Moving McAllister

Based on the low score at Rotten Tomatoes I expected very little from this film. Maybe it's a testament to the likability of its stars Mila Kunis and Ben Gourley, but I found myself smiling more than a few times during this road trip flick. The production value and cinematography are definitely a cut above.

Sometimes I'm troubled that somewhat self-indulgent movies like this can attract such talented production crews when perhaps more important, but less trendy stories, never see the light of day. But still, I like escapist fare like this sometimes and it's hard to really put a value on art.

If you're having a slow night, this will prove an entertaining diversion.

I was very happy about the choices for character casting. Everyone became their part, seeming very comfortable. Our two main characters had very good chemistry. The intermittent characters were given enough focus and detail so that you easily remember them.

It was amusing to follow the characters through all of their adventures. Most of the subplots were rooted in humor, but there were also some dramatic family elements that I felt were well balanced.

Some of the jokes were gross, but still funny. They easily avoided inappropriate language and situations leaving this film an easy pick for teens.

Can't wait for the DVD!

Rutger Hower fans Don't BE FOOLED - he only plays a cameo in this movie and that's IT. This movie loses an extra point for that scam. I think Rutger Hower has a total of about 2 very short scenes and 2 very short voice-overs.

The female lead for this film is way above this poor material in looks and talent-she's great, this movie is a dog and she's wasted on it. The story is of a Lawyer hoping for that partnership one day at the firm getting suckered into having to cart the Boss' niece across country. They have several encounters on the road with various oddballs and that is the vehicle for a variety of skits and the dude that played Napoleon Dynamite is thrown in the mix as a side character for good measure.

This is a road-trip where extreme circumstances put our repressed hero to the test and he slowly winds up loosening up a little bit by the end of the movie, ah isn't love grand, yadda yadda..

Only watch this film if you want to see a hot chick be annoying to a dork in a truck for an hour and half.

This movie was made because the concept translates well into a two sentence summary that can be used to lure investors. That is, the premise is interesting and sellable. I mean, I rented it based on the synopsis. The problem is there is nothing beyond the initial concept. There is no coherent plot, no fully fledged characters, no real comedy, no interesting scenery, no surprises, and no good performances (except Jon Herder, he does something with very little). It's as if the people who green lit this thing never read the script but only the synopsis. And if there were enough people like me, it may even have made money.

To the prospective viewer: don't waste your time, there is nothing funny or interesting to see here. To the creators of the film: hey, you got your film made, so what if its not that great. Most people never get to see themselves or their work up on screen.

Eager to score points with his boss (Rutger Hauer), law intern Rick Robinson (Ben Gourley) - who hails from Kansas and looks for all the world like Clark Kent - agrees to drive the old man's free-spirited niece, Michelle (Mila Kunis), from Savannah to L.A., and still make it back to Miami in time to take his bar exam. But Michelle has other plans in mind, and she's not about to make it easy for the uptight, highly regimented young man - whom she believes needs to learn how to let his freak flag fly and just enjoy life - to complete his mission.

Though the opposites-attract, road-trip-from-hell premise is far from original, "Moving McAllister" has enough charm, wit and affability to keep it just this side of entertaining. The performances are winning (with Jon Heder particularly effective as a spacey, zonked-out hitchhiker the couple picks up on their way), and writer Gourley and director Andrew Black have provided a series of loopy dream sequences that help lift the movie out of its picaresque rut. Some of the detours are more enjoyable than others, and the ending lacks credibility and conviction, but the lighthearted tone makes up for most of the movie's deficiencies and shortcomings.