Just Add Water (I) (2008)

An offbeat romantic comedy about a decent guy, Ray Tuckby, with a dead-end life in the dead-end town of Trona, CA. After encouragement from a stranger whom he happens upon, Ray begins to dream again. He sheds the parasites in his life, musters the nerve to pursue his childhood love, and finally takes back his community by toppling the local teenage Meth-baron.

Director:

Hart Bochner

Writer:

Hart Bochner

Stars:

Dylan Walsh, Jonah Hill, Justin Long

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dylan Walsh	...	Ray Tuckby
Jonah Hill	...	Eddie
Justin Long	...	Spoonie
Danny DeVito	...	Merl Striker
Tracy Middendorf	...	Nora
Melissa McCarthy	...	Selma
Anika Noni Rose	...	R'ch'lle
Lindsey Axelsson	...	Chrisy
Will Rothhaar	...	Dirk
Joey Kern	...	Scotty
Penny Balfour	...	Charlene
Lee Garlington	...	Penny
Michael Hitchcock	...	Mark Tuckby
Tracey Walter	...	Clem (as Tracy Walter)
June Squibb	...	Mother

Storyline

Close to the entrance to Death Valley is the God-forsaken town of Trona. It's nearly empty: dry, with polluted water and poisoned soil. Dilapidated houses hold slackers and stoners. The town is virtually owned by Dirk, a heartless young meth dealer. In the midst of this lives Ray Tuckby, a naïf, unhappily married with a slothful son. The highlight of Ray's day is chatting with Nora, a clerk at the market. When Ray comes home early from work and finds his wife in bed with his brother, a few things start to change. Then he meets Merl, who's putting in a Chevron station, and Merl encourages Ray to dream. Can he? A recipe for meringue may hold one of the keys.

---

Plot Keywords:

tollbooth guard | vigilante justice | california | drugs | middle age romance | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some sexual content and drug material

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 March 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

One Part Sugar

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$625,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bleeding Hart Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
Ray Tuckby: Thanks for coming. Would you like a receipt with that? Don't forget to take a mint.
Ray Tuckby: Thanks for coming. Would you like a receipt with that? Don't forget to take a mint.
Ray Tuckby: Thanks for coming. Would you like a receipt with that? Don't forget to take a mint.
Ray Tuckby: Thanks for coming. Would you like a receipt with that? Don't forget to take a mint.

---

Soundtracks

"Cuts Like A Blade"
Written by Mark Petracca aka Dusty Wright
Performed by Dusty Wright
Courtesy of PetRock Records

User Reviews

the worst Danny DeVito movie I've seen

shallow undeveloped story line - a six grader could have done better. I happen to like Devito, which was my reason for renting this movie in the first place. I was looking forward to a good laugh, but the humor was so exaggerated that it was not funny anymore (Charlene's psychological state and the line about french kisses). Having put up with the beginning of life in a deadbeat town, I was hoping for a turnaround in the movie the way it was described on the cover. However the second half hardly hardly went beyond the cover description. Opportunities to develop the plot and characters wer passed up, that I was left wondering why an actor like Danny DeVito agreed to be in the movie in the first place. Maybe it was his only chance to get a piece of Cerina Vincent. Sorry to say so, but I was disappointed