The Wendell Baker Story

Wendell Baker (Luke Wilson) is picked up one work day in south Texas by his longtime girlfriend, Doreen (Eva Mendes). He is startled to have her pull over for a chat. Its a day of reckoning. Eva loves Wendell but she is unhappy that he can't hold down a steady job and that he is always pursuing get-rich schemes. So, she wants to move on and Wendell has to play along. Shortly after, WB and his close friend Reyes (Jacob Vargax, from Romy and Michelle) are caught by cops in their side business of giving identification cards to migrant farm workers so they can stay in the United States. Pleading for leniency for Reyes, Wendell takes most of the punishment, two years in prison. But, when he gets out, he's a changed man. He's going to enter the hotel business and get Doreen back. But, first, the Feds say he has to work at the "retirement hotel" run by an evil nurse (Owen Wilson) and his nefarious sidekick (Eddie Griffin). All too soon it becomes clear that the residents of this place are in fear for their lives from the two people in charge. Can WB team with a few of them to turn the tables on those who would do them all wrong? Yes! This fun film was written by Luke Wilson, directed by Andrew Wilson and starring Owen and Luke Wilson. Its Wilson entertainment and its enjoyable. It also stars some wonderful secondary actors in Vargas, Mendes, Griffin, Harry Dean Stanton, Seymour Cassel, and Kris Kristofferson. What a pleasure this company is! The sets in Rio Grande area Texas are harshly beautiful while the costumes and other amenities are just fine, thank you. Are you up for a sequel to the Tennebaums? If you said yes, get the WB story now!

I think the reviews here are a little unfair to the impact of the movie. As far as I go, it's that rare heartwarming movie that stays with you even after the end of the credits. What I liked about the story was the infusion of wit and cheek in the simplicity and goodwill of the plot. Wendell Baker is a greatly likable scamp who has his heart in more than one right place. The attention to racial sensitivity, for example, affirms Baker's charm, from his mercenary yet political business of selling fake ids to immigrant Mexicans to joking with his black inmates about 'aryans and crips ruling together', which had me laughing because of the ease with which he does or says those things. I'm probably ruining those moments by making them explicit because it's precisely the subtlety and matter-of-factness with which these things are woven into his crazy character that make him work for me. The gender angle, on the other hand,, was pretty screwed, because who cares for old women? Another thing I liked was that the movie ends on a note of reasonable success, not the sort of incredible feat that one is asked to admire in movies like the pursuit of happiness. All this, and Luke Wilson looking so cute is why I'd rate the movie above average.

Once upon a time movies were for entertainment. They made you feel good about life. They were visual fairy tales that ended with the line ---"and they all lived happily ever after." That's what this movie is to me. Doesn't require a degree in psychology or a doctorate in human behavior. It just tells the story of a guy who messes up, then has an epiphony and decides to make it right. He helps others along the way without putting his personal agenda first. Anyone who goes along with his philosophy ends up getting rewarded in the end. And after all, isn't that what fairy tales are supposed to be about? There is enough heartache and sorrow in life without using it for entertainment purposes.

Sometimes when a film is written, directed, produced, and starring the same person, it doesn't always go well. When wendell (luke wilson) gets out of prison, he goes to work at a retirement home. But an hour into the film, we find out one of the other employees is running a scam on the seniors. And he gets together a posse to put a stop to it. So many scenes just go on sooooooo long. And go from funny to serious in two seconds. Which is okay for a drama, but not for a comedy. The jokes are far and few between. It should have been so much funnier with will ferrell involved. This couldn't decide if it wanted to be a drama or a comedy. Kind of uneven. It's not awful, just okay. Co-stars eva mendes, and a whole slew of wilsons family members. Harry stanton and kris kristofferson. I think if the script had been jazzed up, it would have been a much (funnier) stronger film. And to be fair, it is wilson's first screenplay. There is some cool music in here!

I just saw The Wendell Baker Story at what is its third screening, at the Virginia Film Festival in Charlottesville.

Although, as stated in the prior comment, this movie will be no cult nor mainstream classic, it is highly entertaining. For a comedy, it is considerably light: the humor is mostly situational.

I personally found Wendell Baker's greatest success in the developing of the secondary characters as foils. The movie does not have opening credits, instead only introducing the title. As such, I was pleasantly surprised to see many high profile actors in roles fitting well within the film. In the post-screening interview, Luke Wilson discussed how this choice for no opening credits was as an "album cover" and that, with the focus directly on the introduction of an Austin Texas feel.

The acting in the film is generally good. Highlights for me were the performances of Grant James and Kris Kristofferson. I was, unfortunately, disappointed in Eva Mendes' delivery of her character. I feel the 'girlfriend who 'the guy' loses' cliché could have been as fresh as the other foil supporting characters.

The film has many beautiful shots on location in Texas, although the editing at times is choppy (granted the film is still not finished). The music is absolutely wonderful: the folky rock feel contributing in subtle persistence to the southwestern feel of the film.

I enjoyed this film. It was not profound... do not go to this movie to see another Royal Tenenbaums. The film is a comedy, but it is neither dark nor slapstick. It very much reminds me of Sideways in that both take advantage of a specific local color create a more personal and more relaxed movie. As such, while not often was I laughing, the ever-present humor kept me entertained.