The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch

Based on one horrible fan review I'd read before renting this "follow-up" to the first RUTLES film, I was prepared for the very worst. So it turned out that I was relieved to discover that, while RUTLES 2 is surely not in the same class as the original, it does have its funny moments despite some of the gags becoming repetitious (like Eric Idle's reporter constantly winding up in the wrong country for his interviews again and again and again). And while it's also not as polished as the original, I wouldn't consider this a total washout.

The biggest disappointment came when I quickly realized that this was NOT in any way, shape or form an actual "sequel" to the first movie. I had expected that the original cast had been reunited to make a new story of the further adventures of the Pre-Fab Four in their later years. But what CAN'T BUY ME LUNCH really is, is an "alternate" version of 1977's THE RUTLES: ALL YOU NEED IS CASH. Meaning that it's the same basic story of the origin and successes of Dirk, Nasty, Stig and Barry all over again, but this time substituting a lot of previously unseen/unused footage from '77 along with some new songs that were never included the first time around, even though they're featured on our Rutles CD's. Some of the footage is actually pretty decent, and I'm surprised it didn't make the original cut.

To compliment the footage, there are new humorous interviews and muddled Rutles memories with more up-to-date celebrities: Steve Martin, Bonnie Raitt, Jewel, Gary Shandling, Conan O'Brien, Robin Williams, David Bowie and Carrie Fisher. Also on hand is Tom Hanks, who seems to go out of his way trying to be a part of Beatles-related topics (he also participated in a Monty Python skit in the CONCERT FOR GEORGE, in 2002). Hanks is quite funny, as are Steve Martin and Gary Shandling. I liked the bits with the "Triangular Album" and the "Shite" record.

For all the die-hard Rutles Fans out there, I'd say RUTLES 2 is worth one watch, at the very least. Maybe as a rental first to see if you think it's worth buying (I haven't decided yet). Because there are still some new laughs there, even if they're not as huge as they were in 1977. I can't imagine anyone who knows ALL YOU NEED IS CASH by heart not getting at least a few chuckles with RUTLES 2. But just don't expect too much. ** out of ****

Remember when "Beatles 1" came out and suddenly there was this big Beatles media blitz and all these news channels were doing all the rehashed stories on The Beatles and interviewing various people (some who weren't even musicians) about the degree of influence The Beatles had on their careers? Well, THAT is EXACTLY what Eric Idle was doing with "The Rutles 2: All You Need Is Lunch;" he's sending up the fact that all these years later, people are still doing stories about The Beatles, though they're just going over the same ground about their history and recycling the same old comments about them. So that's what "Rutles 2" satirizes. Therefore, it ISN'T EVEN TRYING to be as good as the original (awfully tough act to follow, anyway). With that said, "Rutles 2" is what it is. There are some good items in it (David Bowie gives some surprisingly memorable moments, and there's some great unused footage from the original movie), but this is something you can only watch every once in a while. Otherwise, my relatively high mark is mostly for Eric's satire/self-awareness about the whole thing.

If you could cut out Idle's ridiculous interviewer (not funny ridiculous, as in Monty Python, ridiculous ridiculous, as in your tiresome uncle who trots out the same tired schtick every Thanksgiving), this might have some merit, as recycled as it is. I don't know exactly where Idle got the notion that these endless digressions and middle school wordplays are funny. Again and again he'd go back to never funny in the first place routine that would go something like "Right here in 1962...well, er., not exactly here, technically over there about 10 feet...err, actually more like 9.5 feet...or to be more accurate 9 feet five and three quarter inches, or "dyuymov", as the Russians say for inches...but the Russians really have nothing to do with the Rutles, even though they start with the same first letter "R"...although it's only "R" in the English translation of the word we use for "Russian...etc., etc. ad nauseum."

DOES ANYONE, ANYWHERE THINK THAT'S FUNNY? Mr. Idle, you are not a stand alone funny person. You won the lottery by meeting the rest of the Python troupe. You are capable of inspired work WITH OTHERS. But not alone.

He desperately needed some checks and balances here, perhaps the hand of Mr. Innes (who actually has the gift of subtle humor) might have helped, but by most accounts he ran the entire group of former collaborators off. His loss--and ours.

5/6/18. If you remember the Beatles, then you will enjoy this mockumentary of a group of wanna-be musicians that sound amazingly like the Beatles! Their music is a mishmash of Beatles music that the Beatles could have actually played and sang. I have a couple of the Rutles cassette tapes. A stellar cast of well-known celebrities heap praise on the wondrous Rutles, including Bowie himself! I would have enjoyed a Rutles concert film.

I'm a huge Rutles fan and I'd never even heard of this until ten minutes ago. Considering how little information is available about it online (aside from the usual synopses and cast lists), it looks like very few others had seen it either. It's curious to note that apparently the official press release lists Eric Idle as one of the founding members of the Bonzo Dog Band -- I hope everyone knows that's not correct. I also see that the DVD comes with an "Never-before-seen alternate ending" -- interesting, considering how few people have seen the regular ending. Now, to stretch this thing out to the requisite ten lines, here are some vegetables that I like: Oops. Out of space. Maybe next time.