IMDb RATING
5.6/10
2K
YOUR RATING
A goofy Korean finds his life hopelessly complicated with people continually confusing him with Bruce Lee.A goofy Korean finds his life hopelessly complicated with people continually confusing him with Bruce Lee.A goofy Korean finds his life hopelessly complicated with people continually confusing him with Bruce Lee.
Phillip Simms
- Baby Moe
- (as Phil Simms)
Bruce Talkington
- Fat Guard
- (as Bruce Talkinton)
Featured reviews
To answer the implied question about Australians in an earlier comment, I saw the film for what it was: a spoof comedy. I thoroughly enjoyed it as such. I didn't look for errors of continuity or consistency; that seemed rather pointless; or for any hidden meanings. I simply took the gags at face value and enjoyed them.
I would not draw any conclusions about "real" Asians from this movie; any more than you would say draw conclusions about any other nationalities from comedy movies. I guess that Woody Allen comedies would be a perfect example of how that would not work.
As for the best line, in my opinion it is:
"...and then I got run over by a Toyota. Oh, what a feeling".
I would not draw any conclusions about "real" Asians from this movie; any more than you would say draw conclusions about any other nationalities from comedy movies. I guess that Woody Allen comedies would be a perfect example of how that would not work.
As for the best line, in my opinion it is:
"...and then I got run over by a Toyota. Oh, what a feeling".
First, I loved the movie. I thought it was hilarious. But then again, that was MANY years ago when I saw the movie. I miss funny movies from the 1980's, when it was easier to laugh at ourselves.
I think the dude who posted the bologna and deli comments missed the point. The movie wasn't meant to poke fun at Asians or Asian Americans. It poked fun at EVERYONE. And more specifically, everyone BUT Asian Americans, who were ignorant of all people of Asian decent. It reminds me of the line Gene Wilder had in " Blazing Saddles. " " They're common people, simple folk, people of the land... ya know? MORONS. "
Some people don't get it. Some see it as it is. And some people ( like myself ) just love the movie for nostalgia reasons. It was simple humor and funny. No one in the movie needed to curse like a sailor or shoot and kill people to entertain. TV and Movies NEED that these days. God Bless Johnny Yune wherever he may be... and thank you, sir.
I think the dude who posted the bologna and deli comments missed the point. The movie wasn't meant to poke fun at Asians or Asian Americans. It poked fun at EVERYONE. And more specifically, everyone BUT Asian Americans, who were ignorant of all people of Asian decent. It reminds me of the line Gene Wilder had in " Blazing Saddles. " " They're common people, simple folk, people of the land... ya know? MORONS. "
Some people don't get it. Some see it as it is. And some people ( like myself ) just love the movie for nostalgia reasons. It was simple humor and funny. No one in the movie needed to curse like a sailor or shoot and kill people to entertain. TV and Movies NEED that these days. God Bless Johnny Yune wherever he may be... and thank you, sir.
Get set for all the zany fun in this hilarious comedy about an Asian immigrant that everyone calls "Bruce," because of his resemblance to the legendary Bruce Lee.
Bruce unknowingly works as cook for the mob and is duped into making deliveries of "Chinese Flour" - which is really cocaine - all across the U.S.
It's a non-stop, rollicking romp when Bruce is persuaded by a wild and crazy assortment of characters - Texas sheriffs, Vegas hookers, rival mobsters, Kung Fu Krishnas, street punks, Urban cowboys and a host of other wacky, weird people interested in "flour."
Bruce unknowingly works as cook for the mob and is duped into making deliveries of "Chinese Flour" - which is really cocaine - all across the U.S.
It's a non-stop, rollicking romp when Bruce is persuaded by a wild and crazy assortment of characters - Texas sheriffs, Vegas hookers, rival mobsters, Kung Fu Krishnas, street punks, Urban cowboys and a host of other wacky, weird people interested in "flour."
I had read the short review of this movie in "The Video Movie Guide" over and over, thinking it would be bad; but by luck, it was on T.V. one summer afternoon, so I watched it. Well, they were wrong (again).
This movie was good. It at least did its job in making me laugh like crazy at times, which is tough for anything coming down the pike these days.
