Crazy on the Outside (2010) User Reviews

not ttypical of tim allen but a good movie

[hunterhuck · 7/10 · 20 September 2021]

For all the bad reviews it tells a relistic story of a man who got out of prison and faces the world.. and its a daunting task.. I think for a first director .Tim did well.. I think all his co stars played their parts well I don't know why everyone cant just enjoy it as a movie???

A manipulating sister

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 2 July 2014]

Part of Tim Allen's story is of course his time in prison as a young man. Knowing that I'm sure he used that time and his observed behavior of people inside and freshly on the outside for some good source material for Crazy On The Outside. It's a film about a man freshly released from committing a crime of video piracy for which he took the fall alone for his boss Ray Liotta. He was in for about 18 months.

Coming out Allen goes to live with his sister Sigourney Weaver and her less than thrilled husband J.K. Simmons and their family. He has a parole officer in Jeanne Tripplehorn and a longing for his old girlfriend Julie Bowen who has now hooked up with a rich auto dealer Kelsey Grammar.

As you can see Allen has quite the full life and a lot of life choices to make. I won't say more, but it does all work out. I will say though that Sigourney Weaver is quite the manipulator behind the scenes and moves both subtly and with the force of a sledgehammer at times.

The good ensemble cast gives director Allen a good show and star Allen good backup. More than fans of Tim Allen will appreciate crazy on the outside.

Man goes to jail for fraud and piracy? Tim Allen Directing? Sign me up! lol

[TheRealAru · 7/10 · 2 April 2010]

I do not know what movies some of the reviewers here watched, talking about killings etc. But this is NOT the movie that appears on this IMDb listing.. The movie that is here is directed by Tim Allen, starring Tim Allen about a man who goes to jail for fraud and video piracy.

As far as the movie itself, it has a healthy cast of characters, a long list of good actors, a pretty good script, some nice editing, some good punchlines and an all around entertaining story to it.

Flaws of course are present, such as no insanely hilarious material, no crazy confusing story that jerks you around. But for what it lacks it definitely was a surprise. A light hearted, entertaining, interesting comedy, with its little mix of drama / romance into it.

I have definitely seen worse and for this to come from Tim Allen, it definitely shows. His simple yet funny one liners, his actions, his situations, all simple in nature but keep you watching for some reason. I enjoyed this movie and its definitely perfect to watch to pass the time or with your wife / husband / girlfriend / fiancé.

Crazy on the Inside

[Chrysanthepop · 27 July 2010]

I'd say enjoy it for what it is. Tim Allen's comedy 'Crazy on the Outside' was made to make people laugh. The title should be enough to suggest so. I don't know why people were and why they should be expecting otherwise. I for one had a great time watching it. with actors like Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, J.K. Simmons and Kelsey Grammar, who wouldn't have fun? Agreed that the story isn't exactly one of a kind but the humour is more than satisfactory. The dramatic sequences are a little clichéd but they are short and well acted. Tim Allen, Julie Bowen, J.K. Simmons, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Helen Slayton-Hughes, Ray Liotta and Kelsey Grammar act very well but it's Sigourney Weaver who's the scene stealer as she delivers a sincere and natural performance as Tommy's slightly crazy sister. Overall, if you don't take it too seriously, it will make you laugh. Don't pay too much heed to the negative reviews.

One of the best recent comedies

[Max_du_Nord · 7/10 · 29 August 2011]

I've had actually quite negative initial approach to this movie, regardless Sigourney Weaver's involvement who is one of my favourite actresses. That was mainly caused by many extremely negative reviews. Crazy on the outside is an another example of underrated movie, totally crushed by the critics. I have really enjoyed that movie. It's a debut of Tim Allen (Galaxy Quest, Toy Story) as a director. He also plays a main role, a guy called Tommy, who has just left the prison and wants to start a new life, far from his criminal past. The story shows that it won't be very easy for him. He is fully supported by his crazy sister, played by Sigourney Weaver (who teams up with Allen again, after brilliant performance in Galaxy Quest, 1999). And actually Sigourney, who isn't the main character in the movie, is one of the best, if not the best elements of Crazy on the outside. Of course story isn't very innovative, dramatic conflicts are obvious, but this movie is a great fun and provide solid dose of humour. It's really worth of your time.

