says this movie bad. I don't care how many peopel think it sucks. I think it's awesome. By far the best Jay and Silent movie. I like it cause it's funny and there isn't too much swearing or annoying stuff. Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back is funny to but annoying cause Jay is the main character and as a result of that. There is way too much swearing. I like Jay and Bob but they make more better back up characters. Jason Less is great. Yeah some parts of this are dumb but I love it cause it's filmed in my home state. Minnesota. The land of the hot blondes. Anybody who is from Minnesota know what I"m talking about. If you want a funny movie that is original and has a good story. Buy this movie.

Fun Fun Fun
Title: Mallrats

Cast: Shannen Doherty ... Rene Mosier
Jeremy London ... T.S. Quint
Jason Lee ... Brodie Bruce
Claire Forlani ... Brandi Svenning
Ben Affleck ... Shannon Hamilton
Joey Lauren Adams ... Gwen Turner
Renée Humphrey ... Tricia Jones
Jason Mewes ... Jay
Ethan Suplee ... Willam Black
Stan Lee ... Himself
Kevin Smith ... Silent Bob

Director: Kevin Smith

Tagline: "They're not there to shop. They're not there to work. They're just there."

Plot Summary: Two best friends whose girlfriends dump them on the same day seek solace in wandering around the local mall. Once there, wild and whacky events ensue that give them a chance to set things right with their girlfriends before it's too late.

Review and Comments: Words cannot describe what happens in this movie, it's one of those "you had to be there" kind of things...that's why the plot summary won't do the story justice. And once you see it, you either buy into it and like what you see, or you're violently annoyed by the proceedings. I can fully understand both reactions, but I'm firmly on the side of enjoying this movie. Yes, it's absurd. A lot of the comedy is slapstick. Yes, it involves a slacker college-age guy taking his less-of-a-slacker college student friend to wander around the mall the day they both experience breakups. Yes, they get into a bunch of weird and quirky situations that are either funny or annoying, depending on your sense of humor. I laughed a lot.

The relationships are about as one-dimensional as you can get. I think there's too much weird humor going on here for me to get too involved with the characters. But I appreciate how much these guys love their girlfriends. I appreciate that Brodie (Jason Lee) can't admit how much he loves his ex girlfriend, even though everyone can see it. I appreciate that Brandi (Claire Forlani) can't admit how much she loves T.S. (Jeremy London) because she's too busy trying to be mad at him and justify her breakup to herself. It's sweet to watch at times, but not much more than that. If you want depth, look elsewhere.

The comedy is what saves this movie, which is why you have to find it funny, or the movie will just annoy the hell out of you. There are several gross-out jokes, including one that made me want to puke. The elevator sex scene and ensuing discussion between the characters was hilarious. There's a running joke about a game show that's filming on a stage in the mall that night, and how Jay and Silent Bob keep attempting to sabotage it. There are about a million more, but I won't spoil them. Suffice it to say that slapstick comedy pervades this movie, and if you don't like that, you won't enjoy the movie. The ending is corny and sweet, and the proceedings are largely painless. It's not my favorite Smith film, but it's nowhere near as bad as critics made it out to be.

The Bottom Line: Perfectly fitting my weird sense of humor.

Smith is bad for comics and film.....
In 1998, when Smith's DAREDEVIL run began, everyone was saying, read it, It's great. Oh boy was it not. Very bad writing that basically destroyed the charecter, The same's true with this piece of celliod garbage. There is no one to like in this movie, heck an episode of Beveryly Hills 902010 has more plot, better dialoge, and casting then this. It should become a tradition to avoid all Kevin Smith movies as you would avoid a trip to the IRS office. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is the movie blamed for encouraging college kids (and others) to lie down on the painted divider between lanes of highway traffic. (Incredibly, the studio pulled the film in its opening weeks and deleted the allegedly offending scene.) James Caan plays a football coach under tremendous pressure from his university's sports program to come up with a winning team. The story focuses on the fallout of that pressure on the lives of several players and the program itself. It's all rather flat and TV-movie-like, and because there is an emphasis on issues instead of characters, the actors work doubly hard to bring dimension to their stock roles. On the plus side, the cast is largely composed of young actors who have come a long way since the film's release. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (42)

real football action
People have been critical of this film, but I'd like to talk about those of us who have played the game, been in the programs, and know that what this movie portrays is in many respects the truth nowdays in the business of college sports. The football action is some of the best that Hollywood has put on the bigscreen. My friends and I love this film, as it shows what we have lived. We sympothize with even the un-lovable charactors. Latimer does some terrible things in the movie but we know what pressure is like, the injury to the biggest bada$$ on the field hits close to home with any athlete, and keeping ones "edge" is convincing yourself that you are indestructable, invincible. The best football movie out there, still. Whoever says this movie doesn't hit home has never strapped it up and laid hat. Well worth the buy, need more on DVD!

When I was a kid I thought it was good
When I first saw this money when I was in middle school or something I thought it was really good. It's still a good flick but more because it's just funny. Vladimir is just hilarious to me now and I can't see how any grown man takes him seriously. I love how he has barbells under his bed so he can get some curls in after he shoots up -- "No problem!" Personally I didn't like the game scenes but I'm pretty picky -- I did not think they were choregraphed well so if you watch/play a lot of football Omar Epps looks like a pretty bad running back. Other funny moments: Michigans quarterback after they win, "place at the table", just about the whole movie actually. Also the obligatory quarterback-throwback-pass confuses the defense, as usual -- they must not watch football movies! Still that said, it's a good flick, pretty exciting, and most people will like it.

Great Movie For Football Fans
This is an excellent movie for football fans. It is the most realistic football movie I have seen. The Program is a most believable depiction of college football and college life for the players. I played college football and feel that I am hard to impress as far as football movies go. The Program impressed me!

Two Great Movies
The Program is, in my opinion as a former football player, the best football movie of all time. I used to watch it to get worked up for a game. No jokes, no exaggerations, just real college football. True, all the drama is a bit much in one school, but ESU (the college in the movie)acts as a microchosm for all of college football. Very exciting guy flick with just the right amount of romance for the girls. Still though, total guy flick.
Con Air is much the same. Total action guy flick about a prison break on a flight of cons, but with some non-forced romance from the sensitive hero just tryin to get home to see his wife and baby. He was of course, wrongly imprisoned and is on the flight because he made parole.
Rarely can you find a better combo of movies.

Best football movie ever
If you look through the other 39 reviews, the majority are 5 star ratings and that's all you need to know!!

Excellent movie from start to finish. Some hard facts to swallow (steroids, back handers etc...)
But that is the reality of this movie. As a amateur football player here in Ireland,
it thought me alot about team work and especially how to play hard hitting football.
We all watch this great movie before games to pump ourselves up.
It's not just a must see, It's a must BUY!!
Has to be released on DVD soon.

