Once Upon a Time in Venice

Name: Once Upon a Time in Venice
Genre: Action, Thriller, Comedy
Released: June 16, 2017
Duration: 94 min
Rating: 28
Cast: Bruce Willis, Emily Robinson, Famke Janssen, Jason Momoa, Jessica Gomes

2017

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 9 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 24 Ratings

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4.3

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4.3	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 24 Ratings

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Once Upon A Time In Venice

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Movie Details & Credits

RLJ Entertainment | Release Date: June 16, 2017 | Unrated

Starring: Bruce Willis, Emily Robinson, Famke Janssen, Jason Momoa, Jessica Gomes, John Goodman, Kaleti Williams, Maurice Compte, Myles Humphus, Thomas Middleditch

Summary: Steve Ford (Bruce Willis) is a down but not out L.A based Private Investigator whose professional and personal worlds collide after his loving pet Buddy is stolen by a notorious gang. A series of crazy circumstances find him doing the gang's bidding, while being chased by two vengeful Samoan brothers, a loan shark's goons, and a few otherSteve Ford (Bruce Willis) is a down but not out L.A based Private Investigator whose professional and personal worlds collide after his loving pet Buddy is stolen by a notorious gang. A series of crazy circumstances find him doing the gang's bidding, while being chased by two vengeful Samoan brothers, a loan shark's goons, and a few other shady characters. They say a dog is a man's best friend, and Steve shows how far a man will go to be reunited with him.… Expand

Director: Mark Cullen and Robb Cullen

Genre(s): Action, Thriller, Comedy

Rating: Unrated

Runtime: 94 min

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Critic Reviews

Richard Roeper

Jun 15, 2017

At times it’s funny as hell. At other times it’s pretty much a disaster. But it never commits the crime of being tedious. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Vikram Murthi

Jun 16, 2017

The best thing that can be said about Once Upon a Time in Venice, a very light action comedy from Mark and Robb Cullen, is that it allows Willis to cut loose and have fun. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Jun 13, 2017

The messy tangle of the plot, which involves Steve-Bruce getting knocked out, more than once, does little more than throw a whole lot of potentially silly stuff against the screen — some of it landing laughs. Read full review

Neil Genzlinger

Jun 15, 2017

The movie tries for propulsive Tarantino grit but ends up being just another annoying example of Hollywood’s addiction to stories in which graying white men bed beautiful young women and beat up men much more youthful and fit than they are. Read full review

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky

Jun 15, 2017

Stylistically, Once Upon A Time In Venice is mostly indistinguishable from a middling TV pilot that never made it to series. Read full review

Michael Rechtshaffen

Jun 15, 2017

A wincingly unfunny comedy caper. Read full review

Robert Abele

Jun 19, 2017

A stroll along the Venice boardwalk is likely to elicit more laughs, and probably even thrills, than Once Upon a Time in Venice. Read full review

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User Reviews

ryu9376

Jan 23, 2022

Holy s***, this was hilarious. It was so bad that it was really good. And the random stars throughout this flick were excellent. Hell they even had John Goodman & Jason Momoa.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

HotelCentral

Feb 22, 2018

This light action-comedy piece of fluff runs on for a mere 94 minutes and does a far better job of providing some entertainment than most of the bloated gas-bags being shoveled out of Hollywood with run-times exceeding two hours. The New York Times review complains about long-in-the-toothThis light action-comedy piece of fluff runs on for a mere 94 minutes and does a far better job of providing some entertainment than most of the bloated gas-bags being shoveled out of Hollywood with run-times exceeding two hours. The New York Times review complains about long-in-the-tooth Willis beating up much younger men, but neglects to mention Willis getting beat up and knocked out three or four times, and once knocking himself out by trying a diving escape through a window that is anything but open.

This is not a great action flick, nor a hilarious knee-slapper, but it does get the job done and is worth a watch. And I refer the NY Times to security video on YouTube of a 73 year old former US Marine knocking out an armed robber in a 7-11 with a single punch to the jaw.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Ralfbergs

Jul 23, 2018

For me this movie is 6.5. I mean it is quite fun and interesting to watch, even though many of the things that happen on screen are quite unrealistic in the way they make their decisions or what is happening, but it is still fun movie, only thing - you forget about it after watching quiteFor me this movie is 6.5. I mean it is quite fun and interesting to watch, even though many of the things that happen on screen are quite unrealistic in the way they make their decisions or what is happening, but it is still fun movie, only thing - you forget about it after watching quite fast, so I guess I can't give it a positive rating.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TheQuietGamer

Apr 22, 2018

Nice to see Bruce Willis in something recent that isn't completely terrible. It's still a rather mediocre movie, but the actor seems to be having some fun and putting in a moderate amount of effort. Something that we haven't seen him do in quite some time. He basically just plays an old dudeNice to see Bruce Willis in something recent that isn't completely terrible. It's still a rather mediocre movie, but the actor seems to be having some fun and putting in a moderate amount of effort. Something that we haven't seen him do in quite some time. He basically just plays an old dude who refuses to grow up and spends his days getting mixed up in crazy situations as a private detective. Willis has too many years on him to play a character like this in any believable fashion, but the movie is pretty self-aware about it as just about everyone he comes in contact with mentions it in some way.

It kind of aimlessly wanders for about the first 30 minutes or so before finally picking up a plot. From there we just watch Willis make crazy deals with different shady individuals in an effort to find his dog and get bombarded by a bunch of weird, underdeveloped side-characters. There's no real action to speak of. Just a very brief shootout in the last ten minutes and the occasional punch thrown. It's really more of a comedy. Not a particularly great one, but the hijinks are pretty amusing.

I loved John Goodman in this. He was delightfully droll. Nothing else about Once Upon a Time in Venice really stands out, but it can a suitable time waster. Some humorous moments, a cute dog, and Jessica Gomes' breasts are really all it has to offer. While better than the majority of the stuff he's been in over the past few years, Bruce Willis still has a long way to go before getting back to the quality work we once expected from him.

5.8/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

bfoore90

Oct 10, 2017

Okay obviously its not going to make anyone's top-10 list but I enjoyed Once Upon A Time in Venice. Plot is nothing to write home about, Bruce Willis plays Steve, a Private Detective until one day he pisses off the the wrong people, he owes money to one person then has to do something forOkay obviously its not going to make anyone's top-10 list but I enjoyed Once Upon A Time in Venice. Plot is nothing to write home about, Bruce Willis plays Steve, a Private Detective until one day he pisses off the the wrong people, he owes money to one person then has to do something for another person all to get his beloved dog back. Its nice to see Bruce Willis actually cut loose and have fun for a movie instead of sleep walk through a movie. The movie blunders towards the end where it just abruptly cuts off, leaving loose ends untied.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

ProfAmateur

Jun 16, 2022

I thought a movie with Bruce Willis can't be that bad. Well I got proved wrong.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

temptershell

Sep 17, 2017

One of Bruce Willis's latest films is a very chaotic, comedy-based crime thriller. Unfortunately something went wrong and finally we got something as usual. The plot focuses on the perils of a corrupt cop / detective who loses his doggy through his shady business. An ordinary mongrel forOne of Bruce Willis's latest films is a very chaotic, comedy-based crime thriller. Unfortunately something went wrong and finally we got something as usual. The plot focuses on the perils of a corrupt cop / detective who loses his doggy through his shady business. An ordinary mongrel for whom the main character is ready for a skateboard in the same underwear. The script turned out to be a torn-down combo of many similar productions, and the actors did not even try to be convincing.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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