Duets (2000)

A professional karaoke hustler reconnects with his daughter and a bored suburban businessman turns outlaw karaoke singer, among other plotlines.

Director:

Bruce Paltrow

Writer:

John Byrum

Stars:

Huey Lewis, Paul Giamatti, Gwyneth Paltrow

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lochlyn Munro	...	Ronny Jackson
Carol Alexander	...	Beth the Hostess
Michael Rogers	...	Tulsa Bartender
Huey Lewis	...	Ricky Dean
Amanda Kravat	...	Redhead
Paul Giamatti	...	Todd Woods
Ian Robison	...	Sales Guy
Roger Haskett	...	Sales Guy
John Payne	...	Sales Guy
Scott Speedman	...	Billy
Tom Bougers	...	Desk Sergeant
Marian Seldes	...	Harriet Gahagan
Angie Phillips	...	Arlene
Steve Oatway	...	Ralph Beckerman
Erika von Tagen	...	Julie (as Erika Von Tagen)

Storyline

Duets is a road-trip comedy which revolves around the little known world of karaoke and the whimsical characters who inhabit it. There's the struggling singer who dreams of making it to the big time, a frustrated salesman who ends up on an unexpected road trip, the dysfunctional family performers which includes a con-artist and his long lost daughter, and an escaped convict with the voice of an angel. All roads lead to Omaha, site of a national karaoke competition where this motley group of singers and stars come together for a blow-out sing-off.

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Plot Keywords:

karaoke | singer | convict | salesman | ambition | 

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Taglines:

Six lost souls in search of a little harmony.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 November 2000 (Italy)

Also Known As:

A dúo

Filming Locations:

Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£92,746 (UK) (17 November 2000)

Gross:

ESP 12,657,983 (Spain) (29 June 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hollywood Pictures, Seven Arts Pictures, Beacon Communications

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

'Maya Rudolph' and Maria Bello's first time acting together. They later appeared together in Grown Ups, too.

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Goofs

When Suzi Loomis wins the contest, she is holding the prize before the emcee gives it to her, then in the next shot, she is being handed the money by the emcee.

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Quotes

Suzi Loomis: I'm gonna be the only major thing that has happened to you in your life, and you're gonna be jerking off to my memory on your goddamned death bed!

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Connections

References Sweet Bird of Youth (1962)

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Soundtracks

"What Have You Done For Me Lately"
Written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Performed by Dan Joffre
Vocal Tracks produced by Dick Rudolph (as Richard Rudolph)

User Reviews

This movie is precious. It grows on you and won't go away.

I admit it -- I'm a total sucker for this movie for all of the right reasons, and some of the wrong ones (like, it's very touching to me that Bruce Paltrow made this movie with his daughter Gwyneth and died a year or so later). Having Huey Lewis in the movie and singing a few of his monster hits is a plus all by itself, and it turns out he can actually act decently. The Paul Giamatti - Andre Braugher duo, both in terms of plot, their excellent acting, and their blow-you-away singing performance, is something I never tire of seeing, and I've watched this movie five times and have it on disk. The plot is superficially pedestrian but actually very engaging and psychologically legitimate despite the displays of craziness by the characters. People do get crazy and do that kind of stuff. As for Gwyneth Paltrow, there seems to be no role she can't get into and occupy with beautiful effect.

This was never intended to be a Great Movie. It was a nice little story, made into a very fine, charming, stick-to-your memory movie with talent oozing out the corners. People who rate it mediocre are just not seeing the pearl for the oyster.