"STARTING DEFENSE- PLACE AT THE TABLE" ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

You remember high school? Really remember? If you think you do, watch this film: it'll all really come racing back. After changing the world with the generation-defining Slacker, director Richard Linklater turned his free-range vérité sensibility on the 1970s. As before, his all-seeing camera meanders across a landscape studded with goofy pop culture references and poignant glimpses of human nature. Only this time around, he's spreading a thick layer of nostalgia over the lens (and across the soundtrack). It's as if Fast Times at Ridgemont High was directed by Jean-Luc Godard. The story deals with a group of friends on the last day of high school, 1976. Good-natured football star Randall "Pink" Floyd navigates effortlessly between the warring worlds of jocks, stoners, wannabes, and rockers with girlfriend and new-freshman buddy in tow. Surprisingly, it's not a coming-of-age movie, but a film that dares ask the eternal, overwhelming, adolescent question, "What happens next?"It's a little too honest to be a light comedy (representative quote: "If I ever say these were the best years of my life, remind me to kill myself."). But it's also way too much fun (remember souped-up Corvettes and bicentennial madness?) to be just another existential-essay-on-celluloid. --Grant Balfour ... Read more

Reviews (213)

"The 70's...oh my god, they obviously suck!"
That is one of many classic lines from this movie that makes it a classic. However, this movie could have been set in the 70's, 80's, 90's or 2003 and people would have seen themselves or their friends in this outstanding cast of characters. We all lived through high school, and we can all identify with the characters depicted in Dazed and Confused.

For example, there's the kid who's 27 and still hanging out with all the high schoolers, still trying to date high school freshmen 13 years his junior (Matthew McConaghey). For some kids, you can tell that high school will be the pinnacle of their sad, pathetic lives, and Ben Affleck plays this character to a tee. There are also the ludicrously bitchy and snobby girls (Parker Posey), the perpetually nice and perky girls (Michelle Burke), and the kid who comes to parties "to drink some beer and kick some ass." (Nicky Katt)

This movie is funny because it is so true. High school is pretty much the same regardless of decade or location. You have your jocks and your intellectuals, your snobs and the kids who are nice to everybody. In that way it's like real life, but in real life you're not bound together with 800 other kids you grew up with and who know your entire embarassing life story.

This movie depicting only one day in the life of a high school student is hilarious and touching. Though it will make you laugh out loud, it will also bring back memories of feeling inadequate or ugly that were magnified by the clausterphobic setting of high school. This movie features some stellar performances by actors who went on to become very famous. Though the characters in this movie could have gone to school at any time period in the 20th century, the 70's setting adds to the hilarity. Dive into this world of bell bottoms, bongs and Black Sabbath and try not to cringe when you recognize yourself or your friends in the wonderful cast of characters.

Smoked out hilarious
Ok, being born in 1974 I never got to experience the weirdness of the '70's. I've longed to live in the days of bell bottoms, platforms and the beautiful women with the straight ironed hair. This is one of those movies that captures exactally how I perceive the mid 70's to be. This film is about, well, graduation night and future freshmen and seniors. They basically go around smoking weed and trying to terrorize the up coming freshman. The line up is an all star cast of who's who in movies. Ben Afleck, Mathew Mcconaughey, Jason London and Milla Jovovich.

This is a film that takes a comedic, yet precise look at life in 1976. The music is absolutely awesome and the dialogue will keep you laughing from beginning to end. You get the guy that's always doped up, the jock, the preppy little bi**h and the freshman who wants to fit in. It's hard to describe just what this movie is about because it is really about nothing. One night in 1976 would have been just as good a title as "Dazed and Confused". I love this film. If you enjoy great humor pick this one up.

WOOD-A-BEEN, HAPPENIN'
Finally, a DAZED AND CONFUSED special edition. This is one of the best comedies ever made. Some people find it boring and plotless, but they're just unable to appreciate the honesty that comes along with the movie. Whenever I watch this movie, I watch the whole thing, no scene selections. There is just something about this movie that makes you feel comfortable. It is probably the familiarity that accompanies each of the characters that reminds you of people that you know. There is also something about the feeling of following the characters from the end of their last day of school into the party and concluding on the next morning. There is a feeling about joining the party that makes this movie watchable at most any time. You can feel like you are in the movie, and there is something about it that just wants to make you have fun or go hang out with your friends. People who haven't seen this movie will also be surprised to see the a lot of the cast, which includes many now-famous actors. This cast includes Jason London, Ben Affleck, Rory Cochrane, Mila Jovovich, Matthew McConaughey, and, well there is too many, but believe me, if you remember high school, or you like comedies and you haven't already, you have to check this movie out, and watch the whole thing. It is also good to watch it with a friend so you have someone to talk to about it. An unforgettable set of characters, some good jokes, an unforgettable party, and finally, some special features to go along with the movie. I was one of those people who was told about the movie from a cousin and I picked up the DVD (old one with no special features) and it became one of my favorites. The thing that surprised me was that nobody really knew about it, except for some older people, because the movie was like AMERICAN PIE when it came out. This special edition will definitely get some new recognition. The only thing that pisses me off is that when this special edition does come out, new people are gonna see it and they are gonna act like they discovered it, like I haven't seen it before them. That is gonna suck, but it is gonna be worth it when I see those special features. I hope they have some behind-the-scenes footage or a reunion of the cast or something. By the way, Richard Linklater is a genius who writes with honesty (he also directed this movie). I am gonna buy WAKING LIFE (also starring Wiley Wiggins), BEFORE SUNRISE, and see BEFORE SUNSET. If you liked this movie, you'll probably like DETROIT ROCK CITY and ALMOST FAMOUS. Those movies are good, but we'll get to those later. DAZED AND CONFUSED is a movie you gotta check out. I can't wait for this special edition. You'll also like AMERICAN PIE, THE GIRL NEXT DOOR, and a lot of other comedies with honesty. By the way, I forgot, there is some stupid dialogue in the movie, but it is overweighed by the good stuff, and you won't notice it until you have seen the movie around three or four times. By the way, that doesn't mean I think that the movie is stupid or anything, I can say that because I am a big fan, and I still really like that movie. Plus, you've got to take some stupid jokes along with every good comedy. Anyway, my hands are starting to hurt, and I'm running out of ideas. DAZED AND CONFUSED is one of the greatest comedies ever made. This isn't the only move coming out with a special edition. There is MEET THE PARENTS and a bunch of other UNIVERSAL movies coming out with special editions.

Hilarious!!
This comedy is a scream!! It perfectly captures high school in the 1970s - if you were in school then, you'll recognize everyone in this film as someone in your class. Every detail is perfect - the clothes, haircuts, parties, parents, attitudes, cars, everything. And unlike many teen movies, it doesn't pretend to be heavy or deep - its just and all out good time. I could not stop laughing, watching it, and the soundtrack is awesome.

