''Joe Somebody'' is a 2001 American
comedy-drama film
Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...
written by John Scott Shepherd and directed by
John Pasquin
John Pasquin (born November 30, 1944) is an American director of film, television and theatre.
Film Refer ...
. The film stars
Tim Allen
Timothy Alan Dick (born June 13, 1953), known professionally as Tim Allen, is an American actor and comedian. He is known for playing Tim "The Toolman" Taylor on the ABC sitcom ''Home Improvement'' (1991–1999) and Mike Baxter on the ABC/Fo ...
as an ordinary man forced into violence by a workplace
bully
Bullying is the use of force, coercion, hurtful teasing or threat, to abuse, aggressively wikt:domination, dominate or intimidate. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. One essential prerequisite is the perception (by the bully or by ot ...
. The film also stars
Julie Bowen
Julie Bowen Luetkemeyer (born March 3, 1970) is an American actress. She is best known for starring as Claire Dunphy in the ABC sitcom ''Modern Family'' (2009–2020), for which she received critical acclaim and six nominations for the Primetim ...
,
Kelly Lynch
Kelly Ann Lynch (born January 31, 1959) is an American actress and model. Her notable film roles include '' Cocktail'', '' Road House'', ''Drugstore Cowboy'', ''Curly Sue''. and TV show roles in ''The L Word'' (2004–2005, 2009), and '' Magic Cit ...
,
Greg Germann
Gregory Andrew Germann ( ; born February 26, 1958) is an American actor who is known for playing Richard Fish on the television series '' Ally McBeal'', which earned him a Screen Actors Guild award. He also is known for his roles as Eric "Rico" ...
,
Hayden Panettiere
Hayden Lesley Panettiere (; born August 21, 1989) is an American actress, model, and singer. She is best known for her lead roles as Claire Bennet on the NBC superhero series ''Heroes (American TV series), Heroes'' and Juliette Barnes in the Am ...
,
Patrick Warburton
Patrick Warburton (born November 14, 1964) is an American actor.
On television, he has played David Puddy on '' Seinfeld'', the title character on '' The Tick'', Jeb Denton on ''Less Than Perfect'', Jeff Bingham on ''Rules of Engagement'' and Lem ...
and
Jim Belushi
James Adam Belushi (; born June 15, 1954) is an American actor. He is best known for the role of Jim on the sitcom ''According to Jim'' (2001–2009). His other television roles include ''Saturday Night Live'' (1983–1985), '' Total Security'' ...
.
Screenwriter John Scott Shepherd wrote the script based on his experiences working in
advertising
Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...
. Though originally offered to
Jim Carrey
James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and artist. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a role in the American sketch comedy te ...
, the role of Joe Scheffer would eventually be taken by Allen. The film marked Allen and Pasquin's third feature together, after 1994's ''
The Santa Clause
''The Santa Clause'' is a 1994 American Christmas fantasy comedy film written by Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick, and directed by John Pasquin. The first installment in ''The Santa Clause'' franchise, it stars Tim Allen as Scott Calvin, an ordi ...
'' and 1997's ''
Jungle 2 Jungle
''Jungle 2 Jungle'' is a 1997 comedy film directed by John Pasquin, produced by Walt Disney Pictures and TF1 Films Productions, and starring Tim Allen, Martin Short, Lolita Davidovich, David Ogden Stiers, JoBeth Williams, and introducing Sam Hunt ...
''. The entire film was shot over a nearly eight-week span in
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
.
The film was released in the U.S. on December 21, 2001, to mixed reviews. Produced on a $38 million budget, the film ended its theatrical run with $24.5 million worldwide, making it a financial failure. The film received one award nomination, which went to young Panettiere's performance as the title character's daughter.
Plot
Joe Scheffer is a recently
divorce
Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...
d
single parent
A single parent is a person who has a child or children but does not have a spouse or live-in partner to assist in the upbringing or support of the child. Reasons for becoming a single parent include divorce, break-up, abandonment, becoming wid ...
, and a talented audio/visual specialist at STARKe Pharmaceuticals. One day Joe pulls into the parking lot at work to find his co-worker Mark McKinney parking in a spot that has been reserved for those who have worked for the company for ten years. However, McKinney has only worked there for seven years. When Joe confronts McKinney about this, McKinney assaults him in front of his young daughter Natalie.
Joe falls into a state of self-pity until Meg Harper, the Wellness Coordinator at STARKe, accidentally ignites a fuse in him when, in a fit of frustration, she asks Joe, "What do you want?" Joe is suddenly stirred to action by this question, and decides he wants a rematch to reclaim his dignity and self-respect, which he felt McKinney took from him.
