La banda del porno - Dilettanti allo sbaraglio!

This movie was hilarious. Jeff Bridges plays Andy, a divorced guy visiting his son on his birthday. His ex-wife married a really rich guy, and Andy's worried that his son won't appreciate him anymore because he doesn't have as much money. So he comes up with an idea to make a bunch of money, make a local porno film with all of the town people involved.

The set up isn't so great, but the film is filled with so many actors and a lot of great comedy, it doesn't really matter. And when I say so many actors, I mean it, everyone in the film is a recognizable face. Jeff Bridges, Joe Pantoliano, Patrick Fugit, Tim Blake Nelson, William Fichtner, Ted Danson, and those are just the main characters. Ted Danson is hysterical playing the gay guy in the group who poorly tries to hide the fact that he's gay. And if anyone ever wanted to see Ted Danson naked, this is the film for you. Joe Pantoliano also does a great job in the film playing Some Idiot (yes, that's his character's name) the writer/director of the porno.

It's a great movie, very funny with a lot of great quotes. I just wish the ending could have been expanded a bit more, but oh well. Look out for this one.

For those of you in search of a movie that will make you laugh, here is your pick. I have read comments from users saying that this movie "didn't seem real" or "wasn't believable". To you, I ask: What did you think you were watching? I saw this screening at the Newport Film Festival and thought it was amazing. Some movies (gasp) are out there to entertain and this does just that... fantastically. It is a story that laughs at the ups and downs of the human experience while portraying the sometimes very harsh reality of middle-class struggle. It gives us a story we recognize to a certain extent, but garnishes it with a great variety of endearing characters. As an example the group of "guys" has a wonderfully accepted gay guy who asked the guys to call him MOOSE. (played oh-so-well by Ted Danson) We see the standard group of small town guys, going nowhere with their lives, yet they aren't the stereotypical unrelatable morons of modern day cinema; They, in a very round about and strange way, have morals and try to do well in life, despite their position. Go see this movie... it is a wonderful treat and a great time at the theatre.

Saw the World Premiere and Santa Barbara Int'l FF last night.

A very funny film with an all star cast. Stars Jeff Bridges, Joe Patalinano, Ted Danson, Tim Blake Nelson, Bill Fichtner, Pat Fugit among others. Bridges plays a small time guy who has been unsuccessful in life. Him and his low life buddies decide to make an amateur porn film. Lots of big laughs. It is like State and Main meets Boogie Nights. Bridges is always good and Ted Danson gives one of the funniest supporting comedic performances I have ever seen. The end seemed a bit thrown together, but very funny. I give it a "B+". Will be out later this year

OK, so I have to say, any movie about porn, well, conjures up the idea that you're going to have nudity all over the place. Yet somehow this film about porn has next to none of it, and that's a good thing. In the place of bare asses, it has some great performances and funny sequences. Notably Jeff Bridges' character channels a Dude-like vibe while still feeling fresh and different. Joey Pants is bizarre and at the same time likable in his role whose name you just need to watch to see and laugh at. Finally Ted Danson is so completely cast against everything I have seen him in previously and it works. It's a sad state of affairs in Hollywood when you see a preview for a film like this and cringe, knowingly the almost inevitable result would be a lame script with called-in performances. Thankfully, the result is an unexpectedly good natured romp…about porn. I hope this film gets the attention and wide release it deserves.

He's been playing the same character for a while now. Admittedly, he does a better and low-key job in this than The Big Leibowski, but he seems to be coasting the last few years. A bunch of very good actors playing in a small movie makes this an above average movie, but not by much.

It's another bunch of middle-aged losers trying for their moment of glory. This time, it's a group of bar flies (which the name of their softball team recognizes) who get together and try to produce their own amateur porn movie. All the typical comedy situations you'd expect occur. Much of the humor is provided by Bridges' characters voice over, especially some admitting to obvious foreshadowing.

As mentioned, it's very predictable, with no real surprises but is saved by most of the supporting actors playing it very naturally. The only ones who go overboard are Bridges and Danson but not by much. Overall it's a nice movie to rent for some laughs