Meet Bill

Aaron Eckhart made this movie, as one of the previous comments said. Other than that, it was all a bit too awkward a movie to call well made. The story is pretty much about a middle aged guy discovering that his career choices make him miserable and how he find his way out without the violence and social satire in American Beauty.

It is a decent comedy, not too bad as some suggested, but certainly not memorable. Jessica Alba plays a medium sized role and Elizabeth Banks looks totally hot.

Bottom line: see it when you feel like watching a light movie, it will be more fun for people approaching middle age than for teens and it can be a great movie to watch with the wife.

I attended the World Premiere of "Bill" at the Toronto International Film Festival. That fact alone is actually surprising to me, as my viewing habits tend to lean towards dramas, and this is anything but. In fact, festivals this year have been weighed down by heavy films that are about as dark as they come. "Bill" could not be more different, and what a refreshing change and much-needed uplift is this all-out, unabashed comedy. Co-directed by the husband-wife team of Bernie Goldmann and Melissa Wallack (who penned the script), "Bill" has all the elements required of the genre: characters to whom we can relate, a clever storyline, and laughs aplenty.

Aaron Eckhart ("Any Given Sunday," "Erin Brockovich," "Thank You for Smoking") is Bill, smack dab in the middle of a life becoming all-too familiar. His job is falling apart (he begrudgingly works for his irascible father-in-law), his marriage is going to pieces, his body is going to pot, and, perhaps most horrifying, his hair is rejecting his head. Bill needs a change, fast, and is not-so-voluntarily signed up for a mentoring program at the local high school. He is teamed up with young Logan Lerman ("The Butterfly Effect," "Hoot," "3:10 to Yuma"), who plays The Kid, literally (Lerman's character is never identified by name), and the two join together in battle to fight the demons at the heart of Bill's midlife crisis.

A magnificent ensemble cast including Elizabeth Banks, Timothy Olyphant, Jessica Alba, and Kristen Wiig (and far too many more to mention) are all up to the task of providing enough comedic fodder to fill several films. Discussing their characters in depth would be too revealing, and my policy is to allow the reader to find a synopsis elsewhere if desired. Ultimately the partnership between Bill and The Kid is what drives the story, and the chemistry between Eckhart and Lerman is central to the success of the film. And it works. The Kid is smart, streetwise, sexy (or so he thinks), and has the self-confidence of someone thrice his age. In short, he's everything Bill aspires to be. It's a role-reversal device that's at the heart of many classic comedies, and Wallack's brilliant writing makes it work.

Despite being an independent film (read: low budget) "Bill" has the look of a Hollywood movie. The design is bright and the sound and editing give it a crisp, bouncy feel. Best of all, the cinematography with Peter Lyons Collister at the helm is second to none. He's one of the best in the business, a classic comedy veteran, and it shows.

It's always hard to single anyone out in a fine ensemble cast but in both screenings I attended Lerman stole the show. He unquestionably got the biggest laughs and was the crowd favorite. I hesitate to call him a newcomer, as at the tender age of 15 he already has 10 movies and 23 television episodes under his belt, but he's one to watch for and has a bright career ahead of him. But this is Eckhart's film to make or break, and his sense of comedic timing and puppy-like ability to elicit just the right amount of empathy from the audience create those touching moments that leave the viewer wanting more. And so I attended the second screening as well, and enjoyed it even more. And that's the true test of a comedy. From this writer's perspective, "Bill" not only hits its mark but is also sure to be a winner for years to come.

This film is about a man married to a woman from a powerful family undergoing a midlife crisis. Unexpectedly, a high school student helps him through it.

Bill is portrayed to be a complete loser. He realises that he is a loser, and wants to change. The pathetic state he is in is funny and evokes sympathy at the same time. The transformation is quite dramatic, and it is quite a surprise to see Aaron Eckhart shaving himself. I would not have thought that an actor would do that, but then they are probably paid millions of dollars for that scene.

The kid's charming and cheerful persona shines, and I feel that he is the true star in the film. Jessica Alba is as charming and adorable as usual. These three characters interact together with great charm, and makes "Meet Bill" a pleasure to watch.

Review: Although the cast looked impressive, this movie really wasn't that good and the storyline was pretty terrible. It's about a man who thinks that he has everything that a man wants out of life, until he finds out that his wife is having an affair and his career is going nowhere. He then becomes a mentor for a sharp kid who helps him turn his life around and shows him how to get the most out of life. I'm usually a fan of Aaron Eckharts work, but he really did make a fool out of himself in this movie. The jokes weren't that funny and the storyline went from one ridiculous scene to another. The director piled up to many different elements which made the film seem messy and not that enjoyable. None of the top actors put in an outstanding performance, which is due to the terrible script, so this is yet another movie that has to get the thumbs down from me. Disappointing!

Round-Up: Aaron Eckhart really let me down in this film, alongside Jessica Alba and Elizabeth Banks who were also not that great. There were also some other big names in the film, like Kristen Wiig and Jason Sudeikis, but they weren't in the movie that much. I was impressed with the young looking Logan Lerman whose also starred in Fury, the Percy Jackson franchise and Noah but I just found it hard to find the film slightly amusing. I'm not surprised that it made such a lose at the box office but I am surprised with the budget which must have gone towards the actors wages. Anyway, it's worth a watch if you just want some noise in the background but I personally think that it was a waste of a good cast.

Budget: $5million Worldwide Gross: $347,000 (Terrible!)

I recommend this movie to people who are into their comedies about a man whose goes through a mid-life crisis after finding out that his wife is having an affair. 3/10

Aaron Eckhart, suave and manicured, is surprisingly effective in role as middle-aged sad sack Bill, a disgruntled, directionless human resources executive at his father-in-law's bank who's stuck in a loveless marriage to cheating spouse Elizabeth Banks. The tone of this character portrait is half black comedy and half satire, but Eckhart almost makes the lumpy journey worthwhile (he's an extremely courageous and focused actor, flexible but not a ham). Jessica Alba is fun as a friendly neighborhood salesgirl, but a subplot involving a mouthy teenage boy who chooses Bill to be his "mentor" is excruciating (a duck-hunting sequence with Bill's wife's family is also flabby). Screenwriter Melisa Wallack, who also co-directed with Bernie Goldmann, is careful to let Bill be his own person, but their ultimately victorious "I don't know where I'm going but I'm happy to be here" theme doesn't wash in the end. ** from ****