Looks like someone's smoking the reefer...
I saw this movie and was certainly surprised at how different from its peers it is. "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" is deep, and certainly funny, but it lacks that underlying tone of what will happen to the kids once they get out of school. "American Pie" is hilarious, but it's too bogged down by clichés. "Dazed and Confused", however, finds the perfect middle ground. Set in Austin, Texas, on the last day of school in 1976, the film follows a rouges gallery of colorful (if not fun-loving) teenagers who plan to spend the afternoon and night having as much fun as possible, and that's an understatement. The story itself is very simple, yet captivating and intriguing. Each teen spends his/her night doing something different, yet they all eventually convene at the party at the moon tower. It's like a combo of a day-in-the-life movie, an in-depth character study, and a great teen comedy. And it is of course the comedy that more then any thing explores the alienation and unsettling nature that teenagers feel, regardless of age or timeframe. We see this through such lines as: "I came here tonight to do two things: kick some ass and drink some beer. Looks like we're out of beer!" and "If I ever refer to these as the best years of my life remind me to kill myself." That captures how these kids feel about school, and about life. Cause hey, you want the best years of your life, forget high school. Try college ... Read more

Description

Outrageously sexy and frankly hilarious, CHASING AMY is another hit comedy from Kevin Smith, the critically acclaimed director of CLERKS. Holden's been looking for the perfect woman -- funny, bright, and attractive. When he finally meets Alyssa, the woman of his dreams ... she has someone a little different in mind -- another woman! But together, Holden and Alyssa share the kind of relationship they've been looking for all along ... and soon discover that the confusing ups and downs of love, sex, and friendship in the '90s have never been so complicated ... or so funny! Audiences and critics cheered this provocative and lively comedy ... you're sure to enjoy every entertaining moment. ... Read more

Reviews (355)

Simply Fabulous!
"Chasing Amy" by director Kevin Smith is such an triumph. This movie about love, friendship and taking chances hits with so many punches. It's well rounded, it doesn't take the easy way out, NOR does it go for the safe laugh. The story surrounding comic book writer Holden (Ben Afflect) , his best mate and partner Banky (played beautifully by Jason Lee), and Holden's love for fellow comic book girl, lesbian Allyssa (Joey Lauren Adams) Who SO deserved the Golden Globe Nomination. It's sweet, lovely and such a testament to true love. Conflict between these three characters carries this movie with such intelligence.

One of the BEST love declaration speeches in movie HISTORY is in this movie, when Holden spills his cuts (in the rain, no less) to Alyssa. That scene sums up the whole movie. It's just such a good movie. Supporting cast includes the performance of Fan Fav. "Jay and Silent Bob" in a wonderful moment that sums it all up. Truly inspired writing on Smith's part.

I hope everyone appreciates it like I do. It's fabulous!

blech!
Why did this movie get such good reviews?? Maybe it would've been clearer when it came out, but I honestly thought it was terrible.

The main plotline made no sense whatsoever. There was no chemistry between Ben and Joey's characters, and suddenly, after about 10 minutes, he found himself deeply in love with her and had to make a 5 minute confession to her. Then it turns out she, a former lesbian, was in love with him all along too, and suddenly they're kissing in the rain. There was no build-up to this, and as such I felt nothing for their relationship or anything they were going through.

The drawn-out monologues in the movie are pretty silly as well. The characters talk at each other for long periods of time while the others just stare at them blankly. (Ben Affleck has indeed mastered the blank, gaping stare.) And parts of the movie are so silly that I wasn't sure if any of the movie was supposed to be taken seriously at all. Sometimes it seems it has a message, but then it's just stupid.

It was kind of entertaining at times, and the supporting characters were amusing. So that's why it got 2 stars. But overall it was a pretty bad movie.

another popular release.
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edotion of the film.

This film the third release in the Jersey "trilogy" (quintilogy to be exact) is also the one where Silent Bob speaks more than any other release. In this film,(Ben Affleck) a comic book artist falls in love with young women who is also a comic book artist, only to discover that she is lesbian. The film is not for children and like the film "Clerks" almost got an NC-17 rating based solely on sexual dialog.

The Criterion DVD has numerous special features.
There is a new DVD edition video introdiction for the audio commentary explaining a comment made by Kevin blasting DVD's (The audio commentary as originally recorded for the laserdisc edition.)
The is full length audio commentary by director/actor Kevin Smith, producer Scott Mosier, actors Ben Affleck and Jason Mewes, associate producer Robert Hawk, Miramax executive Jon Gordon, and Vincent Pereira. There is also a Theatrical trailer, 10 deleted scenes with introductions. There is also a set of outtakes.

The Criterion Collection remains the exclusive distributer for the film's DVD format as of the time this review is being written.

'Till the other shoe drops
Interesting but pretty improbable, and ultimately it will be unworkable. It should have been written as a tragedy instead it is a farce.

ok but no clerks
this was an ok film, but still highly overrated i recommend clerks, clerks the series, or maybe mallrats instead of this. ... Read more

Reviews (86)

This is one of the most funniest movies i've ever seen.
This a very humorous movie. Although it didn't become a big hit, it is still a classic. It had the right stars to play the main charters(Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin).

The movie focuses on two collage students from Tucson, who stumble apon an experimental dome, believing it was a mall. They stay at the dome and cause total chaos and drive the scientists inside crazy. Then they destroy the dome by having a huge party and become heroes when they clean it up.

The humor was mainly from the stupidity of Bud(Pauly Shore)and Doyle(Stephen Baldwin). They acted like they were still in the eight grade with annoying and senseless humor. They were like the kind of people who could cheer you up when you were down.

The movie did have its downs, though. The main charters didn't act their age. The humor was mainly aimed at young kids but had an "R" rating. The movie could have done good without the involvement of hemp. And Pauly Shore keep laughing after almost everything he said. But, that's why most people like the movie.

Over all, I think the movie was great. It was very funny, had a great cast, and had a good plot to it.

An award winner, not a bomb!
I read on a website that this film was rated as a "BOMB". That is the worst rating I've ever heard for one of the funniest movies ever. Non-stop laughs! Pauly Shore is a comic genius, and he shows it in this movie. If you're a serious comedy lover, this is a must-have DVD. So buy it here at Amazon!

It's Just Like Seventh Grade
I watched 'Bio-Dome' under extreme protest. I didn't really expect much, but I had no idea how wretched it would truly be. Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin star as Bud and Doyle, two losers who inadvertently get trapped in the 'Bio-Dome' scientific research station and hilarity (allegedly) ensues. Adding to the agony is an early screen appearance by Jack Black.

'Bio-Dome' is essentially a glimpse of the hilarity that goes on in a seventh grade boy's locker room. Jokes about K-Y Jelly and flatulence abound, so if you think that is utterly hilarious, this movie may be for you. The only bright side to 'Bio-Dome' is this: it is the film that utterly killed Pauley Shore's screen career.

Makes Carrot Top Seem Handsome, and Adam Sandler Seem Funny
I watched 'Bio-Dome' under extreme protest. I didn't really expect much, but I had no idea how wretched it would truly be. Pauly 'The Weasel' Shore and Stephen Baldwin star as Bud and Doyle, two losers (there's a casting surprise!) who, thinking they are going to a mall, inadvertently get trapped within a futuristic 'Bio-Dome' scientific research station, and hilarity (allegedly) ensues. This makes 'Chairman of the Board' starring Carrot Top look like a serious contender for an Academy Award. Adding to the agony is an early screen appearance by the mega-untalented Jack Black, as if Pauly and Stephen weren't more than enough to discourage you.

'Bio-Dome' is essentially a glimpse of the hilarity that goes on in a seventh grade boy's locker room. Jokes about K-Y Jelly and flatulence abound, so if you think that is utterly hilarious, this movie may be for you. The good news is this: this is the film that utterly killed Pauley Shore's screen popularity, so for that I say thank you to the producers of 'Bio-Dome' for making this pile.

