Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003)

A thirty-something former child star hires a foster family to re-create the childhood he never had.

Director:

Sam Weisman

Writers:

Fred Wolf, David Spade

Stars:

David Spade, Mary McCormack, Alyssa Milano

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Spade	...	Dickie Roberts
Mary McCormack	...	Grace Finney
Craig Bierko	...	George Finney
Scott Terra	...	Sam Finney
Jenna Boyd	...	Sally Finney
John Farley	...	Referee
Bobby Slayton	...	Commentator
Michael Buffer	...	Michael Buffer
Fred Wolf	...	Dickie's Corner Man
Alyssa Milano	...	Cyndi
Emmanuel Lewis	...	Himself
Joey Diaz	...	Emmanuel's Entourage (as Joey 'Coco' Diaz)
Kevin Grevioux	...	Emmanuel's Entourage
Brian Clark	...	Guy in Car
Leif Garrett	...	Leif Garrett

Storyline

Once, he was on top of the world as a popular child actor on TV. Now, he's Hollywood's punchline about everything wrong with people who were famous as children. All Dickie Roberts wants to do is find that one gig that will restore his honor and everyone's love of him, so after learning that Rob Reiner's making an ambitious new movie destined to sweep the Oscars, Dickie's first in line to audition. He walks out having learned he certainly looks the part but can't act it... yet, owing to his very unusual childhood. To research the role, Dickie embarks on a bizarre scheme to live with a suburban family to see how the average American child lives, having them put him up as their "son". But once his gloves are off, Dickie discovers how great it is to be part of a true family, and whether he gets the part or not, his attempt at method acting will certainly change his life forever.

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Plot Keywords:

marilyn monroe character | hare krishna | children | former child star | actor | 

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Taglines:

50 million people used to watch him on TV. Now he washes their cars.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for crude and sex-related humor, language and drug references

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 September 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dickie Roberts: (Former) Child Star

Filming Locations:

741 S Hudson Ave, Pasadena, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$17,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,660,540, 7 September 2003, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$22,734,486, 23 November 2003

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures,Happy Madison Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Co-Writers Fred Wolf and David Spade originally wrote a skit in the 1990s for Saturday Night Live (1975) about a child star rampage, spoofing The Silence of the Lambs (1991), for when Macaulay Culkin was hosting, but it was cut. The idea was later pitched for The WB, but they turned it down. It was eventually re-written and turned into this movie, originally written as a dark comedy with more references to drug use by child stars.

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Goofs

When Dickie is getting into the silver Honda Insight, you can see a crew member holding a "bounce card" reflected in the door as it is closed.

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Quotes

Barry Williams: I bet you a thousand dollars... no, make that a hundred dollars and the actual football we used to hit Marcia with in the whole "My nose, My nose" episode, that Brendan Frasier never calls.
[Dickie's phone rings]
Dickie Roberts: Hold on.
[answers phone]
Dickie Roberts: Go for Dickie.
[everyone else laughs]
Dickie Roberts: Brendan? Yes, of course I can meet Rob Reiner tomorrow!
Dickie Roberts: [laughs and points at Barry Williams, who glares at him]

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Crazy Credits

At the very end of the credits, David Spade can be heard in voice-over, talking directly to the audience. Among other things, he encourages moviegoers to abandon their trash in their seats, and accuses someone in the audience of farting (then admits it was he).

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Connections

References The Transformers (1984)

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Soundtracks

Ride Like the Wind
Written and Performed by Christopher Cross
Courtesy of Christopher Cross Records

User Reviews

This is knucking futs!

David Spade is one of my fave SNL stars and he's made better movies than the rest of his old pals (It's Pat, Coneheads and Master of Disguise are among the worst films ever made). I especially liked him as the voice of Kuzko in the Emperor's New Groove. Here he plays Dickie Roberts: (former) Child Star, a kid at the top, but a man at the bottom and absolutely desperate for a comeback.

His agent (John Lovitz) cannot find him any work outside of celebrity boxing, his girlfriend has dumped him and Dickie's main source of income is parking cars. You get the picture, he's a completely fallen star.

Rob Reiner has a role that Dickie would love to get his hands on but Rob wont touch him because it requires an actor who knows 'normal', someone who knows how to be an adult, someone who had a proper childhood. Desperate to get the part, Dickie hires an ordinary middle-class family (dedicated mum, workaholic dad, bullied son, wishful daughter) to look after him like proper parents.

Trouble naturally follows. But Dickie's hijinks lessen and his new family's tolerance increases. Yes, they do learn from each other and become better people (yadda yadda) but there is just so much fun and craziness along the way and some genuine character moments.

There are loads of celebrity cameos (Tom Arnold, Corey Feldman, Brendan Fraser, Dustin Diamond) and lots of biting satire and the movie industry but the bulk of the film relies upon Dickie learning family values and having fun with the kids, being a kid. Proof positive that he's still the best (former) SNL star.

The only bad thing I can mention is Adam Sandler's involvement as executive producer, something that seriously tarnishes the film and prevents it from having any real class.

The DVD is in great looking 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby 5.1 sound and quite a few extras.