Question:
I have to say I am baffled by the luke warm reviews for this film as you will see here
http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=1085&story=3701
I think this is one of Steve Martin's best in the last 10 years...
so are there any more fans or am I on my own :)
I watched this last month expecting nothing (mentally comparing it to the dire Panic for some reason) and was hugely entertained. Even more surprising as I’m no fan of Helena Bonham Carter. Some unexpected twists and an ending that will not encourage dental-phobics to schedule an appointment anytime soon!
Me too got this expecting not much.
Yet i thoroughly enjoyed the movie. It has a lot going for it.
And yes it is without doubt Martin`s best for years.
It's wrong, all wrong.
Steve Martin in a sex scene :shocker: - It just shouldn't be
Originally posted by Fawlty
I think this is one of Steve Martin's best in the last 10 years...
\ skims IMDB,
Yep Parenthood, 1989. Been a while Steve, though unlikely a return to old form going on Bringing Down the Houze (http://us.imdb.com/Title?0305669). :(
Only bad point I thought about Novocaine was Laura Dern, not the greatest actress in the world...:|
Just to put an end to all the positive notes on this 'film', here's a cut and paste of my review from an old thread...
I have to say straight off that this is one of the worst cinematic experiences of the year for me. Only the colossally atrocious Hollywood Ending was worse for sure. I’m only surprised that I had absolutely no idea whatsoever before I went in. The reviews haven’t been great but they haven’t been scathing either.
If it was supposed to be a comedy (and surely it wasn’t), there were no laughs. If it was supposed to be a thriller, there were no thrills. If it was supposed to be a drama, it was choc full of cardboard characters, dull scripting and pointless performances.
Martin’s brother (Elias Koteas) is known to gatecrash at his bro’s place when he’s short of cash. And he’s also prone to abusing said hospitality by getting drugged up, grabbing the nearest full tin of red paint, and splashing it all over the house! And why? So that when Martin enters the place later on, blood everywhere, he simply assumes his brother’s been having a spliff again! Truly dreadful stuff – I wish I was making this up, but I’m not.
The ‘thrill’ scenes are also retarded. Martin makes a getaway from the cops, and against all the odds gets himself out of danger and onto a roof. So what do you do (considering that the cops are looking for you, not chasing you – they have no idea you are there)? Keep a low profile for two minutes and then hightail it out of there? Erm, no… you start a Spiderman routine ensuring maximum chance of being spotted and a huge risk of instant death!
Martin’s comedy background shouldn’t hinder him by default. He has the looks and demeanour of a straight actor, and with the right material shouldn’t have any problems. But when the film has absolutely no idea what it’s trying to do, the fact that the leading actor is best known for comedy inevitably adds to the confusion. Still, nice to see he can lose all of his teeth and yet retain the overall shape of his lower face. Can’t be easy.
Dern appears to have been cast for height and a scowl. And Botham Carter is reprising her Fight Club role. She merely goes from a Singer there to a Sangster here. Clearly her upper class English character, when translated to American, becomes nothing but white trash. Oh, the irony! Only some interplay between Keith David and Kevin Bacon is worth watching. And it’s only about a minute long.
Not a patch on Killing Me Softly. Seriously, not in any department. And like the latter it’s best remembered for its ridiculous moments. Truly only a contender for a so-bad-its-good status. Pure crap.
Red Bull Rating: Six. I’d go for more, but that’s my upper limit. I’ve decided.
Originally posted by McD
If it was supposed to be a comedy (and surely it wasn’t), there were no laughs. If it was supposed to be a thriller, there were no thrills. If it was supposed to be a drama, it was choc full of cardboard characters, dull scripting and pointless performances.
I tried very hard to like it and find some redeeming feature - I failed to find even one. I kept waiting for the punchline, or the dramatic moment, but nothing happened, and that ending was so lame. :oh-hum:
I am a big Steve Martin fan (my fave is The Jerk), and I was really looking forward to this one, but it was so disappointing. Even a class actress like Bonham-Carter couldn't save this film.
so it seems that the opinion split is fairly obvious on here as well... seems we are split into two camps...