Viva Los Bio Dome!
A cult classic. Son-In_law is my favorite but this is a close second. Over the years I have watched this movie at least 30 times. When it comes to the party scene at the end it gets a little weak. Pauly and Steven Baldwin feed off each other like they grew up together. "Hey, Faulkner! Quit hoggin the KY!" ... Read more

Amazon.com

Gosh--kids. You gotta love 'em, right? Well, not necessarily-- particularly if you're Adam Sandler. But Big Daddy is about paternal devotion in its own oblique way. Sandler plays Sonny Koufax, a law-school grad who has been milking an accident settlement to cover his living expenses, while he continues to slack his way through life. But when his girlfriend threatens to dump him, he decides to show her he's serious about their relationship and pretends to adopt a little boy (in fact, his roommate's son from a one-night stand several years earlier, who shows up on their doorstep just after the roommate leaves town on a job). But after taking care of the tyke for a couple of days, Sonny finds that it's a little like feeding that stray dog that followed you home: Before you know it, you've grown attached to the little fella--and then what are you going to do? By turns crude and maudlin, Big Daddy has its share of laughs and will certainly entertain fans who like Adam Sandler best when he plays the case of arrested development with a smart-aleck retort for everything. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (169)

Pretty funny, pretty good
I think that by this time in Adam Sandler's career, there are two kinds of fans: ones who either hate him, or love him. And to be blunt, his roles in most of his movies are not that great. For instance; playing the title character in "Happy Gilmore", he was a hockey/golf pro. In "The Waterboy" he played a retarted waterboy. And in "Little Nicky" he played the Devil's son. Now, all of these roles are not ones that we can relate to. But yet we still loved those films, and with good reason.

But in "Big Daddy", Sandler plays Sonny Koufax. What makes this role so much better is that there's a sense of love from within. When a young boy (Cole/Dylan Sprouse) is left outside his door, he takes him in and gives him a home. And for anyone who saw "Billy Madison" you see the irony here. Anyway, to make a long story short, it's the most well-rounded character he's every played. It's a movie that anyone can like, even if they don't like Adam Sandler. Grant it, he has the starring role, but he's with a great supporting cast. It includes Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Stewart and Rob Schneider, along with some Sandler-movie regulars. Joey is particularly good here. She provides more seriousness than most of his female co-stars from earlier films.

This movie is definetly a comedy--and it' a good one at that. But it has more than just stupid laughs. It's cute, it's sad, and it's something you shouldn't be able to hate. The movie may be around 3.5 stars, it's better than just three. The only reason it didn't get more is because of the ending. I didn't think much of the ending, but I guess it was fitting. Anyway, Adam Sandler does something in this movie that I hope continues for him; that being playing great roles. So watch this movie, whether you like Adam Sandler or not. It' a great film.

This movie really shows Adam Sandler's soft side.
This is a great movie, all around. It's got comedy like every Adam Sandler movie, but it's also got a real show of heart. I mean, what are you supposed to do when a kid shows up on your doorstep and you're told that he's your roommate's son, but your roommate is off on a business trip? Julian is an adorable little guy, and you can really see that he got attached to Sonny, only to be told that he had to go away by the social services. That tugs at the heartstrings, especially when Julian is being led out of Sonny's apartment by the social worker repeating "But I wipe my own ass!", thinking that it was his fault he had to go away. Adam Sandler's character really showed a soft side when he gave that speech in court when it was going to be decided whether Julian would stay with him or with the adoption services. Overall, it's a wonderful movie.

Law school grade likes tripping skate boarders
I first saw this movie on TV edited for a general audience. I guess the whole family and I were enjoying it so much we didn't notice all the Bleeps. When Sandler loses the kid, all three of my younger children were sobing. We laughed, we cried, we cheered when the good guys won the day. But...

Then I bought the movie. This is not a family friendly movie becuase the language is to salty. Sandler, who hardly ever got very much face time on Saturday night Live, except in the credits has turned out to be one of my favorites. I like almost everything he does. Big daddy is a 4 star, very good movie, but i have to give it 3 stars for the cursing.

A beautiful movie
Big Daddy is a beautiful movie.

Yes, it is crude at times. But Sandler shows what live is all about, hope, love and faith.

Good movie, different , but good.
I think this is a great movie, adam sandler shows a different but good side. I reccomend this to anyone. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Full of Heart
Within the most recent of pageant movies that have been released (Drop Dead Gorgeous, Miss Congeniality), Beautiful has been the one with the most heart. Beauty is a story about a girl named Mona who all of her live has wanted to be crown Miss American Miss. It seems as if her dreams will shatter when she finds out she's pregnant. But her loyal friend, Ruby, decides to be claimed as the mother of the child so her friend can pursue her dream. Mona and Ruby do their best to hide the secret from Vanessa (the baby) and pursue Mona's dream. Minnie Driver and Joey Lauren Adams were great as Mona and Ruby, the two friends who were inseparable. Hallie Kate Eisenberg, famous for her Pepsi commercials, is wonderful as 7 yr. old Vanessa. There's no doubt she will have a successful career, she was awesome! Beautiful shows how powerful friendships can be, how life can take a downturn any moment, and shows how, in the end, everything will end up right.

Great addition to the "chick flick" genre!
Minnie Driver acted brilliantly in this movie, even though her CHARACTER was a very annoying, self-centered person. Don't fear though, her character does grow to be loved. Driver's character has a dream to one day become "Miss America Miss" and she'll stop at nothing for a chance to wear the crown. Along for the ride is her childhood friend, played by Joey Lauren Adams of "Dazed and Confused" and "Mallrats". She's the rational, lovable one of the duo. Her character sews the funky costumes that Driver wears in the pageants. Also in the movie is Halley Kate Eisenburg, the girl from the Pepsi commercials. Surprisingly, she didn't annoy me in this film. She's actually a great little actress! Two other actresses add much to their small roles--Bridgette Wilson (from "The Weddding Planner") plays Miss Texas and Kathleen Robertson (Claire from 90210) plays Miss Tennessee. Even the "Doritos" girl makes a cameo as she gives up her crown to the new Miss America Miss. Watch this adorable movie to see who the lucky winner is! This is a perfect movie for a girls' night in! Don't forget the candy and popcorn!

What people will go through to become the most beautiful
Beautiful, adj. 1. Having beauty; delighting the senses and mind. 5. The ideal of beauty.

So says Webster, and given that, Mona Hibbard of Naperville, Illinois does not embody that quality on the inside. Mona has had a drive to be beautiful and from her pre-teen years, has worked hard, getting her teeth straightened, going to a grace school, and befriending Ruby, who has learned to sew from her grandmother. From watching beauty pageants on TV, she herself enters a beauty pageant and wins for best costume. The trouble is, her parents are far from supportive, and she herself shuts them out of her life. Her mother keeps saying she's getting aggravated from her behaviour, and even when Mona gets a consolation medal reading "participant," she merely says that she didn't get anything. On the other hand, the egocentric Mona's no angel either. She has a room with posters full of beauty pageant memorabilia, and a sign on the door reading "knock first" When her mother asks her if she wants some pizza, Mona refuses to answer because her mother didn't knock first.

Years later, Ruby and Mona are firm friends. Ruby and her grandmother still help make costumes for Mona, who still has the same dream, and will do anything to get it. In one scene smacking of black humour and slapstick, she sabotages a rival's equipment when that girl steals Mona's routine and is lucky enough to go first. This has grave ramifications later on, which I won't reveal. However, when Mona discovers she's pregnant, it's bad news, because women who are mothers or legal guardians are disqualified from entering the Miss American Miss competition. But she's so desperate to prove herself beautiful, she has Ruby pose as the mother of her child, a girl named Vanessa, while she becomes her own child's aunt. This helps her win Miss Illinois, which makes her a contestant for Miss America Miss pageant. In the meantime, there are the expected public appearances to promote her.

