timlittle Reviews

Great British Ships (2018– )

Presentation lets it down

[5/10 · 27 February 2020]

A lot of the information and footage is interesting, though not particularly revealing to people who have a basic knowledge of naval warfare through the ages. The interviews are generally good in setting the scene and context. The problem with this series (and others) is the presentation and, more specifically, the presenter - who seems to have made it his mission to get onto television as much as humanly possible. Robert Bells' over-dramatic, over-emphasised delivery, paired with bug eyes, dynamic eyebrow movements and arm waving soon become an irritating distraction. It seems to have become a style of documentary that has become popular - as much about the presenter as the content. I found the programmes more enjoyable the less I saw of Bell.

Plastic (I) (2014)

Oceans 13 - the age group it may appeal to

[3/10 · 8 June 2019]

This is truly as disposable and classless as its title suggests. Totally unconvincing teenagers try and scrape up enough money to pay off a hoodlum (another teenage comic stereotype) by spending a fortune flying off to America somewhere. I wasn't interested enough to pay attention to where they were but I'm guessing Miami. Tiresome, ill-thought out drivel with irritating, fresh-out-of-drama-school actors just seemingly happy with some location filming on a sunny beach. Plot holes you could drive a double decker bus through. Spoiler alert - someone really gets knocked out by being hit with a fish. All this combines to make a film that is excruciatingly bad. Do something else - life's too short.

Baggage Claim (2013)

Hackneyed, badly acted tosh

[1/10 · 3 June 2019]

This is a shocker. How anyone can relate to this (assuming there are people so desperate to get married before they reach a certain age) is a true mystery. The storyline is ludicrous, the dialogue preposterous and the acting (with a couple of exceptions) dreadful. Patton's performance, which consists of over exaggerated facial expressions and throwing her arms about, becomes so irritating that the reason she can't get a man to hang around becomes abundantly clear. I watched some of it on a quiet TV night. I didn't get to the end - because I didn't care.....at all.

Noah (2014)

The Bible meets Game of Thrones

[3/10 · 23 March 2019]

I'm not overly familiar with the Bible story but I'm pretty sure it wasn't this long and bloated. Over acted mostly, badly acted at others this looong fantasy drama sees Crowe adopt his best English accent for the (presumably) Middle Eastern character and his rather irritating immediate family, to escape the epic flood......with the assistance of some rock creatures straight out of the 60's Dr. Who special effects department. Yes it really is that ludicrous. Tedious dialogue and endless meaningful stares are supposed to remind us of the epic nature of the struggle

• but just serve to want the viewer yearn to see the ark (which has all the hydro dynamic properties of a house brick) dash against the nearest rock.

Crowe looks like he struggles to get up the ladder, having obviously fed himself up for the journey....whilst the rest of the 'crew' could obviously do with tucking into some of the stock. The cast do well only insofar as they manage not to look as embarrassed as they clearly should be....both at the dialogue and their own excruciating performances. Emily Watson is as unconvincing as ever, dropping tears as swiftly as you could drop a hat. Blah blah - on it goes. A colossal raft packed full of creatures that make hardly any sound and don't create any droppings or waste and never seem to need feeding. Perhaps Crowe ate them all. Really - don't bother. I'm sure there are better things you can be doing.

Mister John (2013)

Pointless and tedious

[2/10 · 15 March 2019]

This was the most pointless film I think I have ever watched. The cast mumble their way through the limited dialogue and a good portion of the film seems to comprise of endless pensive gazes into the near distance, endless pensive gazes into the far distance and endless pensive gazes at other members of the cast. The camera gazes pensively at the back of the casts neck, head .........and so on. A snake steals the show and out-acts the whole cast. Avoid. Did I mention it's completely pointless ?

Drunk Wedding (2015)

Unknowns pretending to be juveniles

[2/10 · 6 February 2019]

It can be hard to review a movie that has absolutely no point to it - but I'll try in order to help prevent people wasting their limited time on this earth from sitting through this.

A more unpleasant bunch of characters you couldn't hope to meet. Loud, crass, exhibitionist, self indulgent and idiotic they are everyone's nightmare on holiday.....they think partying involves shouting at each other louder than everyone else and screeching at hand held cameras whilst pulling stupid faces.

This isn't amusing and at points you can almost sense one or two of the casts discomfort as they try and force wild laughter and carry out juvenile antics on their fellow travellers.

