Out of Sync (2000 TV Movie) User Reviews

'All in all the movie was average (for a tv movie), nothing special...'.

[superrad24 · 5/10 · 13 July 2000]

This movie was all standard tv movie. The acting not really there, and the plot did not develop with the characters. Like many TV movies this one had unfinished side-plots that either left the viewer wondering what happened or not really carring at all. The only part of this movie i liked was the fact that it was showing the real side of corprate manufactured music. All in all the movie was average (for a tv movie) nothing special and no 'breakthrough' acting.

A Cinderella story

[popsicle820 · 6/10 · 24 November 2007]

I like this film basically because of the songs. The opening sequence was what hooked me. I think it's funny how one song can be either made great, or destroyed by the wrong singing voice. The storyline isn't bad either. It appealed to me because of its Cinderella theme. It's funny and sexy, but somewhat preposterous at times. But it's all in good, clean fun. I love the singing voice used by Gail O'Grady. It's a voice that meshes well with the songs used in the film. It's a good movie to stay up late for when you don't have to go to work tomorrow. Though the script could have been better, all in all, I enjoyed it and I would like to see it again.

Watchable fluff

[howie73 · 6/10 · 14 March 2005]

I enjoyed this film more than I thought but I was also annoyed by some aspects of it. The protagonist, Roger Deacon, is the main problem. The problem lies not with the actor Peter Outerbridge but with the way he is portrayed. This is the man who betrayed his naive and shy forty-something Martha Stewart look-a-like protégée, Maggie Stanley, by gaining her trust then letting her think she cannot have a recording contract because he is committed to promoting the talentless, Sunni, the mistress of a powerful record company boss to whom Peter is indebted. When Peter redeems himself for Maggie at the end it feels a bit contrived and hollow, as if Peter's hypocrisy can be absolved by an act of honesty. But by also exposing a talentless Sunni in public he humiliates another woman, all for the sake of exposing a truth he chose to conceal as a ruse in the first place. Thank heavens we can sympathize with Maggie, a passive housewife too shy to make a fuss even when she realizes she has been conned by Peter. The music is quite good for a TV movie in spite of the mismatch between Maggie and her supposed voice. The only thing that puzzled me was the fact Maggie only recorded 3 tracks for Sunni's album. The ending was a little abrupt though, and more could have been said about the appearance/reality theme. Yet there were many sharp lines satirizing the superficial values of the record company world.

Amusing, sweet and relaxing

[Heinz57 · 14 January 2003]

Nothing heavy and deep, but wholesome entertainment if you are in the mood for something light and funny. If you happen to be a fan of either Karin Wuhrer (Salin)[formerly of the series 'Sliders', and in 'Hotblooded'] and or Gail O'Grady [lately in 'Another's Woman's Husband', and the new series 'American Dreams'] (as I am), then this is something you don't want to miss. Looks like some people are just too heavy handed to appreciate something that is just light fare, and should be taken as such. ;-)

Amazing Movie

[chickiepoo20 · 6/10 · 8 February 2005]

I first saw this movie about 3-4 years ago and i really liked it the best part was when i saw that Ryan Dennis from the Canadian band Serial Joe was in it along with Ryan Stever that was really cool to me they are very good in the movie the awesome thing is in 2001 i saw Serial Joe in concert and got to meet Ryan Dennis even got my picture taken with him which is one of my treasured possessions,for the most part of the movie it was not bad didn't like what they had done to the character Maggie that wasn't right getting her to record songs then telling her no they are not going to use her for an album of her own then they go behind her back and use her voice on Sunni's CD that was just plain wrong.All in all the movie was really good and i enjoyed it very much.

Strictly Milli VANILLA!

[Hermit C-2 · 5/10 · 26 July 2000]

This TV flick doesn't live up to music channel VH1's claim of "movies that rock." The idea was good, but both the script and the execution are pedestrian. The whole thing comes off about as compelling as an old Milli Vanilli track, and as forgettable. The singing of Kari Wuhrer's character is so bad it's an insult to the audience, as if we couldn't tell otherwise. Wuhrer does manage to get us to laugh a time or two, though. Once again we're treated to the spectacle of movie characters going gaga over songs and singing that really aren't that great. On top of that, the ending is unbelievably Hollywood-corny. This film wastes the talent of those in it and wastes the time of those watching.

Not good, not awful.

[bombersflyup · 4/10 · 22 January 2020]

Out of Sync is watchable, it's a made for television film and never rises above that level.

I don't understand casting Kari in a family film like this and I'm suppose to not like her character here, which is impossible. Peter Outerbridge's one note and rather poor, with his scrunched up face annoyed with everybody attitude, when the character itself is doing very little. I last saw him as the new agent on "Millennium" with Lance Henriksen and he was exactly the same in that. Gail O'Grady holds the film together really.

