Amateurs

Theatrical Release Date: 2007 12 07 (USA - Limited)

UPC: 687797121516

Studio: First Look Pictures

MPAA Rating: R   Contains:[Profanity, Sexual Situations]

Summary: A man down on his luck hatches a different kind of get-rich-quick scheme in this independent comedy. Andy Sargentee (Jeff Bridges) is a middle-aged divorc? who is down in the dumps after the departure of his wife, Thelma (Jeanne Tripplehorn), and son, Billy (Alex D. Linz). The fact that Thelma's new hubby is quite wealthy only makes things more troubling for Andy, and he keeps thinking that if he had more money he could be back in her good graces. One night, while knocking back drinks with his friends, Andy has a brainstorm -- pornography is big business these days, so why not round up the local talent and make an adult movie? Andy persuades his friend Barney (Tim Blake Nelson) to sign on as co-producer, and they start putting together a crew, including Emmett (Patrick Fugit), a kid with a video camera who becomes director of photography; Otis (William Fichtner), who volunteers to be the gofer who doesn't really do anything; and as director a guy known only by his nickname, Some Idiot (Joe Pantoliano). Casting proves to be a bit more problematic, especially after they discover that Moose (Ted Danson), who has been cast in the male lead, may be gay when he repeatedly fails to rise to the occasion. The Amateurs also stars Lauren Graham, Valerie Perrine, and Glenne Headly as some of the local women drafted into appearing in the movie; the picture was released in the United Kingdom under the title The Moguls. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Category: Comedy

Awards: Film Presented – Newport Beach International Film Festival

Features: Commentary with Jeff Bridges, director Michael Traeger, producer Aaron Ryder
Behind the Scenes With The Amateurs
The Amateurs Photography Book: photos Jeff Bridges with commentary by Jeff Bridges, director Michael Traeger, producer Aaron Ryder
Theatrical trailer
More from First Look previews

Amateurs

Format: High Definition

Release Date: 02/12/2008

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, DD2 Dolby Digital Stereo, DTS Digital Theater Systems

Runtime: 99 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Subtitles: Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Derek Armstrong

The DVD back cover of The Amateurs makes the unusual (and potentially self-incriminating) decision to print a quotation from its star, Jeff Bridges, in the spot usually reserved for the kind of breathless critical praise that's truncated by ellipses and peppered by exclamation points. In that quotation, Bridges likens the The Amateurs to "if Frank Capra directed a porn movie," and he just may be onto something. There's an undeniable sweetness to this story about small-town shlubs pooling their collective pluck to make an adult film, and to call it Capraesque is not really exaggerating. That may be the only way for any light comedy to deal with the issue of pornography, because ultimately, these characters are just too darn nice to exploit another human. However, this doesn't mean that writer-director Michael Traeger's script can't occasionally indulge in its grin-inducing naughty side. The real key to the film's infectious tone is Bridges himself, who defies the medium's "show don't tell" mandate by submitting a steady stream of conversational narration. It's like the viewer is chatting with Bridges in his living room, as he entertains with humorous, self-aware asides about filmmaking; he welcomes his listeners rather than alienating them with esoteric industry-speak. After all, these are just plain folks with the contagious twinkle of Hollywood in their eyes, including the eminently likeable ensemble of Ted Danson, William Fichtner, Patrick Fugit, Tim Blake Nelson, Glenne Headly, Lauren Graham, and Joe Pantoliano -- this last playing the film's hapless director, affectionately known as "Some Idiot," or "Some" for short. For a concept that could have been too indie-clever for its own good, The Amateurs has a real, well, amateur's sense of humility. Not only does that remove it from the realm of the tawdry, but the film's crowd-pleasing good vibes are almost downright wholesome. ~ Derek Armstrong, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Michael Traeger  Director 
Michael Traeger  Screenwriter 
Nicolaas TenBroek  Composer (Music Score) 
Michael Kuhn  Executive Producer 
Aaron Ryder  Producer 
Jill Tandy  Executive Producer 
Malcolm Ritchie  Executive Producer 
Jeff Bridges  Actor 
Ted Danson  Actor 
William Fichtner  Actor 
Patrick Fugit  Actor 
Lauren Graham  Actor 
Glenne Headly  Actor 
Tim Blake Nelson  Actor 
Joe Pantoliano  Actor 
Jeanne Tripplehorn  Actor 
Isaiah Washington  Actor 
Judy Greer  Actor 
John Hawkes  Actor 
Brad Henke  Actor 
Tom Bower  Actor 
Dawn Didawick  Actor 
Jayne Taini  Actor 
Alex D. Linz  Actor 
Steven Weber  Actor 
Melinda Dahl  Actor 
Valerie Perrine  Actor 
Fiona Hunter  Actor 
Eileen Brennan  Actor 
Troy R. Brenna  Actor 
Brad Garrett  Actor 
Elden Henson  Actor 
Aldo Bigante  Actor 
Elliot Cates  Actor 
Norm O'Neill  Actor 

Country: UK,USA