The handheld camera style of filming has surely reached the end by now. I hope so.

There's no meaningful story as such - someone's getting married somewhere and a bunch of dreadful people have gone with them - the acting is poor and the characters are truly repugnant.

I am at a loss to think who this might appeal to. I would be staggered to hear that someone would find it funny and disappointed that someone thinks this is how Americans should be depicted abroad.

2 stars ? Nicaragua looks nice - though no-one seems to have bothered showing much of it. The majority of scenes take place in hotel bathrooms.

Stan & Ollie (2018)

Perfectly captures timeless comedy genius.

[10/10 · 5 February 2019]

I would start by admitting to being a Laurel & Hardy fan and have introduced my grand-daughters to the couple's works via a treasured DVD box set.

I took them to see this film (aged 9 and 13) and I don't think they moved an inch for the duration of the film.

I know a little about the real live stories of the comedy duo and have visited key locations in both their lives so am aware that this is basically a summary of the twos lifelong friendship and final years but it is no less enchanting for that.

From the opening scene, walking through the reconstructed set of a Hall Roach classic, the dialogue already hints at the enduring warmth of their partnership. As the film progressed I found I was amused, intensely moved and impressed with Coogan and Reilly's affectionate and staggeringly accurate recreation of some of the duo's best known scenes.

This is film making of the highest order. Original, brilliant performances, lovely dialogue, atmospheric background - and some real laughs.

I'm not ashamed to say that I was moved to tears on more than one occasion. This is what film-making should be about.

Europa Report (2013)

Low budget jumble

[4/10 · 5 February 2019]

This is the second time I have tried to get through this - the first was defeated by poor acting and a plodding storyline. It's corny and the characters are wooden and elicit no empathy.

So here we are again - if anything with added authenticity thanks to Virgin Media's s**t, overpriced poor reception and constant pixilation.

Having passed the point I last abandoned this offering (the dawning realisation that things aren't going well and the resultant bickering amongst the crew) I felt that the docu-drama style presentation was beginning to irritate me intensely. I guess it's a style you either like or not - I find it's hard to get right and that is the case here.

I found moments of intended suspense unconvincing and split screen scenes just enabled me to watch three unknown, bad acting performances instead of just the one.

All in all this could have been set in the desert, an abyss under the sea, a haunted house, a cave etc and the result would have been the same. An ultimately tedious, low budget splodge.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

No dinosaurs were harmed in the making of this film..

[4/10 · 5 October 2018]

......but they were abused, manipulated and exploited by the usual suspects - greedy, totally amoral businessmen. Luckily, they have Chris Pratt to look after their welfare and this is where the whole credibility-thing falls down. I think it's well known that Pratt takes joy in taking down pretty much any creature that comes within range of his high velocity rifle and yet, here he is almost showing emotion and empathy for lesser creatures. Almost. Viewer interest is further tested by a lack of humour, uninspiring dialogue and ridiculous subplot. Toby Jones (much respect) did what he could but I think most participants wouldn't put this outing at the top of their CV. I would suggest that this franchise is now tired and well, well past its best. Happy hunting Pratt. As usual, I will be rooting for your prey. Dinosaurs were done well.

The Mountain Between Us (2017)

Achingly dull stinker. Nice views.

[3/10 · 9 September 2018]

This is a painfully dreary melodrama of the most trite, predictable kind. The lead characters are void of any character or personality and the only thing I really cared about was the dog - who out-acted both of the 'leads' (see what I did there) ? Never fear - however remote and chilly the area your plane crashes in, if you wander around a bit you will find some soft cushions and a roaring open fire......avoid this clanger at all costs. The three stars are for the scenery.

Secrets of the Underground (2017– )

Nothing new here - just bad

[3/10 · 4 September 2018]

I have tried to sit through a couple of episodes of this ludicrous series currently being shown in the UK on the Discovery Channel. The presentation is childish and the commentary sensationalist and banal. Apparently the Bay of Naples thermal waters are really hot, giving rise to lots of 'holy craps' and 'holy moleys' and the sleeping giant may 'blow' at any time. Really ? And so it goes on ..... a couple of 'scientists' in shirts and chinos waving around their revolutionary equipment doing things that have been done properly by other people before while exchanging childish asides to each other. It's difficult to know who this is aimed at. If you're over 12 years old - don't bother. The 3* is generous - and is for some of the camera work.