Interesting... I actually traded the film on after reviewing it as I felt it wouldn't stand up to rewatching but I stand by my thoughts here :)
http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=1085&story=3701
I think this is one of Steve Martin's best in the last 10 years...
so are there any more fans or am I on my own :)
Answers:
I watched this last month expecting nothing (mentally comparing it to the dire Panic for some reason) and was hugely entertained. Even more surprising as I’m no fan of Helena Bonham Carter. Some unexpected twists and an ending that will not encourage dental-phobics to schedule an appointment anytime soon!
Answers:
Me too got this expecting not much.
Yet i thoroughly enjoyed the movie. It has a lot going for it.
And yes it is without doubt Martin`s best for years.
Answers:
It's wrong, all wrong.
Steve Martin in a sex scene :shocker: - It just shouldn't be
Answers:
Originally posted by Fawlty
I think this is one of Steve Martin's best in the last 10 years...
\ skims IMDB,
Yep Parenthood, 1989. Been a while Steve, though unlikely a return to old form going on Bringing Down the Houze (http://us.imdb.com/Title?0305669). :(
Only bad point I thought about Novocaine was Laura Dern, not the greatest actress in the world...:|
Answers:
Just to put an end to all the positive notes on this 'film', here's a cut and paste of my review from an old thread...
I have to say straight off that this is one of the worst cinematic experiences of the year for me. Only the colossally atrocious Hollywood Ending was worse for sure. I’m only surprised that I had absolutely no idea whatsoever before I went in. The reviews haven’t been great but they haven’t been scathing either.
If it was supposed to be a comedy (and surely it wasn’t), there were no laughs. If it was supposed to be a thriller, there were no thrills. If it was supposed to be a drama, it was choc full of cardboard characters, dull scripting and pointless performances.
Martin’s brother (Elias Koteas) is known to gatecrash at his bro’s place when he’s short of cash. And he’s also prone to abusing said hospitality by getting drugged up, grabbing the nearest full tin of red paint, and splashing it all over the house! And why? So that when Martin enters the place later on, blood everywhere, he simply assumes his brother’s been having a spliff again! Truly dreadful stuff – I wish I was making this up, but I’m not.
The ‘thrill’ scenes are also retarded. Martin makes a getaway from the cops, and against all the odds gets himself out of danger and onto a roof. So what do you do (considering that the cops are looking for you, not chasing you – they have no idea you are there)? Keep a low profile for two minutes and then hightail it out of there? Erm, no… you start a Spiderman routine ensuring maximum chance of being spotted and a huge risk of instant death!
Martin’s comedy background shouldn’t hinder him by default. He has the looks and demeanour of a straight actor, and with the right material shouldn’t have any problems. But when the film has absolutely no idea what it’s trying to do, the fact that the leading actor is best known for comedy inevitably adds to the confusion. Still, nice to see he can lose all of his teeth and yet retain the overall shape of his lower face. Can’t be easy.
Dern appears to have been cast for height and a scowl. And Botham Carter is reprising her Fight Club role. She merely goes from a Singer there to a Sangster here. Clearly her upper class English character, when translated to American, becomes nothing but white trash. Oh, the irony! Only some interplay between Keith David and Kevin Bacon is worth watching. And it’s only about a minute long.
Not a patch on Killing Me Softly. Seriously, not in any department. And like the latter it’s best remembered for its ridiculous moments. Truly only a contender for a so-bad-its-good status. Pure crap.
Red Bull Rating: Six. I’d go for more, but that’s my upper limit. I’ve decided.
Answers:
Originally posted by McD
If it was supposed to be a comedy (and surely it wasn’t), there were no laughs. If it was supposed to be a thriller, there were no thrills. If it was supposed to be a drama, it was choc full of cardboard characters, dull scripting and pointless performances.
I tried very hard to like it and find some redeeming feature - I failed to find even one. I kept waiting for the punchline, or the dramatic moment, but nothing happened, and that ending was so lame. :oh-hum:
I am a big Steve Martin fan (my fave is The Jerk), and I was really looking forward to this one, but it was so disappointing. Even a class actress like Bonham-Carter couldn't save this film.
Answers:
so it seems that the opinion split is fairly obvious on here as well... seems we are split into two camps...
Interesting... I actually traded the film on after reviewing it as I felt it wouldn't stand up to rewatching but I stand by my thoughts here :)
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