However, fate plays a cruel trick on Ruby, leaving Vanessa in Mona's care, something neither is chuffed about. Mona sees her own daughter as A) an inconvenience, and B) someone to take photos of her to mold her image as a caring, heroic, role model. But what makes a real role model? Mona's "campaign slogan" is "empowering America's youth for a brighter America." A pity she doesn't embody that ideal toward her own soccer-loving seven year old daughter.

In Mallrats Joey Lauren Adams played the smarter advice-giving girlfriend to Claire Forlani. As Ruby, Adams is the hard-working, grounded, patient friend who works hard to help Mona reach her goal even to the extent of being the mother to Vanessa, and treating her like a real mother would, making this her best role since Chasing Amy. Hallie Kate Eisenberg (Vanessa) is quite the delight here as the very insightful girl who ends up being more mature and abler than her birth mother. Indeed, when she asks Mona how come she looks so much like her, it's more than just physical appearance, but more on personality. One only has to look at the way Mona's own mother treated her to see how Mona treats Vanessa, with lack of sympathy, support, and as somewhat of an inconvenience. Her other question to Mona, "where do I belong?" is something that Mona herself is struggling with, to belong somewhere. Adams and Eisenberg really make this movie worth it.

Actress Sally Fields' feature film directorial debut was much panned by critics, and perhaps it's Minnie Driver's character, who isn't that likeable until the final twenty minutes or so of the movie. All the same, one is aggravated by her egotistical self-centered behaviour, while at the same time wanting her to not only grow up, as Ruby tells her in a moment of exasperation, but to be, in the words of Webster, to become beautiful.

Beautiful is Ugly
I have faithfully watched Ms. America since I was knee high to a grasshopper, in hopes that one day I could wear the crown. (Maybe, just maybe.) But Beautiful, though written in fiction, is very cold. It makes beauty contestants look like airheads, and people who are totally self centered. Maybe some winners out there are like that. But all in all, Beautiful makes pageants look bad. Minnie Driver plays a lady who has wanted to win Ms. America since she was little, and will do anything to get the tiara. She even would lie about having a her illegitamite baby, just so she could win. The movie ends rather predictably. I enjoyed the movie, because it was so, well, darkly funny, and of course, involved pageants. And yes, it tries to tie some family values in at the end. I'm starting to ramble, I better stop. To put it plainly: Watch it. Laugh a little. Just don't come yelling at me when you get sick to your stomach.

Better than I Expected
I thought this movie was adorable! I loved the way it started out with Minnie Driver's character as a child- the endless amount of energy (and make-up and money!) the little girl put into her pageant efforts was hilarious!

The "Miss America Miss" pageant contestants were classic- it makes you realize just how ridiculous those things are!

Yes, it was cheesy and overly dramatic, definitely unrealistic, but it was clearly intended to be this way. This satire was also very sweet with the very young Hallie Kate stealing the show! ... Read more

Reviews (39)

A Slice Of Comedic Heaven
This movie trashes traditional religion, patronizes the Midwest, squeezes laughs out of a dying dog and a sick old woman, scorns marriage and romance and bashes men gleefully. Yet it buys into the notion that angels might really exist.

Travolta, who displays his gift for irony and whimsy, plays an unorthodox angel--a paunchy slob with moth-eaten wings who smokes, hits the bottle and chases women, even as he is on some unspecified angelic assignment in Iowa. Director Nora Ephron shows the humor and power of Michael by having Travolta, perform his Pulp Fiction dance to Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools." In fact, most of the script, by Ephron, her sister Delia and others, displays ingenuity, grace, wit and taste.

Hurt, MacDowell, and Pastorelli play cynical tabloid reporters hunting down the hapless angel. The venerable Jean Stapleton offers bright moments as the rambunctious motel owner who discovers Travolta's powers.

Repeat watching will uncover thought provoking subtleties. And of course laughs at our favorite parts--'Lines? I invented lines. Before that people were just walking around'.-- 'Pies, everybody loves pie'.

you gotta learn to laugh....it's the way to true love
man, this is a very heart warming movie about an angle named Michael. he's not your typical angel though. he smokes and is very interested in woman.
but he is also very passionate about Earth and this happens to be his last hurrah on Earth, as only 26 visits are allowed.
this is a very very heart warming movie and John Travolta is magnificant!

my favorite part is when he sees the bull at the Biggest Ball of Twine and inhales and says, "Battle".
he battles the bull and is completely happy.
overall, this is just a good movie.

We're all angels inside.
This film is brilliant! if i did't have much space for this review it would be enough to stop there! the film makes you think and start to wonder about life certain aspects of it at least, and the meaning of life.
the film tells a story of an angel who is not the stereotypical, clea, pure godly figure. the message of the film as that we are all angels. you dont have to be pure, clean or run around in white wings an a halo all day to be loved by someone an love others. sunday afternoon smiley movie me thinks!!

"Michael" is a Lot of Fun!
Now I don't for an instant classify "Michael" as a 5-Star masterpiece as, say, "Apocalypse Now," but it's definitely a great flick for its genre (romantic comedy/road movie). I don't know exactly what I was expecting -- another boring "chick flick" perhaps -- but "Michael" really surprised me. My wife and I had a great time watching it -- lots of laughs and, if you look carefully enough, even some profundities.

Michael, who is excellently portrayed by John Travolta, is an unorthodox Archangel enjoying his last mission (vacation?) to Earth. A supermarket tabloid from Chicago sends a team to Iowa to get a story and pictures; after discovering that he's a real angel they naturally want to bring him back to the big city.

What works best is that the story is essentially a fun-spirited road movie (I'm a sucker for road movies). William Hurt, Andie MacDowell and Robert Patorelli have an exceptional time meeting Michael and trying to escort him back to Chicago. Michael acts like a tourist having the time of his life, humorously wanting to see those silly little attractions we see dispersed across the countryside (e.g. "the world's biggest non-stick frying pan," etc.) -- you know, the ones most of us adults roll our eyes at.

Lots of fun things and miricles take place along the way (e.g. women are naturally attracted to Michael, bar fight, bull fight, etc.); you should discover them for yourself when watching the film. What struck me the most about Michael is that he had a true spirit of joy. The simple joy-of-living-itself was all over him; and this naturally had a big impact on all the people around him. This is something most of us could learn from Michael.

I was pleasantly surprised -- "Michael" is fun, charming and delightful -- not just another run-of-the-mill "chick flick" (in other words, guys will enjoy it too). Recommended.

Beware: the DVD case is almost entirely made of cardboard
and when I tried to peel the protection seal off, the printing of the cover started to came off with it.
Very bad quality. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Great Movie! :-)
I saw this movie three times, and each time I found something else that I liked about it. I have only seen Vince Vaughn in "Swingers" and "Psycho" and I must say that his performance in this movie was wonderful. All of the roles I have seen in him are so completely different, and his ability to portray such different characters shows his talent.

As for this movie, I loved it. Very rarely do you see a movie about a single father. This movie shows that fathers love and care about their children too and that it is not just the mother who can do those things. The child who played Calvin, Bobby Moat, is absolutely adorable and he and Vaughn had a great chemistry in the film.