Good light comedic fare - enjoyable, but not knee-slapping comedy

[donna-cayot · 6/10 · 2 August 2012]

This movie was fairly well done. Tim Allen was his usual self; funny and charming. The rest of the cast was excellent - loaded with great actors, such as JK Simmons, Ray Liotta, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and the timeless Sigourney Weaver, it didn't lack for good performances. I thought Sigourney Weaver was outstanding as Tim Allen's sister. She sort of stole the show. The movie started off fine, and had lots of funny quips that made me chuckle. It kind of dragged in the middle, for awhile, though - and as many of the other reviewers have indicated, it was pretty predictable in a lot of ways. However, I still found it enjoyable for what it was. A light, simple comedy with some heartwarming themes. Plus it's filled with great actors, so even when it starts to drag a bit, the next scene will have yet another great actor doing a really good job of putting their part across. And the ending was kind of fun (though yes, it was somewhat predictable) - again, Sigourney Weaver did her magic to make the most out of it. I recommend this movie for some light enjoyable comedic fare.

boring and flat

[Apollocandybar · 3/10 · 4 July 2011]

This movie should have been good, but just fell flat. I can't put my finger on why exactly. From the first minute, it's boring. The acting is not good, even Sigourney Weaver is not good! The script is flat.

Nothing really happens. We watched this for about 45 minutes and just couldn't take it any longer.

The main character is released from prison and supposedly trying to restart his life. It doesn't make much sense. The grandmother supposedly believes he's been in France for three years rather than prison. The sister (Weaver) is domineering towards her husband but flakes when around her brother. Doesn't make sense. The parts that are supposed to be comedy (Allen's character daydreams about violently attacking various characters) - aren't funny in the slightest.

I felt like it SHOULD have been at least okay, but just wasn't!

please read this Tim Allen

[thesurfr-983-30734 · 7/10 · 25 October 2012]

Hello Mr. All. I just want you to know that I really enjoyed this movie. The negative ratings are hogwash. For your first time out as director you made an enjoyable comedy/drama. I really liked your character,it was convincing. I paint houses so I could relate to that part. It was pretty accurate all the stuff about painting and customer relations. You must have painted for a living? I thought you should have cut the part where your worker makes nasty comment to woman customer. Anyway, I may watch it again. It was fun. Put the peas on his nuts. That's funny stuff. I have to make this ten lines or they won't post it. I did laugh out load several times which usually does not happen. Your movie was way better than Eddie Murphy offerings that's for sure. I also liked all the American cars the characters drove. Chevrolet and ford etc. It was nice to see that. Later. [e-mail]

It means well, has potential, but...

[saucyswells · 4/10 · 9 January 2010]

Tim Allen's directorial debut is very hit and miss...sadly, mostly miss. The movie needs a lot of editing and a completely different third act.

The film starts as an offbeat comedy...and even though there are no hardy belly laughs, there are a number of clever ideas and lines (many delivered by the under-appreciated JK Simmons). But with an all-star comic cast, you would think there would be more, ahem...comedy. Halfway through the film becomes more of a family drama. The humor totally disappears and the quirky oddball characters become normal. The third act is very cliché, generic and melodramatic. But all the performers give it their best---even players like Ray Liotta and Kelsey Grammar are playing parts that could have been done by anyone. And the film's one running gag is actually funny for a while, but it goes nowhere after the 100th mention.

E Quick Review

[efardette · 6/10 · 27 January 2024]

Crazy on the Outside isn't so crazy. It's really a heartwarming story about an ex-con who just spent 3 years in prison. Now he's trying to normalize his family life, avoid falling into a life of crime again, and reconnect with a lover he was told had died.

Things take a twist when he finds out his ex lover is still alive and has moved on but he struggles to let her go. Meanwhile, he develops a relationship with his probation officer.

This isn't a laugh-out-loud comedy but it's at least mildly humorous and serves up a few laughs. It has an all-star cast, so the acting is good. The story line is simple and easy to follow. It's a fair watch if you just can't decide on what you want to watch.

I give it a 6/10 because it's better than average. Don't let the negative reviews discourage you. Grab some popcorn and enjoy!

