IMDb RATING
5.7/10
2.1K
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The "bad boys of magic" go over the edge in this mind-blowing, role-switching comedy murder mystery set in the dizzying world of Atlantic City casinos.The "bad boys of magic" go over the edge in this mind-blowing, role-switching comedy murder mystery set in the dizzying world of Atlantic City casinos.The "bad boys of magic" go over the edge in this mind-blowing, role-switching comedy murder mystery set in the dizzying world of Atlantic City casinos.
Penn Jillette
- Penn
- (as Penn)
Caitlin Clarke
- Carlotta
- (as Celia McGuire)
- …
Gwendolyn Shepherd
- Mother
- (as Gwen Shepherd)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
This movie is a must see for Penn and Teller fans. The story line reflects a lot about how the Bad Boys of Magic really act while on the road.
The constant pranks are imminently entertaining. The movie drags a bit near the end, but leads up to a great surprise for fans of the magic twosome.
The film may not sustain itself well for viewers who aren't very familiar with Penn and Teller. Still, you can't help but enjoy the frenzied nuttiness of the airport scene.
The constant pranks are imminently entertaining. The movie drags a bit near the end, but leads up to a great surprise for fans of the magic twosome.
The film may not sustain itself well for viewers who aren't very familiar with Penn and Teller. Still, you can't help but enjoy the frenzied nuttiness of the airport scene.
A movie no Penn & Teller fan would dream of being without. The first time I watched it, I was perplexed by the oddball atmosphere - this movie just doesn't play like a typical movie. Subsequent viewings have increased my fondness for it, though, and I keep finding more and more humour in it. So much of the humour comes from realizing that the jokes are not just inserted to make us laugh, but are the natural product of a very bizarre world that these two performers are inhabiting all the time. As Teller in a park catches pigeons with his bare hands, Penn says admiringly, "You're getting really good at that. You don't even hurt them anymore." Anymore? What has been going on between Teller and the pigeons all these years? The film is full of these little glimpses into a very weird world.
this movie has some interesting stunts that are pulled, but I kept asking myself during the duration of the film, Is Penn the guy who does the "next on Comedy Central" voice. Otherwise I could dig this movie, jay and silent bob seemed to rip it off a little bit.
Penn and Teller is a fictional film about how inviting killers to your head on national TV can lead to potential problems, even if you are Penn and Teller.
This film embodies almost everything that is Penn and Teller, because that is what a Penn and Teller film should represent: Penn and Teller. Let's get the bad out of the way first: The acting in the film is decent and comical, but not superb - especially the actors that play the side roles. Of course considering Penn and Teller are magicians whose job is to act in a way that conceals their tricks, their acting is not bad, although it feels like something is missing, especially in the more "emotional" parts of the film.
Also, there's a slight issue with the writing. The film is sort of a mix between comedy and thriller, but the twists are generally somewhat predictable, and a lot of the humor does not cause explosive laughter. Again, the writing is just a wee bit weak, but in my opinion not the main point of the film.
What the point of the film is though is lots of Penn and Teller: The viewer gets to see plenty of magic tricks and how they are done, Penn and Teller make commentary on various forms of superstition, and deliver what is in my opinion the silliest, somewhat apologetic yet quite possibly best ending a film could ever have.
Overall, I would recommend Penn and Teller Get Killed, even if I were on national TV.
This film embodies almost everything that is Penn and Teller, because that is what a Penn and Teller film should represent: Penn and Teller. Let's get the bad out of the way first: The acting in the film is decent and comical, but not superb - especially the actors that play the side roles. Of course considering Penn and Teller are magicians whose job is to act in a way that conceals their tricks, their acting is not bad, although it feels like something is missing, especially in the more "emotional" parts of the film.
Also, there's a slight issue with the writing. The film is sort of a mix between comedy and thriller, but the twists are generally somewhat predictable, and a lot of the humor does not cause explosive laughter. Again, the writing is just a wee bit weak, but in my opinion not the main point of the film.
What the point of the film is though is lots of Penn and Teller: The viewer gets to see plenty of magic tricks and how they are done, Penn and Teller make commentary on various forms of superstition, and deliver what is in my opinion the silliest, somewhat apologetic yet quite possibly best ending a film could ever have.
Overall, I would recommend Penn and Teller Get Killed, even if I were on national TV.
Being a big Penn and Teller fan, and after hearing about this movie I was looking forwards to seeing it, and was gratified when, on a lonely Friday night, I saw it was showing on TV.
It started a little slowly, but I persevered, watching on. Yes it's a mildly amusing film. Certainly it gives us an insight into the world of the magicians, but when it comes down to it, it's simply a series of magic tricks strung together by a very thin plot. The tricks themselves are quite impressive, but in no way are they comparable to the magnificence of the duos live shows. It just doesn't compete. Worth watching but don't look forwards to anything special.
It started a little slowly, but I persevered, watching on. Yes it's a mildly amusing film. Certainly it gives us an insight into the world of the magicians, but when it comes down to it, it's simply a series of magic tricks strung together by a very thin plot. The tricks themselves are quite impressive, but in no way are they comparable to the magnificence of the duos live shows. It just doesn't compete. Worth watching but don't look forwards to anything special.
Did you know
- TriviaWhen Teller is being held down with ropes by audience members, the one closest to Penn Jillette is James Randi, aka "The Amazing Randi". A close friend and mentor, Randi wrote the book "The Faith Healers" and exposed psychic doctors to the public, a driving plot point in the film.
- GoofsWhen Penn is being removed from the casino by the cop, his chants of "Attica! Attica!" don't match his mouth. That's because he originally sang "We shall overcome! We shall overcome!" as can be seen in the trailer.
- Crazy creditsTo hide the fact that Caitlin Clarke played a dual role, she also was credited under the pseudonym 'Celia McGuire'. The closing credits reveal the pseudonym with the consecutive credits: Officer McNamara...Celia McGuire Celia McGuire...Caitlin Clarke
- ConnectionsFeatures Penn & Teller Go Public (1985)
- SoundtracksSubterranean Homesick Blues
Performed by Penn Jillette
Written by Bob Dylan
©1965 Warner Bros. Inc.
Performed by Penn Jillette
[Penn quotes the lyrics to test his mic in the first scene and later while almost being operated on]
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $8,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 29 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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