Mr. Woodcock (2007)

Taken aback by his mother's wedding announcement, a young man returns home in an effort to stop her from marrying his old high school gym teacher, a man who made middle school hell for generations of students.

Director:

Craig Gillespie

Writers:

Michael Carnes, Josh Gilbert

Stars:

Billy Bob Thornton, Seann William Scott, Susan Sarandon

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Jasper Woodcock
Seann William Scott	...	John Farley
Susan Sarandon	...	Beverly Farley
Amy Poehler	...	Maggie
Melissa Sagemiller	...	Tracy
Ethan Suplee	...	Nedderman
Jacob Davich	...	Nedderman's Brother
Kyley Baldridge	...	Young Farley
Alec George	...	Young Nedderman
Joseph Michael Sargent	...	Young Watson
M.C. Gainey	...	Hal - Barber #1
Brent Briscoe	...	Barber #2
Dave Kuhr	...	Bookish Guy
Lisa K. Wyatt	...	Housewife
Kurt Fuller	...	Councilman Luke

Storyline

Fatherless John Farley's youth frustration, even trauma, like many his school kids' in his Nebraska small town home, was the constant abuse and humiliation in sadistic Jasper Woodcock's gym class. After college, doting son John became a motivational bestseller author and returns during a book signing tour to receive the backwater's highest honor. To John's horror, his devoted mother Beverly announces her plans to marry the hated coach and he's to be celebrated on the same event as John. Only ridiculous fatso Nedderman and his strange brother try to help Farley stop Woodcock, but that keeps backfiring.

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Plot Keywords:

neo screwball comedy | character name as title | surname in title | gym class | humiliation | 

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Taglines:

You thought your family was nuts

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, thematic material, language and a mild drug reference

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 September 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mr. Woodcock

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,100,000, 16 September 2007

Gross USA:

$25,799,486

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$33,683,200

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema, Landscape Entertainment, Avery Pix

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

David Dobkin directed three weeks of re-shoots, according to Patrick Goldstein in the Los Angeles Times 10 August 2007

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Goofs

When John is trying to do chin-ups in Mr. Woodcock's gym class, the final two close-up shots of John has him gripping the bar so loosely that would not support his own weight let alone do any chin-ups.

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Quotes

Mr. Woodcock: It's too late. She's made her mind up, Farley.
John Farley: What? My mom's the best thing that's ever happened to you.
Mr. Woodcock: One day you'll date girls and you'll understand. Once a woman makes her mind up... there's no changing it.
John Farley: Oh, I get it. You're scared. Your last marriage fell apart because she was cheating on you. Again, and again, and again.
Mr. Woodcock: The woman's a deviant, Farley. Who cares?
John Farley: So you're scared of getting hurt again?
Mr. Woodcock: Hey, spare me the self-help crap, OK? You're not a guru. You're a spoiled little ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Pick Up the Pace: Making 'Mr. Woodcock' (2008)

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Soundtracks

Volare
Written by Franco Migliacci, Domenico Modugno and Mitchell Parish
Performed by Wayne Newton
Courtesy of Capitol Records
Under license from EMI Film & Television Music

User Reviews

Some laughs in a one dimensional tale thats been done before

Self-help guru who hated his gym teacher goes home to find his mom engaged to said teacher, stilted merriment tries to ensue. The idea is sound the execution isn't. Woodcock, Billy Bob Thorton's gym teacher character is much too one dimensional to really work since he has one expression the whole time. Sean William Scott as the self help guru tries too hard to be wacky and falls on his face. Actually the script just doesn't work since its so obvious where its going. There are laughs and smiles despite of the lack of it all hanging together, and one "Whoa" nervous "oh crap he really got hurt" laugh towards the end. Worth a look on a slow night on cable where you'll be more forgiving of the dull bits on the way to the good ones.