What A Yawn Fest...

[DiamondGirl427 · 3/10 · 29 June 2010]

Yes...it was a comedy..sort of. It was also suppose to be entertaining as well...which is barely was. The characters had no depth..you could tell these people were acting..and that the script wasn't something worth bringing to the big screen much less as a bargain rental from a Red Box. The movie offered major stars struggling through as if they never bothered to learn their lines...or simply did not care to. I get that Tim Allen obviously is a major player in Hollywood...and seeing how his other films have been HUGE successes...this one falls flat. No one could possibly believe this character had committed ANY crimes at all..no matter how minor. Even the "bad guys" seemed weak. Ray Liotta has made his mark in films being a bad ass...here he seemed about as dangerous as a kitten. I hope if Mr. Allen and company decides to do another film...they find a storyline with more depth to it...Please.

This film gave me cozy 1990s comedy vibes.

[MyMovieTVRomance · 9/10 · 9 December 2021]

Such a fun, nice movie. Tim Allen is a classic, just like Robin Williams, and this film gave me cozy 1990s comedy vibes. I loved it, and his sister played by the sexy Sigourney Weaver is so perfect in the role, that I came away in love with her! I think I'm gonna watch more Sigourney now. What a woman! And what a perfect sister. Great movie! And it offered me some confirmation about a project I'm working on too. Arrrr, matey!

can a guy reform and transform ?

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 14 July 2022]

When tom gets out of prison, he moves in with his sister and the family. And falls for his probation officer. It's a pretty well worn plot... the ups and downs of trying to stay on the straight and narrow life, while old, much more lucrative schemes are presented. Can tim, i mean tom stay out of trouble and out of jail when things get tough? It's cute. Some huge names in here... directed and starring tim tool time allen. Sigourney alien weaver, ray tough guy liotta. JK insurance commercial simmons, kelsey cheers grammer. It's entertaining enough. Currently showing on roku channel.

Quite nice

[paul_haakonsen · 5/10 · 18 April 2010]

I thought this was going to be more of a laugh your ass off comedies, but that was not to be.

Now, I am not saying the movie is bad, and it does have its moments with good comedy. But "Crazy on the Outside" is more of a warm story movie. There is something heartfelt to the story. And the build up and turns in the story are nice, especially the way the story progresses around the lies.

The acting in the movie was really good, on everyone's part. And good to see marvelous performances from Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver and Ray Liotta, as usual. Actually nice to see Allen and Liotta back in a movie together. And with only supporting roles, Weaver and Liotta does one heck of a job with their roles.

If you are expecting an all-out laugh your ass off comedy, this is not the movie to pick. But I think people should watch this movie at least once, because it is quite nice.

A sometimes fun and harmless family film

[sidfargas · 13 January 2010]

This movie absolutely snuck in to theatres. I never saw one advertisement or one commercial. Usually when a studio has no faith in a film, they don't advertise. That's a shame here because the movie is better than you would expect. Putting aside severe plot leaps in character logic and relationships, it's a sometimes fun and harmless family film. Without question it has to fall in to the category of solid TV sitcom type movie but nothing extraordinary. I've always been somewhat a fan of Tim Allen. So, watching him in full TV sitcom mode again was good to see. What definitely helps is the fact that the supporting cast really shines and pretty much carry the film. JK Simmons plays his usual quirky role to perfection. Ray Liotta and Sigourney Weaver are fantastic. The only real problem I saw is that Tim Allen shouldn't try and direct in the future. His bizarre choices screamed amateur hour at times. (Cutting to bobble-headed devils instead of sex scenes, cutting to a cartoon "angry meter" in his heart, etc. = awful)

I always hate to see big talent fall flat on its face

[piercejeans · 6/10 · 7 December 2022]

Ok here is the deal. Big talent, with writers who are vets of good sitcoms. Tim Allen directed. The premise is kind of good. Unfortunately, they phoned it in. The writing was mediocre. The acting was mediocre. A lot of times Allen should have called cut and gone for another take. The music score was top notch, and reminded me this movie wanted to be a feel good family fun outing like we used to have in the sixties.