I highly recommend this movie. I only wish I could afford to buy it! :-(

ENGAGING!
From beginning to end, "A Cool Dry Place" genuinely entices the viewer. My 20-year old son introduced Vince Vaughn's acting versatility to me when he rented "Clay Pigeons"; his cool, suave manner could "best" James Bond's attitude anyday - and you have to love that "unique" laughter! "Psycho", "Swingers" and "The Lost World:Jurassic Park" are GREAT movies (between my son and I, we own them all), but Vince Vaughn's performance in "A Cool Dry Place" is charming and attractive! Any actor who can portray a "cold, deadly" killer in one movie, but yet portray a loving, but firm, Father in this movie has "Oscar" written into his future.

Joey Lauren Adams was well cast for this film. I bought "Dazed and Confused" last year because I also suffered from the "screwed-up" seventies and graduated from high school in May 1976. I completely related to that movie! I thought Joey Lauren Adams was "Renee Zellweger" - Sorry Joey! After watching "Big Daddy", I had no doubt that there is a BIG difference between the two actresses. Her throaty, sometimes high-pitched, sexy voice is enough to drive Vince Vaughn WILD! She may be a "Veterinarian's assistant", but she HAS MORE CLASS than the woman, Monica Potter, who portrays the "truant" wife. Even though she is "just" the girl friend, she has more wisdom when it comes to "rearing" children and "what is best for the child" and her acting is SUPERB!

Bobby Moat as Calvin is EXCELLENT! A beautiful child and an impressive actor!

Like Samantha K. (Gainesville,FL), I wish I could afford to buy this movie NOW!

One thing leads to another
This is the film that sparked my interest in Vince Vaughan. His performance in this film is so sweet and well done that I just had to have more. Imoved on to Swingers, the Locusts, and another favorite, Clay Pigeons. He doesn't seem to do films like these anymore, so this is definately a great place to start your Vince Vaughan collection.

The Movie is absolutely amazing!!
There are a couple reasons why I highly recommend this movie. One of the most compelling reasons is found in the caliber of the cast involved. The acting job is quite spectacular, very realistic, and the story is very vivid and at the same time rough. Many times a director can't capture the audience's attention on "Every day life" type movies. In this movie, the director hit the nail right on the head! I would stack this movie up against "Lord of the Rings", "The Matrix series", "Fast and the Furious", etc any day. Bottom Line- This movie is genuine and a real piece of art work.

this is a WONDERFUL movie!...
The only reason I heard of this movie was because of Joey Lauren Adams, but I am SO GLAD I hunted it down! It's such a sweet tale, but most importantly, it is REALISTIC. There is no pure evil or pure good in this movie. I found myself sympathizing with each character. The casting is unbelievable. Vince Vaughn and Joey Adams are so convincing and were cast perfectly. The little boy is adorable, i hope to see more of him! I bought this when I was single and childless, and now that i have a 16 month old and husband, it hits me twice as hard. Definitely a tearjerker towards the end. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Yeah
This film was unreal. It really captured the whole essence of media well.

The person below me fails to realise that this film has many characures. Most of them aren't supposed to make sense. And if you look at how he acted in the hostage situation you are missing the point.

He isn't supposed to be a hero. He did nothing heroic of any sort.

>>what is the deal with the guys smashing the room up for no >>reason

They are doing it for no reason, for gratification. That is the point, they don't care about the conseqences. He just got out of a hostage room and he wanted to go crazy. My friends have often talked about smashing TV's (ala 'Fight for your right to party' filmclip) and how cool it would be. It's the same thing.

>>then stephen dorf is completely sober in the next scene?

Ummm, he never was drunk.

>>why does jake busey pull a gun out so fast?

Okay you got me. I could never figure out why they were good friends with him, he didnt seem like a good guy at all.

>>what is the deal with the mayor? he woulda killed dorf for making a fool out of him.

Oh yeah, killed him in front of hundreds of people. What do you mean by that exactly? He wouldnt have wanted to draw any extra attention to himself.

Don't take the story or the charcters too seriously. The message is what this film is about, once you understand that you can then see why the story and acting is what it is, to make this come accross. The story is about the Media, America's obsession with celebrities and most importantly, the way that Cliff Spab doesn't have a love of his life, so he is free to enjoy it, and live it.

Every scene and everything has a purpose. And as far as Dorff swearing too much that is ridiculous. First of all they dont swear as much as in Clerks. Second in private its not that bad, in public in front of the people he swears just as much, which is maybe what you are talking about. But that is the point, he doesn't care.

And he swears a lot in the flashback scenes. I would be too if I had a camera and a gun pointed at me for 36 days.

A Big Mess!
I've seen this movie three times and I still don't understand it. This film is incredibly boring ( and I love Stephen Dorff! ), you'd have to to even sit through this for one minute. I like Reese too but they couldn't save this film. It flashes back and forth which is sickening. The movie itself is stifling. The flashbacks were the best part which had me wondering why the filmmakers didn't just show the hostage situation instead of making the film on the " aftermath " of it. Cliff Spab has to be the most boring character I've seen. He goes on and on about nothing. This character didn't showcase Stephen's true talents. All Spab did was smoke, have sex and complain about his little pathetic life yet you saw no true emotions from the guy. This movie is full of bad words, lackluster acting and nothing to show for it. Contrary to popular belief this is not Stephen's best work. If you think this you must not have seen Blade, Backbeat or The Power of One. S.F.W. sucked.

So, **cking, good
this one has Stephen Dorff(Blade and Cecil B. Demented) as a cocky and sort of a hero for a while guy...that's basically it until it gets good... Dorff is over the top and great and Reese Witherspoon(OVernight Delivery and Cruel Intentions) is always sweet and great.

My fav movie of all time
I love this movie. Its an independant/cult film about a guy who is held hostage and becomes a hero by saving himself and one other person. The fame is a little overwhelming and he lashes out a bit until the next person comes in for there 15 minutes of fame. Out of all of Stephen Dorff's film this is my favorite. The character of Cliff Spab seems genuine and honest in how he expresses himself. Yes, he's extremly charming and cocky but you get the underlying messge from the film overall. I am so glad its finally out on DVD.

A good movie
Overall a good movie, with a very good message. Although an obvious overuse of the "F" word, which tends to make one sick after the first 40 minutes. The movie seems a lot longer than it actually is. Pretty slow-paced in-between the flashback scenes, but how else could it be done? The story is well done and in-depth. The movie mocks the media and how it affects the public- a great message in my opinion. Acting is decent. Best if watched alone. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

A Slice Of Comedic Heaven
This movie trashes traditional religion, patronizes the Midwest, squeezes laughs out of a dying dog and a sick old woman, scorns marriage and romance and bashes men gleefully. Yet it buys into the notion that angels might really exist.

Travolta, who displays his gift for irony and whimsy, plays an unorthodox angel--a paunchy slob with moth-eaten wings who smokes, hits the bottle and chases women, even as he is on some unspecified angelic assignment in Iowa. Director Nora Ephron shows the humor and power of Michael by having Travolta, perform his Pulp Fiction dance to Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools." In fact, most of the script, by Ephron, her sister Delia and others, displays ingenuity, grace, wit and taste.

Hurt, MacDowell, and Pastorelli play cynical tabloid reporters hunting down the hapless angel. The venerable Jean Stapleton offers bright moments as the rambunctious motel owner who discovers Travolta's powers.

