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One Trick Pony (1980)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writer:
Paul Simon (writer)
Release Date:
3 October 1980 (USA)
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Tagline:
Rock 'n' roll will give you some laughs...but it won't do you any favors.
Plot:
Jonah (Paul Simon) is an aging rock star trying to put together a new album in the face of an indifferent record label and a talentless producer. At the same time, he's struggling to save his failing marriage. | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
1 nomination
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NewsDesk:
User Comments:
The movie is also a "One Trick Pony"
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Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Paul Simon | ... | Jonah |
| Blair Brown | ... | Marion |
 | Rip Torn | ... | Walter Fox |
| Joan Hackett | ... | Lonnie Fox |
| Allen Garfield | ... | Cal van Damp (as Allan Goorvitz) |
 | Mare Winningham | ... | Modeena Dandridge |
| Michael Pearlman | ... | Matty Levin |
| Lou Reed | ... | Steve Kunelian |
| Steve Gadd | ... | Danny Duggin |
| Eric Gale | ... | Lee-Andrew Parker |
| Tony Levin | ... | John DiBatista |
| Richard Tee | ... | Clarence Franklin |
 | Harry Shearer | ... | Bernie Wepner |
| Kate Pierson | ... | Herself (as The B-52s) |
| Fred Schneider | ... | Himself (as The B-52s) |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
98 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Canada:R (Nova Scotia) |
Canada:13+ (Quebec) |
Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) |
Canada:PA (Manitoba) |
USA:R
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Floyd Vivino was supposed to appear in this film as the night club owner, but none of his scenes made the final cut.
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Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: When Jonah and Matty practice baseball in the park, the ball is returned to Jonah by someone obviously taller than eight-year-old Matty.
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Movie Connections:
References Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
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Soundtrack:
Me And Bobby McGee
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (11 total)
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| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Drama section | IMDb USA section |
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Paul Simon is a self-conscious, introspective, thoughtful man. These qualities, together with his superb guitar licks, eclectic international tastes, and sweet whispery tenor, have made him one of the musical giants of the 20th century, at least figuratively.
The same qualities don't stand him in good stead as an actor. Unlike other self-conscious performers (Woody Allen comes to mind), he can't effectively emote even as himself - a Simonesque musician named Jonah Levi. He uses his limbs awkwardly, and he always seems to be waiting politely for the other actors to finish their lines so he can get his turn.
I wanted to like this film, because I like Simon and he threw his heart into it. I just couldn't. He's stiff, the script is meandering, and the ending is so abrupt you wonder if you missed something. Even his music is decidedly on the lower side of his career output, and it seems to create gaps in the movie's flow. (Hey, what can the characters do to kill two and a half minutes until the background song ends? How about showing Paul taking out the garbage?) Besides, if you want to hear his music, grab one of his concert tapes and get his "A" output.