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In order to raise the tuition to send her young son to private school, a mom starts an unusual business -- a biohazard removal/crime scene clean-up service -- with her unreliable sister.
An unstable dad who after getting out of a mental institution tries to convince his daughter that there's Spanish gold buried somewhere under suburbia.
Director:
Mike Cahill
Stars:
Michael Douglas,
Evan Rachel Wood,
Willis Burks II
Satirical comedy follows the machinations of Big Tobacco's chief spokesman, Nick Naylor, who spins on behalf of cigarettes while trying to remain a role model for his twelve-year-old son.
Four years after graduation, an awkward high school genius uses his sister's boyfriend's Labor Day party as the perfect opportunity to make his move on his high school crush.
Bill is unhappy: he has married a banker's daughter and has a dead end job at the bank; his wife Jess is tied to daddy's wallet; and, Bill is developing a gut from lack of exercise and constantly eating candy bars. He dreams of buying a donut franchise to be independent of Jess's dad. Bill is roped into a mentoring program at his old prep school, assigned a smart-mouthed kid who pops up when least expected. When Jess starts an affair with Chip, a local TV personality and vain Rob Lowe look-alike, it sends Bill, the kid, and a young sales clerk from a lingerie shop on a quest to win back Jess and get the donuts. What about self-respect? Written by
<jhailey@hotmail.com>
In the movie Bill's father in law's character is named John Jacobi. Jan Jacobi is the head of the MICDS middle school, where many of the Tate Academy scenes were shot. See more »
Goofs
In the scene where John Sr., John Jr and Bill are talking to the French people and John Jr is translating, he makes translation errors. "Son-in-law" is not "faux bil", it's "beau fils" (pronounced Bow Fee-s). See more »
Quotes
Bill:
They hate that I'm working at their bank. I hate that I'm working at their bank.
See more »
Whoever could have guessed that suave, manicured, handsome-devil Aaron Eckhart would become our next great sad-sack comedian? The rubber-face which Eckhart uses here, playing a disgruntled, disappointed, directionless human resources exec at his father-in-law's bank, is nothing short of remarkable. Cast as middle-aged Bill, Eckhart is extremely courageous and focused--too focused to become a ham, yet silly and flexible enough to keep this bumpy comedy buoyant and entertaining. The tone of the picture is half-black comedy/half-upper class satire, with possibly too many targets and characters on its plate. Still, the women in Bill's life (Elizabeth Banks as his cheating spouse and Jessica Alba as a friendly neighborhood salesgirl) each have their strong moments, and Eckhart's scenes with his gay brother and assorted in-laws are pungent and ripe with nearly-realized stinging possibilities. What doesn't quite work is the sub-plot with a mouthy teenager choosing Bill to be his "mentor" (also, a duck-hunting sequence with Bill's wife's family is also flabby, its only purpose demonstrating their need to humiliate Bill--and he being oblivious). The filmmakers are careful to let Bill be his own person--he's often a target, but rarely is he victimized. It's to Eckhart's credit that this stepped-on character remains likable and respectable (no pathos or pity here, and none are necessary). Whether entertaining guests in his camping tent or getting his weary body back into shape, Bill is lurching, funny, struggling, and very human. I didn't quite buy the happy ending, with its vitriolic "I don't where I'm going, but I'm excited" sentiments, but Aaron Eckhart makes this guy a joy--and for a knockabout, second-string comedy, that's a real achievement. **1/2 from ****
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Whoever could have guessed that suave, manicured, handsome-devil Aaron Eckhart would become our next great sad-sack comedian? The rubber-face which Eckhart uses here, playing a disgruntled, disappointed, directionless human resources exec at his father-in-law's bank, is nothing short of remarkable. Cast as middle-aged Bill, Eckhart is extremely courageous and focused--too focused to become a ham, yet silly and flexible enough to keep this bumpy comedy buoyant and entertaining. The tone of the picture is half-black comedy/half-upper class satire, with possibly too many targets and characters on its plate. Still, the women in Bill's life (Elizabeth Banks as his cheating spouse and Jessica Alba as a friendly neighborhood salesgirl) each have their strong moments, and Eckhart's scenes with his gay brother and assorted in-laws are pungent and ripe with nearly-realized stinging possibilities. What doesn't quite work is the sub-plot with a mouthy teenager choosing Bill to be his "mentor" (also, a duck-hunting sequence with Bill's wife's family is also flabby, its only purpose demonstrating their need to humiliate Bill--and he being oblivious). The filmmakers are careful to let Bill be his own person--he's often a target, but rarely is he victimized. It's to Eckhart's credit that this stepped-on character remains likable and respectable (no pathos or pity here, and none are necessary). Whether entertaining guests in his camping tent or getting his weary body back into shape, Bill is lurching, funny, struggling, and very human. I didn't quite buy the happy ending, with its vitriolic "I don't where I'm going, but I'm excited" sentiments, but Aaron Eckhart makes this guy a joy--and for a knockabout, second-string comedy, that's a real achievement. **1/2 from ****