Rented Lips

Whenever anyone asks me about the worst movie I've ever seen - I ALWAYS say, "Rented Lips." Thankfully, these lucky people never know what I'm talking about. I only saw this because I'm a fan of Downey Jr's... and much like the Ally McBeal saga was - no matter how much of a fan I am of his, there are some things I just can't sit through.

This film is just bad... I don't remember if it was Downey Sr's directing, or Jennifer Tilly's existence, or the fact that Martin Mull was in it AND wrote it (look at all these warning signs.. and I still decided to watch)... I just remember how much I couldn't believe that it actually got made... Thus reaffirming my belief that ANYONE can make a movie these days.

Save yourself folks... Even if you're Downey Jr fans... If you want to sit through a bad Downey Jr movie, go rent Two Girls And A Guy.. at least you'll get some singin, dancin, Shakespeare and great acting in that one.

Very under rated movie. Lots of undercurrents in it. At a PBS station, there is a background speaker announcement saying, "Mr. Sagan, your lights are on." There were several versions of this movie. I saw it on cable and it was very good. Several years later, I rented it and the rental version was much changed from the cable version. I was very disappointed in the rental version, only later realized that several scenes were either missing or changed, and not for the better. Perhaps that's why there are such divergent views on this movie.

This happens quite often and many people are not aware there are several versions of movies. HBO and some of the other movie channels make sure to get the released version, but sometimes there is more than one released version.

a command performance from every star involved; this movie presents a fine, enjoyable, and quite entertaining jaunt through mull's exquisite grasp of subtle intellectual humor easily on par with his f.m., the TV show, and white people, and an easy constituent of the jerk, this is spinal tap, and clue. truly one of the pioneering mocumentaries (though this is a film about them rather than in the actual mocumentary genre.)

reiner, mckean, and mull's early productions tend to blend in humor aspects, writing style, and occasionally cast and are pinnacles in the industry of b movies. this collaboration is one of the prime pictures showing the American's loose grasp of dry, non-laugh tracked humor, that so many British television seems to have left us straggling behind in the dust. any b- movie aficionado would be proud to watch and subsequently force upon every person they cared deeply about.

i mean really, a musical nazi porno . . . what's not to nervously laugh at?

By now Robert Downey Sr is probably only known as Robert Downey Jr's father. Some years ago I saw the elder Downey's "Putney Swope" and found it to be THE perfect satire. So now I see Downey's "Rented Lips", starring Martin Mull and Dick Shawn as documentary makers who get the chance to make their dream picture, but also have to make a porno movie, and then have to protect it from a fanatical clergyman (Kenneth Mars). It's one of those movies where the humor is very subtle, almost centering on the plot line. Plenty of scenes definitely made me laugh, but this is far from the most hilarious movie. Robert Downey Jr has some of the best scenes as the porno movie's temperamental star, but the whole movie almost seems like something that they made for fun.

Also starring Jennifer Tilly, June Lockhart and Shelley Berman.

This film is so weird, but it does have its "Moments"..although very few in between such long dull stretches. Kenneth Mars, and Downey have a few good moments,as well as Dick Shawn. I could not believe June Lockhart was in this mess, but she was slumming.But the entire movie as a whole is a waste of time.. The plot is great. A Nazi porno movie, but it went so wrong. I think a better director/writer could have had a field day with this premise, but Martin Mull is a minor talent one his small level. A bizarre film and end/swan song to a great talent like Dick Shawn. He deserved better.But in way, he was a really different type of talent, so there you go.