Jagd auf Mr. Tout

I almost avoided this flick because the title didn't do anything for me. That may have been what happened to it when it was in general release because it sank pretty quickly. A movie-buff friend of mine recommended it, so I put it on my Netflix list and finally popped it into the player.

Cletis Tout turned out to be great fun. I enjoyed the interwoven flashbacks and the comments made by Critical Jim (played by Tim Allen). Christian Slater plays a take-off on his usual slimy lying characters by playing a crook who tells the truth.

It helps to have seen some of the movies that Critical Jim riffs on as Finch's story unfolds, but that's not completely necessary. Pop a bottle of wine with a couple of friends some Friday night and enjoy this movie.

WHO IS CLETUS TOUT is one of those movies that is surprisingly better than expectations will allow. Christian Slater plays a con who gets mistaken for a man wanted by the mob, and Tim Allen is a hitman who needs a reality check. There's a lot of chuckles to be had, and the film as a whole works.

6 out of 10

Minor but most enjoyable matinee fodder which is notable for giving tailor made opportunities to an eclectic cast of "names" who have all been unfortunatley ill used by recent vehicals. Tim Allen seems to relish toning down the roguish chortle (the trailer of "S. C. II" points to a huge potential comeback....and an even huger potential for further typecasting). This was his freshest performance in years....and Christian Slater's charming work prooves just how much warmth and wit do lie untapped underneath the lethargic mannerisms....and make appearances in unworthy megaduds like "Windtalkers" even more sad. Richard Dreyfuss has a much smaller role....(thank heavens) but even he seems a bit more vital and less hammy than he has been of late (except in the unjustly overlooked gem "Tripendorff's Tribe" in which he was hysterical...at least on Cinemax. The love it or hate it factor here is bound to be the playful and very deliberate swipes at Tarantino which seem to be this scripts main reason for existence. Even though I loved "Fiction" (and hated "Gump") I can still appreciate the cheekiness of stealing the diffuse plot structure, toning down the bloodletting and bad words, and injecting two very refreshing elements....a nice sense of humanity and an obviously genuine affection for the art of cinema...anyone who is open to either of those qualities should find much to enjoy in this nice little film.

This is a movie that uses one of those "clever" dirty tricks that the writer ought to have avoided: It's analyzing itself so tightly that, according to its own analysis, it is necessarily a masterpiece. It's blowing its own trumpet. It's too self-aware. And the pity is that it doesn't need it. It starts out slow, but it's actually a very good story, which should have been allowed to run its course *au naturel*, without the over-analytical commentary by Critical Jim. This, for me, is the main reason why this movie fails to garner more than a 6 out of 10.

Another reason is, as I said, it starts out too slow. It takes too long to get into high gear. It has too little to engage the viewer. For half the movie, the only thing that makes you want to spend your time on it is Portia de Rossi's prettiness. To be a really good movie, it needed to have had a number of more attractive elements, be they pretty women or interesting plot turns.

* NO POSSIBLE SPOILERS .. *

I'll skip the plot outline part and go right ahead to the comments.

This movie reminded me a bit "The Usual Suspects". Not that the movie has the same plot or it tries to copy "The Usual Suspects", but it had a similar vibe - how the story unwraps itself and goes together. Not that the end was surprising or spectacular, but how smoothly everything is running.

The actors are all good. None of them disappoint or annoy. If you can manage to take them out from their usual roles i.e Portia de Rossi as an Sub-Zero Nell in Ally McBeal and Tim Allen as Santa Claus etc, then you might even have a pleasant surprise. Supporting cast is believable, even the bad guys.

This movie is not for people who love bloody action, laughing your head off or deep plots. It's an easy movie for an easy watching. When you feel that watching Anderson's "Magnolia" is will be too tiring or "Road Trip" just too stupid, then go for "Who is Cletis Tout?". The best way is to watch this movie without and special expectations or prejudices. This way you have nothing to disappoint in.

If you take this movie as just a movie then most likely you will like it. I think it is worth seeing and worth spending your 1,5 hours on it.

My rating: 7/10.