A Bunch of Amateurs (2008)

A sleazy Hollywood agent tricks one of his clients, a faded action star, into playing King Lear in an amateur charity production in England.

Director:

Andy Cadiff

Writers:

Nick Newman (screenplay), John Ross (screenplay),

Stars:

Burt Reynolds, Alexandra Weaver, Elesia Marie

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Burt Reynolds	...	Jefferson Steel
Alexandra Weaver	...	Girl on Motorbike
Elesia Marie	...	1st Cinema Girl (as Elesia Ennis)
Sarah Goldberg	...	2nd Cinema Girl
Glynis Brooks	...	Woman In Street
Camilla Arfwedson	...	Amanda Blacke
Michael Wildman	...	Mr. Darcy
Guy Flanagan	...	Box Office Guy
John Moraitis	...	Man In Theatre
Pat Starr	...	Woman In Theatre
Maisie Scott	...	Young Amanda
Charles Durning	...	Charlie Rosenberg
Pandora Colin	...	Nadine
Lucy Akhurst	...	Stewardess
Stephen Gressieux	...	Italian Tourist (as Stefano Gressieux)

Storyline

A sleazy Hollywood agent tricks one of his clients, a faded action star, into playing King Lear in an amateur charity production in England.

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Plot Keywords:

self deprecation | reference to william shakespeare | english | reference to shakespeare's king lear

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Taglines:

They wished for a star, then wished they hadn't.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Műkedvelő társulat

Filming Locations:

Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£91,156 (UK) (19 December 2008)

Gross:

£201,849 (UK) (26 December 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Isle of Man Film, CinemaNX, Limelight

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Throughout his career Burt Reynolds has made a number of movies that examine movie-making and this film is one of them. The pictures include Fade-In (location filming & westerns); Silent Movie and Nickelodeon (silent films); Best Friends (scriptwriting & Hollywood); Hooper (stuntwork and Hollywood); The Player (Hollywood); Boogie Nights (adult films); The Last Producer (producers and Hollywood); The Hollywood Sign and A Bunch of Amateurs (actors and Hollywood).

User Reviews

A good movie, worth a couple of hours of my life

I don't go to the movies very often - in fact I can't remember the last time - but this was on offer and I'm very glad that I took it up. I have always liked Burt Reynolds, particularly Evening Shade, and I adore Charles Durning, so I squeaked a bit when the names came up at the start. It's a gentle mickey-take of English village life, English country types and the ageing movie start grasping at straws to redeem himself before it's too late. Beautifully shot - I don't care where - in British Countryside with cottages to die for, clear complexions and charming pigs, it is funny, engaging (by the yardstick I judge any film or programme - do I care if they all live or die; the answer in this case, is obviously "yes"). The characters are all wonderfully drawn and the story bowls along at a comfortable pace, witty, pretty and a damn good night's entertainment. I enjoyed an ice cream at the interval, but I shall buy it on DVD.