Bobby Z (2007)

A DEA agent provides former Marine Tim Kearney with a way out of his prison sentence: impersonate Bobby Z, a recently deceased drug dealer, in a hostage switch with a crime lord.

Director:

John Herzfeld

Writers:

Bob Krakower (screenplay), Larry Schapiro (screenplay) (as Allen Lawrence)

Stars:

Paul Walker, Laurence Fishburne, Olivia Wilde

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Walker	...	Tim Kearney
Laurence Fishburne	...	Tad Grusza
Olivia Wilde	...	Elizabeth
Jason Flemyng	...	Brian
Keith Carradine	...	Johnson
Joaquim de Almeida	...	Don Huertero
J.R. Villarreal	...	Kit
Jason Lewis	...	Bobby Z
Jacob Vargas	...	Jorge Escobar
Michael Bowen	...	Duke
M.C. Gainey	...	Boom Boom
Josh Stewart	...	Monk
Margo Martindale	...	Macy
Raymond J. Barry	...	Stanley (as Raymond Barry)
Julio Oscar Mechoso	...	Mexican Detective

Storyline

A DEA agent provides former Marine Tim Kearney with a way out of his prison sentence: impersonate Bobby Z, a recently deceased drug dealer, in a hostage switch with a crime lord. When the negotiations go awry, Kearney flees, with Z's son in tow.

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Plot Keywords:

drinking from a bottle | woman wears black lingerie | prison | on the run | drug lord | 

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Taglines:

You can't out-run yourself.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, some drug use, language and brief nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

Josh Stewart was in Dark Knight Rises and Lawrence Fishbourne was in Batman vs Superman

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Goofs

The bike that Paul Walker's character uses to escape from Brian Cervier's ranch switches from a four stroke to a two stroke in the scene where it runs out of gas.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Jorge Escobar: [throwing down photo] This guy is perfect. His name is Tim Kearney, three-time loser from Palm Dale.
Tad Gruzsa: Definitely a resemblance. Family?
Jorge Escobar: Mom's dead, dad split.
Tad Gruzsa: Uncles, aunts, brothers, sister?
Jorge Escobar: Tim's an only child. On his own since he was 15.

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Alternate Versions

The European versions of this film open and close with a hippie played by Bruce Dern talking about the death and life of Bobby Z. The US version does not have these scenes which open and bookend the movie.

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Soundtracks

Thing About Me
Written by David Dearmon
Performed by Calvin Scott

User Reviews

Straight to Video

There is nothing much to be too excited of at this movie, but still entertaining. I wonder why it made its way to the silver screen because it's not better than dozens of Straight to Video productions. Storywise, you will get nothing more than you'd also get if you rent a Jean-Claude Van Damme Film. Same goes for "character development". There are some nice shootouts and fights, but nothing remarkable. It sometimes feels as if you were watching a film from the seventies: there is nothing really stylish or spectacular in the action scenes. Although it feels good to see movie that doesn't use the much common and enough-seen style of today's action flicks, the way this film shows the action seems out-dated. Also the film's pace should be higher, again it feels 70s-ish. As usual these days, there are some nice twists and turns in the story. Paul Walker does a decent job, but not as convincing as in "Running Scared". Laurence Fishburne he fails to put any life in his bad guy role. I am not impressed of Olivia Wilde in the leading female role. At least she tries hard to be more than decorative. 5/10

Details

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 April 2007 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Bobby Z

Filming Locations:

Dana Point, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$413,454

Company Credits

Production Co:

Millennium Films, Eclectic Pictures, Equity Pictures Medienfonds GmbH & Co. KG IV

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1