Chasing Mavericks (2012)

Spectacularly Irritating Teen Movie

[4/10 · 16 February 2016]

This is a cloying, plodding cliché-ridden tale of an adolescent obsessed with surfing. No spoilers there.

The curiously orange-faced teen in question is identified as being special by means of having the ability to count the gap between waves.

Thus the ageing, hapless beach bum Butler takes him under his wing and soon has him on a tough training regime requiring him to lift plastic chairs, hold his breath under water in the bath and skip school.

Unsurprisingly poor young Weston doesn't have much in the way of friends or, it would seem, acting ability. He huffs and puffs in excitement, he huffs and puffs in anticipation and he huffs and puffs with anxiety and the film drones on.

When he's mocked by the local yobs he rubs his board more vigorously (not a euphemism) and goes to his mentor for more philosophising.

And so it goes on. There are very few redeeming features to this film.

There's lots of sea - and some waves.

Frances Ha (2012)

Empty

[4/10 · 2 January 2016]

Not much of a summary I know - but I can't think of anything that could be more appropriate. Don't believe the pompous guff that I've read in some of the newspapers - that's how I ended up watching this unsatisfying offering.

Without giving away too much of the plot (there isn't one) this film drifts around a lazy, vacuous, self obsessed dancer (who doesn't need to do much dancing, or much anything come to it) as she annoys and judges her few friends and virtually stalks her old college girlfriend.

It's unclear where she gets her sense of entitlement from and thankfully, this isn't pursued. What passes for humour extends as far as her zany querkiness which soon wears thin. Anyone who has met (or even dated) one of these types of women will know that the attraction soon wears off - and they rapidly become irritating.

The narrative soon becomes as directionless as Frances' life - and a completely pointless and unconvincing trip to Paris is used to boost the interest temporarily. One gets the feeling that the episode has been shoe-horned in to show Frances walking some different kinds of streets, accompanied by some nice shots of the city.

Very few of the characters gender any sympathy - perhaps artsy people are the same the world over but it does seem that NY has more than its' fair share. The amazing thing is why anyone would thing the rest of the world is interested.

Don Jon (2013)

Risible drivel

[3/10 · 1 December 2015]

I think I've used this summary for another of my reviews - but I couldn't think of anything better for this repugnant offering.

I don't think I'll be giving anything away by saying that this is about a man who watches porn and his girlfriend doesn't like it... and that's it. Nothing else of interest happens, it isn't funny, it doesn't tackle any pressing conditions of modern man, the script is badly written and it isn't worthy of your time - despite some of the rather bewildering reviews to be found on here.

Everything about most of the characters is repulsive - from their accents to their behaviours and their inter-actions with each other.

It does raise three questions in my mind however.

1. How does this adolescent drivel get made ? Whoever was able to persuade studio executives that this would be an entertaining contribution to the movie world ?

2. What possesses previously well established and respected actors to take part ie Johansson and, especially Moore in a film that continues the depiction of women as objects to be conquered by a greasy sleaze-bag in a dodgy nightclub ?

3. Who would waste 1 hour 30 minutes (precisely) of their time watching this without wondering why they bothered ?

Wrap it up in as much pretentious mush as you like (and critics have) but this is, indeed, risible drivel.

For any of you who can't (or don't want to) keep up with the limited activity going on inside the main protagonists' head, his weekly confessions give you a regular handy update....yes really.

Pixels (2015)

Juvenile comedy for nostalgic 12 year olds

[4/10 · 13 November 2015]

I don't like Adam Sandler. Never have. Don't find him funny at all. There.

Having said that I saw some reviews for Pixels on here that suggested I should give this as a try, with superlatives such as 'hilarious', 'laugh out loud' and 'brilliant' used to describe the humour and entertainment to be had - flying in the face of the critics who described it as a dog.

They were very, very wrong and, I hate to say it but the critics were spot on.

Sandler is as unappealing as ever and the humour childish and unfunny throughout - though he isn't the only bad thing about this film by a long way. The performances are poor without exception, some of the actors (such as Kevin James as a bungling President) are woefully mis-cast and all are easily outperformed by their pixelated co-stars.

The ending is just as moronic as the rest of the film. The special effects are okay in the action sequences.