Johnny Yune, a now forgotten comedian, plays Bruce, so-called because people mistake him for Bruce Lee (he looks nothing like him). Bruce gets himself involved with the Mafia, who use him and Ralph Mauro as unknowing guinea pigs to deliver "Chinese Flour", which is really cocaine, to various bosses from L.A. to N.Y. When things go sour, the late Margaux Hemmingway tries to off the heroes.
The film is very cheap-looking and dark, but there are some absolutely funny lines delivered by Yune.
When he's in Las Vegas and he's asked about gambling
Bruce: Ah Gambling! In China, I knew a woman who made her husband a millionaire through gambling. Only thing was, he used to be a billionaire.
When he's at a black church and asked to testify.
Bruce: We were so poor that when a thief broke into our house, we'd rob him!
Early in the film, his adventures at a dojo are pure slapstick, as well as a scene where Yune and Mauro are in a Texas jail, and they use the Chinese Flour to cause a jailbreak, then when the cocaine is on the clothes of the prisoners, they start sniffing at the clothes to snort the coke! Hilarious.
You won't find this on DVD, but you'll find this hidden gem somewhere in a video store. See it.
This movie was good. It at least did its job in making me laugh like crazy at times, which is tough for anything coming down the pike these days.
Johnny Yune, a now forgotten comedian, plays Bruce, so-called because people mistake him for Bruce Lee (he looks nothing like him). Bruce gets himself involved with the Mafia, who use him and Ralph Mauro as unknowing guinea pigs to deliver "Chinese Flour", which is really cocaine, to various bosses from L.A. to N.Y. When things go sour, the late Margaux Hemmingway tries to off the heroes.
The film is very cheap-looking and dark, but there are some absolutely funny lines delivered by Yune.
When he's in Las Vegas and he's asked about gambling
Bruce: Ah Gambling! In China, I knew a woman who made her husband a millionaire through gambling. Only thing was, he used to be a billionaire.
When he's at a black church and asked to testify.
Bruce: We were so poor that when a thief broke into our house, we'd rob him!
Early in the film, his adventures at a dojo are pure slapstick, as well as a scene where Yune and Mauro are in a Texas jail, and they use the Chinese Flour to cause a jailbreak, then when the cocaine is on the clothes of the prisoners, they start sniffing at the clothes to snort the coke! Hilarious.
You won't find this on DVD, but you'll find this hidden gem somewhere in a video store. See it.
Some of these people are being way too critical over the quality of the script and social stereotypes. People should take it for what it is...it's a spoof. It's not like they have money to recruit big-name stars. It's a movie that should be enjoyed by the public...it's not an oscar contender. Are the gags mundane? yes. Are there asian stereotypes? Yes. The movie plays on these stereotypes and they know that's how the general public viewed them at the time. Someone commented on how Johnny's acting was bad...but excuse me...there was no royal academy of acting in korea. Like Margaret Cho said, "There was war." And also...where do people get the idea that the character Bruce is Korean? Don't people see the Chinese motif in the story? Chinese flour, Chinese noodles, Chinese food? Marco Polo? The actor is Korean, yes, but they said nothing of Bruce being Korean.
Did you know
- TriviaThe dojo "Bruce" takes a lesson in is the same dojo that appeared in 'The Karate Kid' franchise which was soon around the corner about a couple of years later.
- GoofsIn the movie, "Bruce" sees the Boss of Bosses giving Freddy the "Kiss Of Death" and mentions that he knows about the kiss from watching the Godfather movies. "Bruce" also tells the Boss of Bosses that he doesn't kiss as well as Marlon Brando. Marlon Brando never actually gave the kiss of death in the original film "The Godfather"; it was actually first bestowed on John Cazale by Al Pacino in "The Godfather Part II."
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Slanted Screen (2006)
- SoundtracksI Imagine You
Lyrics by Gary Tigerman
- How long is They Call Me Bruce?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- They Call Me Bruce
- Filming locations
- Liberty Island, New York Harbor, New York City, New York, USA(filming location)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $16,894,678
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $1,071,345
- Nov 14, 1982
- Gross worldwide
- $16,894,678
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content