Well now to the autopsy. What went wrong? Well for one, my number one rule is NEVER under any circumstances mix drama with comedy. Soap operas are never funny and comedies never make you sad or emotional. You never kill off the hero in a comedy. Even Shakespeare knew that. If the hero dies, its a tragedy, not a comedy. If there are jokes in it and everybody lives, it's a comedy.

The Bird Cage is my model perfect TEN comedy movie. It doesn't get any better than that. Good rich characters with a lot of energy and direction that keeps the energy flowing and makes the audience feel like they are right there. And Bird Cage kept you wondering what was going to happen next, but you were always surprised from the next curve. And juxtaposing Williams and Lane with Gene Hackman was a perfect voltage opposite.

I wanted it to be good. I mean, you have A list sitcom actors and Sigourney on her own can carry a movie, like Sandra Bullock can. Ocean's 11 it was not. No voltage, no excitement, no "wow" factor. Ocean's is a movie that kept you guessing.

Crazy on the Outside was a movie with few turns and you could see the end coming a mile away. Perhaps some comedy friends just wanted to get together and make a little money. Ray Liotta was not used to the best of his comedy ability.

Several times I wanted to say... they needed a closer shot, the camera should follow the action, the scenes were too casual, there was not enough urgency. I did not buy the scenes and I kept popping out of the movie. Sometimes in comedy in the crunch times of the plot you need to speed up the dialogue and push the camera in tight in order to put the audience into the scene. Mad Mad Mad Mad World comes to mind. There was a very well made movie that is a textbook for young movie makers.

Jack Benny and Jonathan Winters, Buddy Hackett and Milton Berle all gave you "crazy." Like Bird Cage, the degree the actors characterized the roles sucked you right into the movie with them. It was a fun ride. And that is exactly what this movie lacked. This movie was not a fun ride. This movie was the Teacup ride at Disney World.

Anyway, if the choice is between watching your paint dry on the four walls or watching this movie, you could do worse than to pick watching the movie. There were shining moments. Allen had some funny lines. I would love a shot at rewriting the script to punch it up and deleting some of the drama. Also I would tighten the shots, bring up the lighting a bit, and speed up the energy of the dialogue and the action. This movie could be fixed.

not funny, but plenty boring

[steveswangler · 1/10 · 18 January 2022]

Considering the amount of talent in this film, it speaks to Allen's directorial debut how incredibly slow and boring this film is.

While being boring, it is also formulaic and extremely predictable.

Nothing crazy about "Crazy on the Outside"

[ncoviell · 3/10 · 31 March 2010]

This past January, Tim Allen reemerged from his two year hiatus to direct his first full length feature, "Crazy on the Outside," a movie in which he was also the lead. Tim Allen is a good guy and his work will a bona fide guilty pleasure (looking at you Santa Clause), but there is nothing remotely crazy about "Crazy on the Outside." At one point in the film, Allen's character, Tommy, probably wishes he were back in prison. Presently, Allen probably wishes he hadn't gone through with this mellow, clichéd film that can most positively be described as "watchable."

In "Crazy on the Outside," Tommy (Allen) is released from prison after serving a three year sentence. Looking to bounce back and avoid the mistakes he made previously, and under the watch of his deceiving sister Vicky (Sigourney Weaver) and his probation officer Angela (Jeanne Tripplehorn), Tommy starts to rebuild his life. Holding down a job at a local burger joint, Tommy originally attempts to win his old flame (Julie Bowen) back while trying to restart his father's painting business; however, as things move forward Tommy seems to be gaining interest in Angela and vice versa.

It's difficult to find any elements of this film that aren't negative. If anything, "Crazy on the Outside" is an enjoyable movie to watch if you want to kill time or maybe if you still have parents that are awkward to watch smut movies with and love Tim Allen; if so, perfect match. Every part of "Crazy on the Outside" is artificial and recycled. Its craziness is limited; in fact, as the story unfolds you'll find yourself wondering: "when will something entertaining happen?" Allen's type of humor certainly isn't unanimously praised; however, he has his moments; sadly, none of which appeared in this movie. The gags and jokes aren't even close to being humorous and the silly moments that are tossed in, such as a pirate statue winking; only hurt the film's name.