Very Entertaining

[comquest · 9/10 · 13 July 2000]

This VH1 Original Movie was one of the freshest made-for-TV films I've seen this year. The main characters were well-developed, complicated, wacky, interesting people. The story was innovative, hilariously funny at times, and thoroughly entertaining throughout.

For TV fare, this is an exceptional flick. Catch it if you can.

Kari Wuhrer is great at acting horrible

[nerdfu · 8/10 · 12 July 2000]

I didn't know what to expect from a VH1 "Movie That Rocks", but considering I had a headache when I saw it I thought it was pretty good. Gail O'Grady has a perfect look of vengeance when she finds out her voice was being used, not to mention the stunning vocals. Kari Wuhrer is great at acting horrible. The tracks from the movie weren't too bad either. All in all, I enjoyed it a lot and will try to catch it again the next time it airs.

I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[cheapest · 16 July 2000]

In my opinion, this was an outstanding made-for-tv movie! I think Gail O'Grady and Peter Outerbridge were just perfect together and the only thing I would have changed is that Maggie would have dumped old-unsupportive Stan and gone with Deke where she belonged! These actors were perfect for these roles and the movie was a cute idea done very well! I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a couple of hours of pure escape! Good job VH1!

Enjoyable escapist fare

[OldPolitico · 8/10 · 19 January 2007]

I saw the DVD in a store and bought it on the strength of Gail O'Grady starring in it as I had liked her work on NYPD Blue. I have seen it perhaps three times and it is, on its own terms, better than average made for TV fare. Three things bothered me about the story, though. First, since our heroine Maggie's son has a band and she claims to believe in his singing talent, why does she never ask Deacon to listen to his demo tape or help him in any way at all? Second, where are the lawyers? Even if Deacon was only planning to use Maggie's voice behind (more like in front) of Sunni's when he started out at that first recording session, he would know that he needed a signed release from her even if she was not to be put under contract. Not doing so might (ought to) have made Maggie suspicious. Besides, he doesn't have much money at that point and her fee would be a business expense if he could document it. The story could reach the concert conclusion by way of legal maneuvering rather than hijacking the control room. Third, and last, it doesn't quite ring true that Maggie would have been able to instantly cast off her fear of singing in public quite so easily at the end. When Deacon introduces her to the crowd and the film cuts to her view through that sheer drape, right before she steps in front of it on the stage, I expected her to start singing from there where the audience couldn't see her except perhaps in silhouette.

A surprisingly entertaining film about the music industry.

[thriftymoviecritic · 8/10 · 26 May 2014]

There are so many films in the Direct to Video market that is just utter garbage, but there are a few movies that are a diamond in the rough. Lip Service is a fantastic film about the music industry as well as a decent Romantic Comedy.

The plot of the movie is about a record producer named Roger (Peter Outerbridge) is asked to produce a record for an up and coming super star named Sunni (Kari Wuhrer). The issue is that Sunni may be one of the worst singers around so Roger needs to find a way to cover up her voice. He finds a soccer mom named Maggie (Gail O'Grady) in a bar and gets her to do the vocals. Sunni becomes an instant superstar while Maggie does not get any recognition. At the end of the film Maggie ends up being the star and Sunni is no longer famous.

The humor of the film is very campy, but it uses that to its advantage. At the end of the film Roger asks his friend Buddo (Jerry Ciccoritti) for help to mute Maggie's tracks during Sunni's debut concert. Roger uses one of the funniest lines ever conceived in my opinion to get Buddo to help: "She baked you cookies." Buddo has a montage of Maggie giving him a cookie and he accepts Roger's proposal to take down Sunni. The line itself is funny, but the montage is the icing on the cake or the chocolate chip on the cookie.

The Romance between Maggie and Roger was very unique in my opinion. It is not your tradition Romantic Comedy where the two leads eventually fall in love and live happily ever after. It is a Traditional Romance in the real world from my perspective. Maggie and Roger have great romantic chemistry together, but they never act upon it. Roger did kiss Maggie and she fantasized about him while cleaning the house, but apart from that they never acted on their emotions towards one another. At the end of the film Roger is caught in a sex romp with Sunni and ends up being single while Maggie is still happily married. The romance in this film reminded me of Once, but on a less bittersweet note. In Once I wanted the two leads to be together, but I knew it was impossible. In Lip Service I was fine with Roger and Maggie never getting together.

Lip Service was surprisingly a fantastic film. I found it in a dollar rack in a Dollar General. I thought it was going to be a campy version of Showgirls, but I liked this film a lot more than I thought I would have. If you have a chance to find a copy of this movie you will not be disappointed.

For the full review go to my site: http://www.thriftymoviecritic.com/reviews-1-5.html

Outrageous! and Outstanding!

