Who Is Cletis Tout?

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.

Not that this would stick in your head, but...it's an enjoyable caper movie. We get to see TIm Allen playing against type, Christian Slater doing his eyebrow thing), Richard Dreyfuss as a wizened mentor (sort of a criminal Yoda), and Portia DeRossi looking gorgeous.

The story is mostly told in flashback form, as a bound Christian Slater relates his tale to hitman Allen. It's predictable at times, but worth a look, especially on video. I understand it hasn't had a wide theatrical release in the US yet, and that makes a certain amount of sense. It's just not violent or flashy enough for the average US filmgoer. Oh well. Everyone's missing out on a good natured, likable film.

Best line, from Allen to Slater: "Has anyone ever told you you sound EXACTLY like Jack Nicholson?"

I have avoided this movie since the day it came out, firstly it had Tim Allen in it, second that poster looked hideous and thirdly it was an ensemble piece. It just looked stupid, I had heard it was good, but the name, the poster and the Tim Allen thing all made me walk past this movie over and over again in the video store. So finally I get it out, and from the two mafia guys talking about deliverance right through till the end I love this movie.

This is a movie about movie clichés, but it tells the story in such a way that you could watch even more clichés and still enjoy it. Slater was good, not true romance good, but good, Connolly is great, but the man who steals the shop is Allen who is the funniest hit-man since Grosse Point Blank (Aykroyd or Cusack). And not only is Allen funny, but he holds the movie together in what is by far the toughest role.

I cannot believe more people have not seen this movie. This is a cult classic all about films, I think every movie junkie out there should see this movie right now. I don't know why the director isn't getting work after this (other than its failure to make any money), but I urge any future directors to look this man up and give him some cash.

If you're reading this review, ignore this movie no further.

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.