"Crazy on the Outside," like many movies before, appeared to give a glimmer of hope from the trailer, but managed to fall into the safe, cliché mold that's come to be expected. The story is about as predictable as any other; from the very beginning it is obvious that Tommy will eventually end up with Angela. To make matters worse, there wasn't even question how the two would end up together. "Crazy on the Outside" follows the typical romantic plot structure of build up, connection, disaster that rips lover's apart, rock bottom, motivation to not lose each other and reconnection. The worst part of the story is by far Angela's son Ethan who acts as the spark plug of Tommy and Angela's relationship. Ethan knows that he wants Tommy as a father figure in his life after only their second meeting and it comes off as relatively creepy and extremely unrealistic.

Certainly, Allen will be used as a scapegoat, but there wasn't a lot to work with as far as the script goes. The only way to describe Allen's directorial debut is that he took the safe route. On an acting stand point, Allen is Allen and nothing more. The trailer made "Crazy on the Outside" appear that it'd feature a more vulgar performance from Allen, which would be a welcome sight; however, that didn't end up being the case as he was blocked by a PG-13 rating, which will undoubtedly be the downfall and killer of "Crazy on the Outside" as not only is it normal, it isn't crude.

Aside from Allen, "Crazy on the Outside" features a lack of J.K. Simmons and Ray Liotta, two praiseworthy actors caught in roles that didn't need to be in. In fact, Liotta isn't even utilized correctly in his scenes as his angry, aggressive persona is completely absent. Weaver may just be one of the film's few bright spots as she plays Allen's fibbing sister quite well and offers a good deal of care and spunk for the film. Weaver's Vicky could possibly have been the only crazy aspect of "Crazy on the Outside" as her lies only become more monumental as they come and are the closest thing to entertainment.

In "Crazy on the Outside," it all returns to the fact that it is false displayed. There is nothing out of the ordinary in the movie and it follows a familiar path. For the most part, its characters, actions, jokes, gags, storyline and romanticism are empty, recycled and lifeless. Sadly, this is a step backwards for Tim Allen, both from an acting and directing standpoint, especially since he probably viewed it as a safe film. At the end of the day, Allen didn't deserve to be connected with this project; though he must have been crazy on the inside to have gone through with it.

Barely Watchable

[leftoverbot · 4/10 · 16 April 2010]

Let me first state the fact that I can watch and enjoy just about anything. This, however, was a slow, rough ride. "Crazy On The Outside" deserves an award for the most predictable movie ever made. I liked the cast but as a comedy, drama, or even a love story, it was weak. Also it seemed like the whole movie was shot too dark for the kind of film it was intended to be. The only characters that really achieved any depth at all were Allen's and Weaver's. I gave this a generous 4 out of 10.

And another thing that irritated me was all of the little special effects they kept tossing in as (non)humorous filler. I am referring to Allen's mother in black and white in the truck and the anger-meter when his sister made him mad, etc.

Also the two love interests were annoying despite the fact that Julie Bowen is one of the most visually perfect women to have ever walked the face of Earth. Jeanne Tripplehorn's character left me thinking that Tommy would have been better off in prison.

This is what a comedy should be...

[benoit-3 · 10/10 · 27 April 2010]

This is a fine film, well written and well-acted with several deft directorial touches that will probably go unnoticed by the majority of viewers. (The baseball scene, anyone?) It is respectful of its subject matter, which is the re-adaptation period of an ex-convict to his former life. I found it more akin in nuanced subtlety to Fench comedies than anything made in America recently. It strives for realism and emotion while avoiding over-the-top mayhem and improbable situations. Sigourney Weaver is fascinating to watch in comedy mode as always and Tim Allen is believable in his part. I also liked that Tim Allen's crime was electronic pirating, a reality that is seldom even mentioned in Hollywood films. It's a given that all American comedies must rely on misunderstandings but, given that cliché, I think the trip to France cover story for Allen's incarceration was well-handled and (for once) not offensive to any foreign nation. I rented this DVD out of despair for the lack anything interesting on the horizon and was pleasantly surprised. I don't understand that it didn't make any impact on the box office given its star power and general appeal. This is another one of those little gems that can only be classified as "too good for America".

