Rating: Summary: Bad Movie Review: It was so bad I fast-forwarded about 80% of it. That should tell you something... It's not even worth a review.
Rating: Summary: One Night At McCool's -- Popkorn Junkie's (and my) review Review: I really didn't expect to like this movie because of the previews-- Liv Tyler spraying water all over herself ala a soft core porn flick (or an Aerosmith video!). I thought the movie would be based around Liv being an evil temptress who uses her good looks and sexuality to manipulate men into committing murders and other crimes. I was wrong though, the previews tell you nothing about the movie at all. So, in the end, I was pleasantly surprised and I gained some respect for Liv's acting ability. The story revolves around Liv's character, Jewel Valentine, and is told from three different points of view: Randy the bartender (Matt Dillon), Carl the lawyer (Paul Reiser), and detective Dehling (John Goodman). All three men get mixed up with Jewel after a robbery goes wrong at Randy's bar (McCool's) and the movie is comprised of the 3 men telling about their involvement with her to a hit man, a shrink, and a priest (respectively). It all started....one night at McCool's. I can't say too much about the plot because it is too complicated for a non-spoiler summary...you'll just have to see it. The film was fun to watch because of the whole story telling thing going on between the 3 men and the listeners (the hit man, the psychologist, and the priest)...each guy has a skewed memory and it's interesting to see how they all recall events a little differently. There are lots of flashbacks in the film, when the men are remembering things about Jewel, and each guy makes her out to be way sexier than she really was...she was sexy, but the guys remember her as being this oozing sex bucket (which is kinda funny). Recommendation: This movie was entertaining, it had a lot of big laughs, and it was interesting because the story was told from three different points of view. Girls will like it because it makes fun of the way men think (it's funny to see the way the men confused their fantasy with reality and made Liv extra sexy in their heads) and guys will like it because Liv Tyler is gorgeous and she has some really sexy scenes (which, again, were actually the fantasies of the men involved in the story).
Rating: Summary: One night is one too many Review: What should have been a nice showcase for Liv Tyler is instead an almost unwatchable 93 minute failure. Hottie Tyler comes to jerkwater town running a con and ruins the lives of five men, four who end up dead. This is all in the name of attaining a house that in her words could be featured in a magazine, but this dream is in reality just [an] enclave of bad taste, like when hillbillies rob an armored car. In the end, she prances off unscathed and oblivious to the lives she's ruined. Paul Riser is contemptable as usual, John Goodman is just going though the motions, Michael Douglas is pratically cadaverous looking as a hitman with a high rise wig. I think the main reason he is in this movie is because it is his production company or something like that. Matt Dillon's performance is harmless enough, but the true surprises are Reba McEntire as a shrink and Andrew Clay as the vengeful brother at the film's climax, a shootout which borrows from True Romance (they may have borrowed it, too). Liv Tyler is barely on screen and when she is they don't give her too many lines; it's mainly a sausage parade. There was what could have been an amusing Village People riff if better scripted, but there are basically zero laughs in this movie. I do not recommend it.
Rating: Summary: A wasteland of a movie Review: There have been a lot of movies over the years I have been put off by. Occasionally, as in the case of One Night at McCool's, one has managed to put me out... The movie is about a woman named Jewel [Liv Tyler] and the impact she has on three men who meet her one fateful evening at a neighborhood bar. Each man perceives her differently, both from the other two and from what she really is. Randy [Matt Dillon], the bartender, thinks she is the sweet young thing he has been dreaming about. His cousin, Carl [Paul Reiser], is a lawyer who believes her to be the hot woman he has always wanted. Detective Dehling [John Goodman] sees her as a damsel in distress that only he can save. What she really is is a conniving, self-centered material a girl. There have been a lot of good movies dealing with the idea of a person's appearing different to various people, but One Night at McCool's is not one of them. It's more about how some men's brains turn to mush around a sexy female. As a character Jewel isn't that interesting, so we don't ultimately care how these guys react to her. Tyler has been good on other movies, but this one's attempts to turn her into a sex symbol doesn't do her any favors. In one scene she hoses herself down while washing a car... Goodman and Reiser are adequate in their thankless roles, as is Michael Douglas, who plays a hit man. Douglas also had the misfortune to be one of the movie's producers. Dillion is believable as the bartender, but only because he'd probably make a better bartender than he does an actor. Most movies usually work on some level. Some lesser ones manage to at least serve as mindless entertainment. One Night at McCool's doesn't even work on that level.