[Frenchie-18 · 12 July 2000]

In a world of music, losing control is part of being on top. The story propels you forward into a world that few make it in, and very few make Celebrity status. As if being a star isn't enough, in music, you want to be a Celebrity! Especially if you want to be around for a while, it's the ultimate challenge. Newcomers have it tough going through their neophyte or fledging stages. Cheating isn't easy with a public that is sophisticated, demanding, and skeptical. The story lets us view the world from the artist that is climbing socially, politically, and financially. The real shame is the lack of preparation on her part, and naivete to fake it... But as always, the truth comes out.

Pure Entertainment!

[bronzesrv · 10/10 · 3 November 2020]

The Milli Vanilli era LOL, great movie! Pure entertainment, Gail O'Grady was a pure gem in this. Me knowing a lot of people in the industry, it's sad to say so many people still do this ,real talent staying behind closed doors, while The Visionaries push out people that may look the part, but don't have it.

It's Milli Vanilli, only sexier...

[DaysHaze · 13 July 2000]

Because I knew this was a VH1 Original, I knew not to expect much of the movie. I was right. This movie tells the story of washed-up record producer, Deacon. Deacon's jet plane back to the glamour he once knew arrives in the form of Sunni, the new "it" girl of Golden Records with the body of a goddess and voice comparable to nails on a chalkboard. Deacon takes on the project of producing Sunni's record, convinced he can make her voice sound reasonable using studio magic. This plan fails to work. Enter Maggie Stanley, a housewife blessed with a beautiful singing voice while cursed with a severe case of stage fright. Deacon decides to replace Sunni's voice with Maggie's, and chaos ensues from there when Sunni's career rises farther than Deacon ever wanted to. Realizing he is in love with the very married Maggie, Deacon's conscience takes hold of him, instructing him to tell the truth about Sunni, much to the chagrin of Lowell, a record exec at Golden who wants to keep this secret under lock and key.

Peter Outerbridge, an actor I had previously never heard of, shines as Deacon, a down-on-his-luck, believable, and very lovable character, who, despite having experienced the highs of fame and fortune and the lows of bankruptcy and flops on Billboard, still manages to find a kindred soul in the stage fright-stricken Maggie. Kari Wuhrer, as Sunni, brings an extremely annoying sense of innocence to her character, who is supposed to come off as a shrewd businesswoman in a Barbie doll package. Gail O'Grady gives a so-so performance. She has delivered a better performance because she been given better scripts to work with. The whole thing movie is lacking in its sense of direction, especially with the romantic "quadrangle" involving Sidney Golden, Sunni, Deacon, Maggie, and Stan, Maggie's husband. So much more could have been explored between Deacon and Maggie. Perhaps the writer took the route he did to keep Deacon's "good guy" image.

If you happen to catch this movie between back-to-back Behind the Movie marathons (isn't that what they ALWAYS air on VH1?...), go ahead and kill some time, but don't make a point of watching it.

Well, Kari Wuhrer was hot...

[backdoor_romeo · 4 April 2001]

That's about the only good thing I can say about this sapball, cornfest. One thing of interest, seeing as this is supposed to be a feel-good movie in the end, is that it's actually a very mean-spirited movie...

I was disappointed how Kari Wuhrer (did I mention she was babelicious, as she always is?) was treated in the end, when she did nothing to deserve the treatment she got, when in fact all hurt feelings and snickering should have went towards the record industry, instead of her. But I digress.

This is TV movie of the week stuff, with bad acting, bad plot and an unbelievable Hollywood ending. No points to VH1 for this one, folks. It's pretty lame.

See it only for Kari, who I'd chop off my middle finger to be with (if you know what I mean)... Otherwise, avoid.

Nice update of Singin' in the Rain

[dstinson · 24 July 2000]

I like it. It seemed like a nice modern update of Singin' in the Rain (Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds) with Gail O'Grady in the Reynolds part. Add in a little "Milli Vanilli" to the theme and you have a good rendition of "Out of Sync".

on the list of worst ever

[emperorsclothes · 9 February 2008]

This movie is an embarrassment to film-making. I can't believe it was even listed as a comedy - not funny. Not only was the script atrocious, but the casting people should be shot. Gail O'Grady is just a great actress, but beyond that... %99 of the rest of the cast...ouch. Pretty much everyone else...wow it is hard to even...wow. Here is the number one rule about comedy "DON'T TRY TO BE FUNNY". There are a lot of very talented actors in Canada who can do drama and comedy - none of them were used in this film. Canadian nepotism and casting directors are helping to perpetuate bad film-making in Canada. I realize this is technically a "US" film, but look at the director, actors, location, etc. I just saw this on Bravo - they should be ashamed that they bought the rights to show this film. Again, there are a lot of great films out there that can't get airtime and they show this crap.