The Wendell Baker Story

As played by Luke Wilson, Wendell Baker is the kind of character authors like to refer to as a "lovable rogue" - a smooth-talking scam artist with a tongue as nimble as the pen of a scribe (to borrow a phrase from scripture, if I may be so bold). The trouble is that a good-hearted guy can run afoul of the law for only so long before he risks losing the woman he loves (Eva Mendes) and before he is finally forced into taking a long, hard look at his life. Thus, once he's paroled from prison, Wendell decides to go straight by taking a job at a retirement home (he's been duped into believing that this is a first step on the road to a career in hotel management) run by a sadistic administrator (Owen Wilson) and his toadying staff. There's a little of the feel of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," as the con man leads the put-upon inmates of the "asylum" in a well-coordinated rebellion against their oppressors.

The chief attraction of "The Wendell Baker Story" is the opportunity it affords us of seeing the Wilson brothers appearing together in the same movie - and what a treat it turns out to be. Luke has written a script filled with the kind of dry, wry wit that has been the hallmark of both of their performances over the years, and their scenes together crackle with understated cynicism and humor (Luke co-directed the feature with yet another brother, Andrew, making this a family affair in the fullest sense of the term). The movie is also blessed with an amazing team of supporting players, including Harry Dean Stanton and Seymour Cassel as spry oldsters who find a supportive helpmate in Wendell Baker; Kris Kristofferson as a mysterious, stoic resident who is harboring a carefully guarded secret about his past; Will Ferrell as the grocery store owner who is Wendell's chief rival for his now ex-girlfriend's affections; and Eddie Griffin who serves as chief henchman for the home's scalawag of a director.

Their performances and the laidback tone of the humor compensate for the occasional dry spots and the fact that the movie itself doesn't really add up to all that much when all is said and done.

I think the reviews here are a little unfair to the impact of the movie. As far as I go, it's that rare heartwarming movie that stays with you even after the end of the credits. What I liked about the story was the infusion of wit and cheek in the simplicity and goodwill of the plot. Wendell Baker is a greatly likable scamp who has his heart in more than one right place. The attention to racial sensitivity, for example, affirms Baker's charm, from his mercenary yet political business of selling fake ids to immigrant Mexicans to joking with his black inmates about 'aryans and crips ruling together', which had me laughing because of the ease with which he does or says those things. I'm probably ruining those moments by making them explicit because it's precisely the subtlety and matter-of-factness with which these things are woven into his crazy character that make him work for me. The gender angle, on the other hand,, was pretty screwed, because who cares for old women? Another thing I liked was that the movie ends on a note of reasonable success, not the sort of incredible feat that one is asked to admire in movies like the pursuit of happiness. All this, and Luke Wilson looking so cute is why I'd rate the movie above average.

I love the Wilsons as much or more than anyone, but it doesn't look like any of them tried too hard on this film to make it work. I just saw the world premiere at the Paramount and the crowd was wild for it. I on the other hand, along with all of my friends thought that the movie lacked a lot of what critics call believability.

The characters weren't quite paper thin, more like cardboard, and there were about 20 of them. Every time Wendell's charm wained immediately another character would show up to make him look all the better. Every time Wendell had a problem another character would show up to help him. Sometimes characters just showed up for the hell of it.

It was a fun movie, I laughed a lot, especially at Will Ferel's bit role. Austin, my city of residence, is also the backdrop which makes everyone feel nice. It seems though that the Wilson brothers were a little too proud of Austin, TX. At one point near the beginning Texas is mentioned, then he turns the corner in his car to show a TX license plate, then another shot as he drives into the distance and a huge Texas flag flutters above.

I don't want it to sound like I hated it, but I really wished for more. Luke didn't seem to work out everything quite as well as he could have, he even threw in some random voice over to help the plot hobble along. If you are looking for a fun movie that should have maybe starred Burt Reynolds circa 1972 then this is your movie, if you are looking for a tightly formed narrative then look elsewhere.

Sometimes when a film is written, directed, produced, and starring the same person, it doesn't always go well. When wendell (luke wilson) gets out of prison, he goes to work at a retirement home. But an hour into the film, we find out one of the other employees is running a scam on the seniors. And he gets together a posse to put a stop to it. So many scenes just go on sooooooo long. And go from funny to serious in two seconds. Which is okay for a drama, but not for a comedy. The jokes are far and few between. It should have been so much funnier with will ferrell involved. This couldn't decide if it wanted to be a drama or a comedy. Kind of uneven. It's not awful, just okay. Co-stars eva mendes, and a whole slew of wilsons family members. Harry stanton and kris kristofferson. I think if the script had been jazzed up, it would have been a much (funnier) stronger film. And to be fair, it is wilson's first screenplay. There is some cool music in here!

Wendell Baker (Luke Wilson) is picked up one work day in south Texas by his longtime girlfriend, Doreen (Eva Mendes). He is startled to have her pull over for a chat. Its a day of reckoning. Eva loves Wendell but she is unhappy that he can't hold down a steady job and that he is always pursuing get-rich schemes. So, she wants to move on and Wendell has to play along. Shortly after, WB and his close friend Reyes (Jacob Vargax, from Romy and Michelle) are caught by cops in their side business of giving identification cards to migrant farm workers so they can stay in the United States. Pleading for leniency for Reyes, Wendell takes most of the punishment, two years in prison. But, when he gets out, he's a changed man. He's going to enter the hotel business and get Doreen back. But, first, the Feds say he has to work at the "retirement hotel" run by an evil nurse (Owen Wilson) and his nefarious sidekick (Eddie Griffin). All too soon it becomes clear that the residents of this place are in fear for their lives from the two people in charge. Can WB team with a few of them to turn the tables on those who would do them all wrong? Yes! This fun film was written by Luke Wilson, directed by Andrew Wilson and starring Owen and Luke Wilson. Its Wilson entertainment and its enjoyable. It also stars some wonderful secondary actors in Vargas, Mendes, Griffin, Harry Dean Stanton, Seymour Cassel, and Kris Kristofferson. What a pleasure this company is! The sets in Rio Grande area Texas are harshly beautiful while the costumes and other amenities are just fine, thank you. Are you up for a sequel to the Tennebaums? If you said yes, get the WB story now!