The storyline is confused and it feels as if the film lasts for 3 hours, though apparently the running time is 'only' 1 hr 45. Perhaps someone became aware of this as the final large setpiece feels rushed. The soundtrack is plastered over the top of the film as if in some grotesque afterthought.

All in all, it left me puzzled. Who would this film appeal to ? The average teen would have outgrown the unsophisticated, in-your-face, clumsy humour...and would be too young to be aware of the so-called 'classic' games that the movie is presumably trying to evoke some feeling of nostalgia for.

Next time - I will listen the critics (and my intuition) and give anything with Adam Sandler a wiiide berth.

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

Werewolves not Swearwolves

[10/10 · 5 November 2015]

This was something I stumbled across almost by accident and is one of the funniest films I have seen for years.

The documentary style combines with absurd, macabre humour and brilliant comic acting performances to produce what I suspect will become a cult classic along the lines of Withnail & I and Spinal Tap.

The story of a small group of vampires 'flatting' in the Wellington area of New Zealand, their back histories spoken to camera, and the lead up to the Unholy Masquerade result in some truly hilarious set- pieces and complications such as who is responsible for doing the dishes and how best to be 'invited' into the hottest nightclubs in the city on a night out.

A couple of the cast members are known through their performances in 'The Flight of the Concords' but others were, to me at least, unknowns and all turn in masterful performances without exception.

The music score is integral to the movie and used in a similar way to, say Pulp Fiction, in setting the scenes and adding polish. There are lines of dialogue that will become, if they're not already, classics to those in the know.

This really is a laugh out loud, ludicrous movie. Hugely original and, I suspect, the result of a lot of hard work edited down to a marvellous feast of black comedy.

Invictus (2009)

College underdogs overcome the odds....without the padding

[3/10 · 12 October 2015]

This is the same as every other identikit sporting movie - of the underdog overcoming the odds to triumph.

Predictable : The action/training scenes could be transposed from any college/ice hockey/baseball pitch in any number of tedious movies to the miraculously recovering South Africa . Just change the colour of the kits and remove the ludicrous protective padding and headgear and you have Invictus.

Clichéd : The cuts to the commentator who pops up to spell out the gigantic scale of the task ahead (for anyone too stupid to follow the plot) are laughable but, it seems, essential for any movie of this type.

The hugely mis-cast (again) Matt Damon as a mini-me of the South African team captain making the inspirational speeches in the scrum. The shots of 'ordinary' people watching it in bars and leaping from the sofas of their homes.

Nauseating : The 747 performing illegal manoeuvres a couple of hundred feet over the stadium. The old (white) presidential guards enjoying a jolly good game of rugby with the new (black)security detail in the grounds of the Presidential palace. Matt Damons' visit to Mandelas' place of imprisonment is just cringe-worthy. The action on the field just soon gets tedious.

I would have been far more interested in knowing how the 'new' South Africa bagged the hosting rights of the international tournament and the importance (or not) of it to the relatively new nations' population.

All in all, avoid this simplistic nonsense - unless you are one of the few who will watch rugby in any form (and I know of a couple). If you didn't already know the story, you will after ten minutes into the film.

Who would've thought that uniting a nation after decades of internal division, violence and oppression could be solved by a couple of games of 'rugger'. That's Hollywood.

San Andreas (2015)

Risible drivel

[3/10 · 25 September 2015]

I don't think it's a spoiler to say that this is about a disaster - an earthquake in fact. I am assuming the vast majority of the audience is intelligent enough to have worked this out.

So why is it then, that the film companies continue to insult the viewers intelligence by churning out this sort of patronising, moronic nonsense in order to push some special effects ? There is one interesting acting performance, that of Paul Giamatti who does a passable stock permanently hysterical scientist trying to warn the world that the end is nigh. Dwayne himself does what he does best, though whether it would pass as acting is another matter. As a professional fireman he is obviously able to hotwire cars, steal boats, fly aircraft (fixed wing and rotary) and tandem parachute but being convincing as he ruminates about his (other) daughters death is clearly a skillset too far.

But the script is excruciatingly ludicrous - to the point of embarrassment. The daughter is peculiar looking and the baddie who has the audacity to take up with Dwaynes soon-to-be-though-we-all-know-she-can't-really-leave-Dwayne-ex-wife is as leaden and lumbering as the object that finally presents him with his come-uppance.

