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Wendell Baker Story, The
THINKFilm
MPAA RATING: PG-13 for some crude and sexual humor and language
Starring
Luke Wilson,
Seymour Cassel,
Eddie Griffin,
Kris Kristofferson,
Eva Mendes,
Harry Dean Stanton,
Owen Wilson,
and
Spencer Scott
Smart, sweet, hip, and engaging, this film celebrates the precipitous fall and rise of an oxymoronic movie hero - a winning loser who follows his own path. Baker, a lovable con man with high ambitions and low energy, likes to dream and scheme about tomorrow, without paying any attention to the realities of today. He embarks on a great comic misadventure that in a sometimes roundabout, but always entertaining, way, leads straight to happy endings. (ThinkFIlm)
| GENRE(S): |
Comedy
|
Drama
|
Romance
|
| WRITTEN BY: |
Luke Wilson
|
| DIRECTED BY: |
Andrew Wilson
Luke Wilson
|
| RELEASE DATE: |
DVD: October 30, 2007
Theatrical: May 18, 2007
|
| RUNNING TIME: |
95 minutes, Color |
| ORIGIN: |
USA |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
70
Variety
Joe Leydon
A loose-knit, character-driven comedy that percolates with good-vibe amusement, often earning industrial-strength guffaws with sneaky one-liners and tossed-off non-sequiturs.
63
USA Today
Claudia Puig
Directing seems to suit Luke, who also does some of his best work to date on screen.
63
New York Post
Lou Lumenick
Slight but consistently entertaining.
63
TV Guide
Ken Fox
Despite a terribly conceived coda, Luke and his brothers have mostly succeeded, thanks in large part to sharp dialogue, a solid vintage soundtrack (Rick Nelson's "Garden Party" features prominently) and some great older actors -- Cassel is a particular standout -- from the heyday of American cinema.
60
The Hollywood Reporter
John DeFore
In large part the film succeeds, feeling like a good-natured throwback.
50
New York Magazine
David Edelstein
If you want proof that Will Ferrell is the most riotously funny straight man since Jack Benny, observe the way his utter sincerity (in the Ralph Bellamy role, as Wendell’s rival for Eva Mendes) lifts this two-ton piece of whimsy into the stratosphere.
50
The New York Times
Stephen Holden
The appeal of The Wendell Baker Story depends on how charming you find the Wilson brothers, with their chipmunk grins and hip smart-aleck attitude. For my taste, a little goes a long way.
50
Village Voice
J. Hoberman
A sweet, dumb pup of a movie, not unlike its eponymous hero, The Wendell Baker Story frisks along sniffing the sidewalk.
50
New York Daily News
Elizabeth Weitzman
A shiny shell of a movie, "TWBS" is pretty to look at, and occasionally fun to watch. But ultimately, it's an exercise in futility - for the participants, who can do so much more, and the audience, which deserves so much better.
42
Entertainment Weekly
Owen Gleiberman
Feels like an attempt to rebottle the postmodern fizz of Wes Anderson's "Bottle Rocket." I wish instead they'd put a stopper in it.
40
LA Weekly
Robert Wilonsky
For a movie aiming to play like some 1970s throwback, both in sound and spirit, the most depressing thing about The Wendell Baker Story is how messy and impersonal it feels.
40
Los Angeles Times
Carina Chocano
A cast this charismatic is bound to make something of the situation. In short bursts, the movie is alternately sunny and charming, dark and weird, confounding and dull.
30
The New Yorker
Anthony Lane
Some people make films in homage to Ingmar Bergman, others nod to the French New Wave, but only the Wilsons would think to follow in the footsteps of Burt Reynolds.
30
Austin Chronicle
Josh Rosenblatt
I hate to sound like a disappointed parent, but I expected more from Luke Wilson.
25
Premiere
Peter Debruge
Movies in which the same person serves as writer, director, and star should carry a special warning for audiences, even if that individual happens to be an actor as endearing as Luke Wilson.
 The average user rating for this movie is 6.6 (out of 10) based on 3 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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