P.S.: The film got a Zero score on the Tomatometer by Critics and Top critics and a 62 % score by the community, which is an indication of how far removed those critics are from their public. What this means, of course, is that the public likes Tim Allen in whatever he does but that the critics choose to penalize him when he does something totally unpretentious. The IMDb user ratings also show two major disconnects: the first between men and women (men liked it, women didn't, probably because Tim Allen is not conventionally pretty and he acknowledges the differences between the sexes) and US and non-US users, proof that it helps to be non-American and not know anything about Tim Allen to recognize excellence and like this film.

Move on people, nothing new here

[princebansal1982 · 5/10 · 31 May 2011]

On paper, this movie seem to have be half decent. But nothing clicked for me. I think it suffered due to lack of laughs. There were a few smiles here and there, but things were just too predictable. We know how it was going to end.

And the part about the young boy trying to play matchmaker to his mother and an ex-con was idiotic. Also the part about mother accepting it was more idiotic. The kind of faith that she puts in him was just too naive, especially considering that she is a parole officer.

Sigourney Weaver's role was also very contrived. They could have taken the whole thing out of the movie without taking anything from the whole plot. The whole movie is mess really. There is no narrative coherence. Parts have been stacked on just to get some laughs. Alas, If only there were laughs. This is an old wine in an old bottle.

They tried to make me go to rehab

[tieman64 · 22 February 2014]

"Crazy on the Outside" is an unwatchable comedy directed by and starring US comedian Tim Allen.

Notable only for a minor role by actress Sigourney Weaver, the film is an awkward mixture of flat jokes, terrible writing and dated directorial choices. Odder still is the way the film's plot and aesthetics clash. Allen thinks he's making a chirpy children's flick, but his content says otherwise (lots of sex toys, heavy soul searching etc). It's an R rated movie that's been squeezed into a PG13 wrapper, a schizoid style which is perhaps due to Allen's uncertainty as to what type of audience he'd like to target and pander to.

1/10 - Worth no viewings.

Not as bad as Adaptation, but not worth watching either.

[destruk-830-818397 · 2/10 · 28 August 2010]

90 minutes with three chuckles, this film fails to provide much entertainment. JK Simmons is actually the best actor in the film and he gets a bunch of one-liners. This movie's target audience is one who requires all their thinking to be done for them - the 1:20 is simply wishy washy everything goes my way type of thing for Allen, then he gets a very minor problem at 80 minutes in, and has 10 minutes to make it right. Just in case you weren't paying attention we get a zoom in up close and personal with writing on the screen to tell us to pay attention to this problem - it is stuck in your face so deep you can't miss it. You will come away from this movie remembering 3 things and that's all - it could have been a 10 minute infomercial rather than this POS.

Too angry to be funny

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 15 January 2014]

Tommy (Tim Allen) has just been released from prison after spending three years for video piracy. He's stuck staying with his sister Viki and her family (Sigourney Weaver, J.K. Simmons) who's desperate to keep Tommy from his old running mate bad influence Gray (Ray Liotta). Viki has told their mother that Tommy was living in France with a whole ridiculous story. Tommy's parole officer is Angela (Jeanne Tripplehorn).

Tim Allen directed this script which probably speaks to his own personal drama. However the comedy is mostly unfunny with a serious side of anger. There is a mean spirit to this movie and to the character. The laughs aren't there. I didn't like the character. If Tim Allen wants to use his past to good use, I think a serious indie about his jail time would work much better.

The Tool Guy is running out of tricks

[studioAT · 2/10 · 24 July 2015]

Tim Allen was at the top of his game when he made 'The Santa Clause' back in 1994. Sadly 16 years later his last film to date as a leading man is poor.

The idea behind the film is good and you certainly can't say that the cast isn't a good one, it's just that the film plods along as a snails pace and really isn't that funny. It's almost like Tim is trying to tick all the boxes to make a hit film and yet the magic spark isn't there.

I applaud him for trying his hand at directing, but the fact that half the other actors in the film appeared with him in other more successful films only gives a sense that he was calling in favours.

Even the DVD extras are a bit self congratulatory when you consider that Allen's company 'Boxing Cat' comes up right at the start.

I like Tim Allen, I like his work. This just wasn't a good example of it.