A Bunch of Amateurs (2008)

A sleazy Hollywood agent tricks one of his clients, a faded action star, into playing King Lear in an amateur charity production in England.

Director:

Andy Cadiff

Writers:

Jonathan Gershfield (screenplay), John Ross (screenplay)

Stars:

Burt Reynolds, Alexandra Weaver, Elesia Marie

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Burt Reynolds	...	Jefferson Steel
Alexandra Weaver	...	Girl on Motorbike
Elesia Marie	...	1st Cinema Girl (as Elesia Ennis)
Sarah Goldberg	...	2nd Cinema Girl
Glynis Brooks	...	Woman In Street
Camilla Arfwedson	...	Amanda Blacke
Michael Wildman	...	Mr. Darcy
Guy Flanagan	...	Box Office Guy
John Moraitis	...	Man In Theatre
Pat Starr	...	Woman In Theatre
Maisie Scott	...	Young Amanda
Charles Durning	...	Charlie Rosenberg
Pandora Colin	...	Nadine
Lucy Akhurst	...	Stewardess
Stephen Gressieux	...	Italian Tourist (as Stefano Gressieux)

Storyline

A sleazy Hollywood agent tricks one of his clients, a faded action star, into playing King Lear in an amateur charity production in England.

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Plot Keywords:

english countryside | rural england | amateur theatre | faded actor | celebrity | 

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Taglines:

They wished for a star, then wished they hadn't.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Did You Know?

Trivia

The setting of the little English village of Stratford St. John, which is mistakenly confused as Stratford-Upon-Avon, was not even filmed in England, but at two farm villages in the Isle of Man, they being at Ballahott Farm in Ballasalla and at Bishopscourt Farm in Kirk Michael.

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Quotes

Jefferson Steel: I told you it works better in a bigger venue.
Dorothy Nettle: You really are mad.
Amanda Blacke: What's the point of being a movie star if you can't hire the Old Vic for a few nights?

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Crazy Credits

The end credits for the main cast appear one at a time as the actors in the play take their curtain call and bow to the audience in the theatre or, alternatively, in twos as they're sitting in the audience, applauding.

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Soundtracks

Still in the Game
Music by Christian Henson & Caroline Lost
Lyrics by Caroline Lost
Performed by Caroline Lost

User Reviews

Just Passable British Comedy

This is very much a Hollywood version of England - a very romantic English village - with village green, small shops that people use, a wonderful church, and all is well - it is just a little too unrealistic- this England doesn't exist anymore, anywhere, but let that slide for a moment - fake nostalgia is OK.

The whole premise of the movie is this: aging American action hero runs out of offers so ends up taking what he thinks is Shakespeare at Stratford, but well, it's not that Stratford.

My real issue with this was that Burt Reynolds is meant to discover some humanity and acting ability by the end - but honestly....

Worth watching is there's nothing else on - it has a small but certain charm - it is saved by an excellent support cast and it's overall tone - but it is like watching a slice of the 50s - and though that may seem like the perfect recommendation here it all falls somewhat flat...

Overall, watchable but a mere speck of what it could have been with the right actor in the lead.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Banda amatorów

Filming Locations:

Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,096,787

Company Credits

Production Co:

Isle of Man Film, CinemaNX, Limelight

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1