Rating: Summary: Could have been so good! Review: With a cast like this, and a premise as funny as this, you really wanted this movie to be better than it was. The writers definetly fell short, although the actors did their best to save it. Really the thing that was disappointing about it was not the movie itself, rather, that it fell short of the greatness it could have achieved with a bit more effort. That being said, we enjoyed this DVD. It was entertaining, although I don't regret not running out to the theater to see it, but I am glad I rented it.
Rating: Summary: Far better than it should be Review: This should have been another throw-away, boring, sex-comedy. The fact it isn't is due to some smart casting, and an excellent narrative structure that really drags you in and keeps you interested, and smiling. The entire movie, save the finale, is told by our three male leads to three different types of confidants. We see the story told and interweaved between them, and see how each one's version of events is clouded by their different obssesions with Liv Tyler's Jewel, the Female Fatale for the MTV generation. "How can you have a top-notch entertainment system without a DVD player?" This movie even manages to pull two watchable performances out of Andrew 'Dice' Clay! Watch this movie with a beer, chips, and low expectations, and you are in for a suprisingly good time.
Rating: Summary: ONE NIGHT WASTED Review: What was I thinking when I rented this piece of garbage? I already knew Liv Tyler is nowhere near a good actress. So, what was the point? Maybe I got "hooked" by this being the debut film of Michael Douglas company. Maybe because it had Goodman, Dillon and even Reiser in the cast. Maybe because I was searching for an easy and good laugh. In any case, I sure regret my choice. This movie is bad tasted. Liv's character is obnoxious. It's no the kind of "anti-hero villain". She is just unbearable. SO, you just don't care about her, if she had a background that turned her into that kind of person or whatever. When you have a screenplay where you simple don't care about the main character, the movie is doomed. The male characters attempt hard to be funny, but with mixed results. The general result is a fiasco, a real turkey.
Rating: Summary: Finally a good role for Liv Tyler Review: Liv Tyler as the deceptively beautiful and charming femme fatale is what was missing in her previous roles, where she more or less was a simple and gentle doll. But femme fatale is not the appropriate term either, as no one is to be taken too seriously in this movie. After all, it is a comedy, and one that will make a range of people laugh. There are so many references to other movies and a good dose of crude humour for those who can appreciate it. As for the actors, there's no doubt Matt Dillon once again has a role that perfectly matches his acting skills, while John Goodman puts on a great performance and Liv Tyler looks as charming and manipulating as ever. Oh, and for all the surfers out there or those who used to watch Bay Watch, you'll have a little surprise that will make you go "what?!!" and rewind. Mr the only 6 times ASP world champion and best surfer ever _ Kelly Slater _ makes a short appearance.
Rating: Summary: Great fun, great cast, great trash! Review: This movie is pure fun! The characters are overdone in a trashy way, but the director has concepted the whole movie along this path. Matt Dillon, Paul Reiser, John Goodman and Andrew Dice Clay are really good, but the true stars of this flick are Liv Tyler (talented, beautiful, and after "Lord of the Rings" hopefully in the "superstar"-status she deserves) and Michael Douglas (a great (bad hair day) cameo, where he seems to have dressed up as his dad (Kirk Douglas) - watch for the simularities!). I can't understand why this movie didn't do better at the boxoffice, but now it's up to VHS and DVD to give it the attention it deserves!
Rating: Summary: Waste of time... Review: This movie could have been entitled 'The Liv Tyler Show'. Unless you just want to look at her, don't bother even renting this movie. I rented it because Matt Dillion was in it and I love his work, especially his comedic roll in 'Something About Mary'. I was surprised that he would do this film and without his presence and talent this movie would be an even bigger flop. He did a wonderful job but without a script or plot you can't do but so much. Don't bother with this one.
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