Repeat watching will uncover thought provoking subtleties. And of course laughs at our favorite parts--'Lines? I invented lines. Before that people were just walking around'.-- 'Pies, everybody loves pie'.

you gotta learn to laugh....it's the way to true love
man, this is a very heart warming movie about an angle named Michael. he's not your typical angel though. he smokes and is very interested in woman.
but he is also very passionate about Earth and this happens to be his last hurrah on Earth, as only 26 visits are allowed.
this is a very very heart warming movie and John Travolta is magnificant!

my favorite part is when he sees the bull at the Biggest Ball of Twine and inhales and says, "Battle".
he battles the bull and is completely happy.
overall, this is just a good movie.

We're all angels inside.
This film is brilliant! if i did't have much space for this review it would be enough to stop there! the film makes you think and start to wonder about life certain aspects of it at least, and the meaning of life.
the film tells a story of an angel who is not the stereotypical, clea, pure godly figure. the message of the film as that we are all angels. you dont have to be pure, clean or run around in white wings an a halo all day to be loved by someone an love others. sunday afternoon smiley movie me thinks!!

"Michael" is a Lot of Fun!
Now I don't for an instant classify "Michael" as a 5-Star masterpiece as, say, "Apocalypse Now," but it's definitely a great flick for its genre (romantic comedy/road movie). I don't know exactly what I was expecting -- another boring "chick flick" perhaps -- but "Michael" really surprised me. My wife and I had a great time watching it -- lots of laughs and, if you look carefully enough, even some profundities.

Michael, who is excellently portrayed by John Travolta, is an unorthodox Archangel enjoying his last mission (vacation?) to Earth. A supermarket tabloid from Chicago sends a team to Iowa to get a story and pictures; after discovering that he's a real angel they naturally want to bring him back to the big city.

What works best is that the story is essentially a fun-spirited road movie (I'm a sucker for road movies). William Hurt, Andie MacDowell and Robert Patorelli have an exceptional time meeting Michael and trying to escort him back to Chicago. Michael acts like a tourist having the time of his life, humorously wanting to see those silly little attractions we see dispersed across the countryside (e.g. "the world's biggest non-stick frying pan," etc.) -- you know, the ones most of us adults roll our eyes at.

Lots of fun things and miricles take place along the way (e.g. women are naturally attracted to Michael, bar fight, bull fight, etc.); you should discover them for yourself when watching the film. What struck me the most about Michael is that he had a true spirit of joy. The simple joy-of-living-itself was all over him; and this naturally had a big impact on all the people around him. This is something most of us could learn from Michael.

I was pleasantly surprised -- "Michael" is fun, charming and delightful -- not just another run-of-the-mill "chick flick" (in other words, guys will enjoy it too). Recommended.

Beware: the DVD case is almost entirely made of cardboard
and when I tried to peel the protection seal off, the printing of the cover started to came off with it.
Very bad quality. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Talented actors, bad script
Read the other reviews for plot and story information.
After reading the synaposis about sex, drugs and gambling on the video cover in which Sarah Gellar, Joey Adams,and Rebecca Gayheart are present, I could only anticipate the sexy possibilities that could be forthcoming.
Unfortunately, the lack of any interesting storyline in the plot killed any notion of that even 1/2 hour into the movie.
It's hard to even imagine that Alan Jensen (Adrian Grenier) would even be able to bed both the Professor Chesney, and his girlfriend Cindy even if he is on the basketball team. We never know what Jensen's personality is really like except that he is into drugs. Is he smart, funny, what got him into Harvard? Who knows & who cares?
Gellar is acceptable as the daughter of a mobster. Adams is the most enjoyable part of the movie, with her raspy, sexy voice. She makes sense and is the glue that holds the stories together . The sex scenes, and they are not explicit, contain a lot of noices, but are boring, and except for Cindy and Alan's performance in the woods, none of it even matters.
The Director does amuse a little with some camera effects after Jensen takes some LSD, but those again, get boring and overused.
The performance of Stoltz and Gayheart as FBI agents is a joke. (I just ruined the only twist of the movie.
This was a long 2 hours. I hope Harvard is better than this!

Actually pretty good
First off, as a rather big SMG fan, I cannot believe this film has received lower ratings than "Simply Irresistible"! That was a limp, wooden "romantic comedy" featuring a couple who lacked any chemistry.

"Harvard Man", on the other hand, has a modicum of style, plot, and intelligence behind it. It doesn't really work in the final analysis - not because of any failings of the acting, which is mostly excellent (although I just can't overcome my aversion to Joey Lauren Adams' squeaky voice), but because the movie doesn't quite hit the pitch of danger that I felt it needed to sustain the drama. Toback, however, does compelling things with sequencing, flash forwards and back, and with camerawork, split-screen and so on, and the dialogue is mostly fine. The lighting has a nice grainy amber texture to it and the soundtrack is a fun mix of hip-hop and classical.

Grenier in the lead does well, Stolz and Gayheart are great, and Sarah Michelle - and yes, I do have a slight bias - proves again that she has excellent range. As well as being a cutie-patootie. "Scooby Doo" and all is fine, but please, SMG, pick a project that will demonstrate your dramatic chops to the non-believers out there! I'd love to see her do work on the big screen as fine as that in "The Body" or "Innocence" in BtVS...

Quite possibly the most annoying movie ever made
I am a little surprised that Harvard has not sued the makers of this film for associating the ivy-league college with such a horrible cinematic experience. I, like many, sought this film out because Sarah Michelle Geller was in it; when I learned Rebecca Gayheart was also in the cast, I thought to myself: How bad can a film with both Geller and Gayheart be? Let me tell you: pretty doggone bad. First and foremost, the storyline and script are simply dreadful and ill-conceived, and these problems are only exacerbated by the prominence of some untalented actors in the cast. Alan Grenier is Alan Jensen, supposedly the starting point guard on the Harvard basketball team, despite the fact that he is rather short, has no semblance of athletic skill, and really doesn't even try to look like he knows what he's doing when he's on the basketball court. Honestly, this is one of the worst casting decisions I've ever seen. Did I mention the fact that his acting skills also seem to be in short supply? Sarah Michelle Gellar plays Cindy Bandolini, the unprincipled daughter of a mafia don and girlfriend of Alan; talk about your odd couple; several love scenes between the two are just icky. Of course, our ruggedly unhandsome Alan is not content with Cindy; no, he is also sleeping with his philosophy professor Chesney Cort (played by the helium-voiced Joey Lauren Adams).

Back in Kansas, a tornado destroys the home of Alan's parents, and he is determined to get the one hundred thousand dollars needed for them to rebuild. In steps Cindy with a plan to make a killing off a sports bet; all Alan has to do is throw the big game against Dartmouth. Soon, the FBI is nosing around, everybody sort of panics, hope rises in the viewer that at least one of these dreadful characters will die, and then a pretty impossible if not ludicrous ending is thrown together at the end. You don't really even care how bad the conclusion is because you are just glad the film is finally over.