But the English lad (actually an Australian - Englishmen would never have teeth that white) who takes up with the peculiar looking daughter ? Without doubt the most ridiculous acting performance I've seen in a while - and the teeth ? The one lasting memory I shall take away from this film is rows and rows of huge, glacial white sets of tombstone teeth that jump out at you from the screen in a way that Jaws never did. Dwaynes match his gleaming helicopter pilots helmet The patriotic flag waving at the end was truly nauseating.

Archipelago (2010)

Interminably Dull

[3/10 · 24 September 2015]

I'm not sure why this film was made. I don't see the point. I felt no empathy with, or interest in, any of the characters - because we never learnt anything about any of them during the course of this seemingly endless account of a familys' holiday to a desolate, rock strewn island.

The conversation is tedious and I couldn't imagine spending more than an hour with any one of them without wanting to hurl myself off one of the many available cliffs.

The script, if there ever was one, is clumsy and lumbering. The shots of the views are lingering and trail after the characters as they wander up a hill, or down a hill, or along a coast, or gape at a shellfish or gaze at shellfish cooking. At one point it was pointed out that shellfish cooking by a particular method fall into a coma ... I know how they felt.

Do people like this really exist ? I sincerely hope not.

The Replacements (2000)

Embarrassing even to watch. Seen it all before.

[4/10 · 15 August 2015]

I'll be honest and say that until I read some reviews on here, I didn't realise that this was supposed to be a comedy. I will also qualify this review by admitting that I have no interest in American football and am not familiar with the game, rules, history or teams.

I am, however, familiar with the formulaic story of a bunch of sporting misfits come good under the guidance of an inspirational coach (Hackman) - having seen it repeated seemingly a dozen times. The truly talented player who missed out on the big-time (Reeves) is able to clarify what is really needed to the other meatheads in the team. I'm sure you can see where this is leading.

This 'comedy' brings nothing new to the table and makes the support cast even more irritating and unlikeable than usual vehicles of this type. The cheerleaders are gruesome and (obviously) too stupid to spell out the name of team they're cheerleading (is that a verb?) for.

The head cheerleader (and waitress/bartender) loves footbaall but doesn't date players (unless it's Keanu Reeves) in the same way that the waitress never dates pilots/soldiers/political advisors blah blah. The prolonged gaze they share across the bar is as close as the movie gets to comedy - and I suspect that that was unintentional.

And a special word for John Favreau, who as everyone knows, has gone on to excel in all fields of movie-making. This is one of the most stupid and annoying characters ever to have inhabited a sporting movie. Ifans comes a close second.

All in all, its all been done before - and a lot better. There's a lot of shouting, a lot of pointing, a lot of shouting 'let's go' and commentators amazed at the things they are witnessing on the field. They should have asked me - I could tell them exactly what was going to happen from the opening frame.

Bridesmaids (I) (2011)

Laboured and unamusing

[3/10 · 14 August 2015]

As a middle-aged Englishman I admit that I may have come to this late and am highly unlikely to have formed the target demographic. I will also admit to finding Kristen Wiig very attractive and genuinely funny .... in other things.

Having said that, this is overlong and pointless. The humour is as subtle as a sledgehammer and, at points, just unpleasant. The characters lack charm to say the least and the whole concept of 'showering' this, that and the other is lost on me.

The largely female cast are a disparate variety of ludicrous characters and I felt unable to feel empathy or interest in any of them. The male characters are largely there to make up the numbers and are similarly limp and creepy.

Without any meaningful storyline, it came across as a series of unfunny sketches concerning a pathetic, sad single woman approaching a certain age feeling sorry for herself and being nasty to her 'friends'.

It drags on and on - lots of self-examination and navel-gazing, tears and the predictable making-up and clichéd ending.

Charmless, graceless and such a waste.

Elephant White (2011)

Only the monks come out of this with any credit

[3/10 · 13 August 2015]

I am assuming that this pile of dross was intended to go straight to the less discerning DVD market. It is exploitative, cliché-ridden, badly acted, badly scripted and the aforementioned monks are the only sympathetic characters in the entire film (with the exception of a couple of dogs on a refuse tip which turn in a very creditable debut performance).

The only exploitation I witnessed was the depiction of Thailand as an immoral, flea ridden pit full of murderers, gangs and whore-mongers. I'm sure the Thai tourist board will pass on their thanks - though it's hardly an original depiction.

