Os Maiorais

The Amateurs (formerly known in the USA as The Moguls) is a really fun, nicely directed movie with heart. Slightly odd, quirky characters banding together to make a porno movie, and getting much more in the process.

There were very few stereotypes in this movie (Ernest, played by Troy Brenna was one) and the story was unpredictable and fun to follow. I appreciate that many of the characters, whom you would normally presume are just there as comic relief, really become significant for other reasons. Some scenes were flat out hilarious (Watch Eileen Brennan in the few scenes she's given).

The matter of fact way that the characters approach making their film provides some of the great moments in this movie.

I highly recommend "The Amateurs" because it's just a great way to spend an evening.

The BIGGEST Critic

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

I just got back form a sneak preview of the film at SUNY Farmingdale. William Fichtner happened to be an alumni and so he managed to get a showing at my school. This film was overall very well written and funny. it has many classic lines an memorable parts. Not only was the film written really well but the cast did an amazing job. The version i saw was called the moguls but since the studio thought that i would get confused with a skiing movie they changed the title. Also the version i saw i was told is going to be slightly different form what is going to be opening in NY and LA. The movie was hilarious and i recommend going to see it. its going to be opening in only 6 screens in July but hopefully with good support will get picked up by more theaters.

I saw this film at the Newport Beach Film Festival where it was a hit. The demand was so high that the programmers had to add a second screening, which sold out as well.

This is a fantastic comedic view of how beautiful small town American life can be. Jeff Bridges plays such a charming, delightful, and well intending mess a of grown man whose humongous heart shines all the way through the movie.

The camaraderie between the whole cast is infectious (what a great cast) and makes you wish you were there with them. Go see this film!! And tell your friends!!!

I just got back tonight from an early screening of a new movie with Jeff Bridges called The Amateurs at Penn State. The movie was originally meant to be screened last month, with an appearance by co-star Joe Pantoliano. Joey Pants did come (his daughter is a student here), but technical difficulties plagued the screening twenty minutes in. Joe was very apologetic and stayed to answer questions for a while and in the meantime they set up another screening for tonight. No Joe tonight (he's apparently filming a new pilot for CBS about waterfront crime), but the movie did work so I can tell you what it's all about.

Jeff Bridges stars as a recent divorcée who is down on his luck in a small town. Looking for a way to make it big and have the means to spoil his son, he decides to make a porn movie. He does this with the help of his supportive friends, including Pantoliano, Ted Danson, William Fichtner, Tim Blake Nelson and Patrick Fugit. Their film will be distinctive because it will be made by and feature talent from their own small town. Now I know this entire plot sounds kind of corny but it is well executed – everyone laughed pretty hard throughout.

Besides having a great cast, what makes this movie different is that it is a sex comedy for and by adults. This may be a tough sell, but I can say that at least half of tonight's audience was definitely professors and community members, rather than students. Though there is little nudity or hard language, this is an R-movie because of its frank discussion of sex. It's funny because these guys are trying to be respectful by replacing words for genitalia with other appropriate, but ridiculous terms.

As I mentioned, the cast was great and everyone was prefect for their role. Pantoliano plays the appropriately named writer-director of the production, Some Idiot. Danson plays a gay friend who tries too hard at hiding his sexual orientation, making for some very funny and awkward moments. Fichtner does a really good job with making a fairly plain character entertaining and fun to watch. Bridges plays a loser in the vein of "The Dude", except he's got it together a little more and is a little cleaner cut. About half of Bridges performance is voice-over as well, which was done fairly well. My biggest complaint would be that their female characters receive very little screen time and are underdeveloped. The cut we saw really underused Lauren Graham and Judy Greer.

The film was written and directed by Michael Traeger, whose most notable previous credit was writing the script of MTV's Dead Man on Campus (ouch). The script was really funny and the direction was suitable, though not very special. Based on what Joe said at the first screening, it sounds like they will only be changing the opening of the film – so the cut I saw was pretty close to finished. I believe it will be hitting theaters late spring/early summer. All in all it was an entertaining little indie comedy and its worth checking out for a good laugh.