I don't think I've ever seen a movie go to such lengths to annoy its audience. Almost every scene features what I would call stop gaps; every few seconds, the film seems to jump a few frames for no reason whatsoever; this is a short-term technique that should be used sparingly, but the director of Harvard Man shot the entire movie this way, and it made me want to scream. Then there is the music; it's just awful, and even worse it is constant and far too loud most of the time. I guess a lot of it is supposed to sound Italian or something, even though the Mafia bit is not that important to the film. The inclusion of Ray Allen, an actual basketball player, in the movie also makes no sense. When Allen's character talks to Grenier, both of them seem to be in a race to see who can say his lines the fastest, and Allen tries so hard not to look like a professional basketball player that he ends up looking just as bad as everyone around him on the court. Just when you think things can't possibly get any worse, we are taken along for an extended LSD trip in which all the voices the character hears building up inside his head assault our own ears as well in a rising crescendo. This, in conjunction with all the other problems, qualifies this film as pure and utter torture. I have no idea why Sarah Michelle Gellar chose to participate in Harvard Man, but it almost has to be a decision she now regrets.

Very Good...
Harvard Man is a very good film. I got a used copy of the DVD from blockbuster, and it was well-worth the price. The acting in this film is great, Rebecca Gayheart really does a good job in this one. The other cast members are amazing as well. The directing in this film is also wonderful, I really like the tone. I gave this movie four stars, because It was good. I just didn't like one thing about it, when the main character, Allen (adrien Grenier, or however it is spelled!), is on drugs, I guess they wanted you to see the movie from his point of view, but all that really happens is the picture squishes (for lack of better word) up, and THAT REALLY GETS ANNOYING! The script for this film is great! I just wish the editing would have been a little different, all-in-all HARVARD MAN is a very entertaining film. It is worth watching more than twice.

Don't Pay Attention To What Other People Say
Well, I was surfing the TV channels late at night one day and I ran across this movie on UPN. I had never heard of it before, and I decided to give it a try due to the fact that I was extremely bored.

Myself being a casual Buffy fan, meaning I've seen 15 episodes at the most, I figured I'd watch it because Sarah Michelle Gellar was in it. But keep in mind that is only what got me to watch the movie in the first place and skip over Goldeneye on Telemundo (which is, by the way, a very good version of the movie, si tú hablas español and can find it on some station.)

If you go into this movie expecting to see a lot of Sarah Michelle Geller (henceforth called SMG), you will be grossly dissapointed. She doesn't have that big of a role in this film. I went into the movie with an open mind, and tried to ignore the really annoying scenes in the beginning with slow frame rates and jerky camera movements, plus hearing 2 songs at once, overtop of commentary.

But even though the beginning is very annoying, the rest of the movie is very good. I don't need to give a rundown of the plot, but I will say it takes a bit of understanding and intelligence to be able to take in all that is happening and not be overly confused.

I personally really enjoyed the movie, and can't understand how all of these negative reviewers didn't like it at all. In my opinion, it is a must buy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Writer-director Kevin Smith (Clerks) makes a huge leap in sophistication with this strong story about a comic-book artist (Ben Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Joey Lauren Adams) and actually gets his wish that she love him, too. Their relationship is attacked, however, by his business partner (Jason Lee), who pulls a very unsubtle Iago act to cast doubt over the whole affair. The film has the same sense of insiderness as Clerks--this time, Smith takes us within the arcane, funny world of comic-book cultism--but the themes of jealousy, deceit, and the high price of growing up enough to truly care for someone make this a very satisfying movie.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (355)

Simply Fabulous!
"Chasing Amy" by director Kevin Smith is such an triumph. This movie about love, friendship and taking chances hits with so many punches. It's well rounded, it doesn't take the easy way out, NOR does it go for the safe laugh. The story surrounding comic book writer Holden (Ben Afflect) , his best mate and partner Banky (played beautifully by Jason Lee), and Holden's love for fellow comic book girl, lesbian Allyssa (Joey Lauren Adams) Who SO deserved the Golden Globe Nomination. It's sweet, lovely and such a testament to true love. Conflict between these three characters carries this movie with such intelligence.

One of the BEST love declaration speeches in movie HISTORY is in this movie, when Holden spills his cuts (in the rain, no less) to Alyssa. That scene sums up the whole movie. It's just such a good movie. Supporting cast includes the performance of Fan Fav. "Jay and Silent Bob" in a wonderful moment that sums it all up. Truly inspired writing on Smith's part.

I hope everyone appreciates it like I do. It's fabulous!

blech!
Why did this movie get such good reviews?? Maybe it would've been clearer when it came out, but I honestly thought it was terrible.

The main plotline made no sense whatsoever. There was no chemistry between Ben and Joey's characters, and suddenly, after about 10 minutes, he found himself deeply in love with her and had to make a 5 minute confession to her. Then it turns out she, a former lesbian, was in love with him all along too, and suddenly they're kissing in the rain. There was no build-up to this, and as such I felt nothing for their relationship or anything they were going through.

The drawn-out monologues in the movie are pretty silly as well. The characters talk at each other for long periods of time while the others just stare at them blankly. (Ben Affleck has indeed mastered the blank, gaping stare.) And parts of the movie are so silly that I wasn't sure if any of the movie was supposed to be taken seriously at all. Sometimes it seems it has a message, but then it's just stupid.

It was kind of entertaining at times, and the supporting characters were amusing. So that's why it got 2 stars. But overall it was a pretty bad movie.

another popular release.
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edotion of the film.

This film the third release in the Jersey "trilogy" (quintilogy to be exact) is also the one where Silent Bob speaks more than any other release. In this film,(Ben Affleck) a comic book artist falls in love with young women who is also a comic book artist, only to discover that she is lesbian. The film is not for children and like the film "Clerks" almost got an NC-17 rating based solely on sexual dialog.

The Criterion DVD has numerous special features.
There is a new DVD edition video introdiction for the audio commentary explaining a comment made by Kevin blasting DVD's (The audio commentary as originally recorded for the laserdisc edition.)
The is full length audio commentary by director/actor Kevin Smith, producer Scott Mosier, actors Ben Affleck and Jason Mewes, associate producer Robert Hawk, Miramax executive Jon Gordon, and Vincent Pereira. There is also a Theatrical trailer, 10 deleted scenes with introductions. There is also a set of outtakes.

The Criterion Collection remains the exclusive distributer for the film's DVD format as of the time this review is being written.

'Till the other shoe drops
Interesting but pretty improbable, and ultimately it will be unworkable. It should have been written as a tragedy instead it is a farce.

ok but no clerks
this was an ok film, but still highly overrated i recommend clerks, clerks the series, or maybe mallrats instead of this. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Off-beat, funny, and poignant
Unlike the standard Hollywood romance, this movie gives us a realistic view of people. The characters are quirky, neurotic, confused, and not really very glamorous. They are also very likeable, as we can sympathize and identify with the dilemmas they create for themselves. Even as the movie pokes fun at them for their foibles, there is also a tenderness for them and the self-imposed suffering they must endure.

The plot revolves around a friendship between 2 men and a woman. When one of the men (Eric Stoltz) marries the woman (Meg Tilly), the angst and complications begin. Although the course of the story seems foreseeable (not a lot of surprises), the film escapes being predictable by having believable characters that are like people many of us know or could know from our own lives.

In addition, the structure is unusual....the different sections of this film were written by different writers, yet all parts do seem integrated with the whole. Add to this the fact that the scenes are seemingly artlessly put together, so that often there is almost a documentary effect....what you end up with is an experiment in film making that doesn't require you to have a film degree to appreciate.