Kevin Bacon. It has to be said that his credibility has been gradually slipping down the toilet - and in this he continues his downward descent. Most extraordinarily in a faux Australian- British-'Gawd bliss ya Meery Poppns' Dick van Dyke accent. At first, I had assumed his voice had been dubbed, I wish it had been.

The violence is comic strip, video console style - this serves to further detach the viewer from any empathy to the characters or interest in proceedings.

A local girl crops up regularly. Not sure why.

All in all, think how far you could have got with the decorating in one and a half hours.

A Dark Truth (2012)

Unconvincing and simplistic. Nonsense plot.

[4/10 · 21 July 2015]

I've watched so many bad movies so far, and this didn't break the pattern.

Here it is. Polarised for you in a movie that will put it in simple terms in case you're not able to grasp the concept. Big corporations are bad, capable of anything and exploitative of poor natives, the baddie is very bad - his sister very good (having experienced a sudden moment of enlightenment).

Lots of poor natives get gunned down on a regular basis, individually and en masse, usually armed with nothing more but big (though undoubtedly sharp) sticks, but often with nothing at all - and in the back.

Ex CIA man (obviously good) is the only one they can trust to get them out of their jam. He has experience of rolling down jungle slopes - and shooting people.

And so it goes on. None of it is in the slightest bit convincing, Garcia least of all. As a Radio Quiet FM radio host he is excruciatingly dull and philosophising in a dreary monotone that, apparently, some people somehow stay awake to respond to.

As a roughty-toughty CIA operative he's even less convincing, able to operate both automatic rifle and revolver in his thick, leather gloves. To show how honed his skills are, he can drive whilst on his phone and fire a pistol turned sidewise (gangster-stylee). He can even wear the same clothes for days on end.

As the baddies get more desperate (and badder) this movie becomes more trite and ridiculous. Lots of complex stuff is explained in phone calls so we can follow the complicated goings-on. This is formulaic stuff and follows all the well established As-Bs to such an extent that this viewer stopped caring.

The twist at the end ? Past caring.

Forrest Whittaker ? Big fan ordinarily and he does what he can - but it's not nearly enough.

The Expendables 3 (2014)

Bunch of old guys trying to look hard

[3/10 · 20 July 2015]

'Just a bunch of old guys trying to look hard', said without irony, sums this up.

You can expect the usual snarling, macho posing that is the full extent of some of the casts' acting abilities. Add to this some snarling, macho posing by a female member of the team and the end result is every bit as bad as you might expect. The female member gets captured, of course, and requires rescuing. Typical girl huh ?

Things crawl along at an excruciatingly slow pace for an action movie, as we are introduced to all the new members of the team and their own peculiar skills.

Stallones ability to do emotion seems to be matched now by his ability to move his face. At least he's in no danger of being out- acted by the likes of Statham (who has somehow blagged a career in films - despite an inability to vary the gruff whispering hard man character that he always plays).

There's a lot of chat along the way with very little in the way of wit with the possible exception of Schwarzenegger who seems to have grasped the ludicrous concept of the whole enterprise. (I may be biased, as I loved his performance in the meerkat ads).

Aside from that, it retains very little interest. There's something more than a little grotesque in these very-OAPs pretending to roll about and threaten and intimidate each other. But of course - there is nothing quite grotesque as the bad guy Mel Gibson. As we all know, he really is grotesque .... for real.

Give it a miss.

Extract (2009)

Extremely Unpleasant

[3/10 · 11 July 2015]

Firstly, if you watch this expecting a comedy you're likely to be sorely disappointed.

Secondly, you are unlikely to find a more unpleasant, unsympathetic bunch of characters in many other movie. From the boss of a small 'extract' company (whatever that is) who sets up his easy wife with a dumb-and-dumber pool cleaner to the selfish, lazy, lower-than- average intelligence factory workers there is not one character that 'extracted' an ounce of sympathy or empathy from this viewer.

The irritating next door neighbour is the closest this film approaches to comedy but thats not close, maybe the next county. Acting performances are adequate but, (did I imagine it) it's almost possible to detect the embarrassment among the cast over their involvement in this unappetising offering.

Unusually, it is Ben Affleck alone who is able to make something of the material available to him in the form of a drug dealing, hippy barman. It's not much though, and not nearly enough.

The plot is trite and ludicrous. The stock Hollywood happy endings round everything off nicely - for everybody except the viewer who is left wondering what the point of this film was - as it seems to fail on all levels.