After issuing the challenge to McKinney, Joe begins to find himself becoming very popular around the office for his bravery. Meg and Natalie, however, do not feel fighting McKinney will solve anything, and both attempt to tell Joe as much, to no avail. Joe seeks out the aid of an ex
B movie
A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature ...
star-turned-
martial arts
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...
instructor named Chuck Scarett to teach him to defend himself. Things seem to finally be going right for Joe, as he has begun to see Meg and has even been given a promotion at work he had been hoping for. When Meg realizes Jeremy, a colleague she works closely with for the company (who also happens to be attracted to her), only gave Joe a non-existing position at the office to prevent him from suing the company, she resigns in fear that she might one day have to demote or even fire Joe. Meg again tries to persuade Joe not to fight McKinney, and finally gives him an ultimatum: if he does not call off the fight with McKinney, their relationship is over.
The day of the fight, Joe makes it all the way to the school where the brawl is to take place. However, he finally realizes it would be immature to fight, and not worth the price he would have to pay. When Joe tells McKinney and his other co-workers the fight is off, McKinney offers him an apology, which Joe accepts. Joe then goes and makes up with Meg for not understanding her reasoning before.
Cast
*
Tim Allen
Timothy Alan Dick (born June 13, 1953), known professionally as Tim Allen, is an American actor and comedian. He is known for playing Tim "The Toolman" Taylor on the ABC sitcom ''Home Improvement'' (1991–1999) and Mike Baxter on the ABC/Fo ...
as Joe Scheffer, Natalie's father and the film's main
protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
.
*
Julie Bowen
Julie Bowen Luetkemeyer (born March 3, 1970) is an American actress. She is best known for starring as Claire Dunphy in the ABC sitcom ''Modern Family'' (2009–2020), for which she received critical acclaim and six nominations for the Primetim ...
as Meg Harper, the Wellness Coordinator at STARKe Pharmaceuticals, and Joe's romantic interest.
*
Kelly Lynch
Kelly Ann Lynch (born January 31, 1959) is an American actress and model. Her notable film roles include '' Cocktail'', '' Road House'', ''Drugstore Cowboy'', ''Curly Sue''. and TV show roles in ''The L Word'' (2004–2005, 2009), and '' Magic Cit ...
as Callie Scheffer, Joe's ex-wife and Natalie's mother.
*
Greg Germann
Gregory Andrew Germann ( ; born February 26, 1958) is an American actor who is known for playing Richard Fish on the television series '' Ally McBeal'', which earned him a Screen Actors Guild award. He also is known for his roles as Eric "Rico" ...
as Jeremy, an executive at STARKe Pharmaceuticals, who is also romantically interested in Meg.
*
Hayden Panettiere
Hayden Lesley Panettiere (; born August 21, 1989) is an American actress, model, and singer. She is best known for her lead roles as Claire Bennet on the NBC superhero series ''Heroes (American TV series), Heroes'' and Juliette Barnes in the Am ...
as Natalie Scheffer, Joe and Callie's daughter.
*
Patrick Warburton
Patrick Warburton (born November 14, 1964) is an American actor.
On television, he has played David Puddy on '' Seinfeld'', the title character on '' The Tick'', Jeb Denton on ''Less Than Perfect'', Jeff Bingham on ''Rules of Engagement'' and Lem ...
as Mark McKinney, an employee at STARKe Pharmaceuticals and the film's main
antagonist
An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the chief foe of the protagonist.
Etymology
The English word antagonist comes from the Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – ''antagonistēs'', "opponent, competitor, villain, enemy, riv ...
.
*
Jim Belushi
James Adam Belushi (; born June 15, 1954) is an American actor. He is best known for the role of Jim on the sitcom ''According to Jim'' (2001–2009). His other television roles include ''Saturday Night Live'' (1983–1985), '' Total Security'' ...
as Chuck Scarett, Joe's
martial arts
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...
instructor and personal
confidant
The confidant ( or ; feminine: confidante, same pronunciation) is a character in a story whom a protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing ...
.
*
Ken Marino
Kenneth Joseph Marino (born December 19, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter. He was a cast member on MTV's ''The State'' and has starred in shows such as ''Party Down'', '' Marry Me'', ''Burning Love'', and ''Childre ...
as Rick Raglow, Callie's boyfriend.
*
Wolfgang Bodison
Wolfgang Bodison (born November 19, 1966) is an American actor best known for playing Lance Cpl. Harold W. Dawson in the 1992 drama film ''A Few Good Men''.
Early life
Brian Wolfgang Bodison was born on November 19, 1966, in Washington, D.C. as Cade Raymond, a co-worker who befriends Joe after he decides to take on McKinney.
*
Cristi Conaway
Cristi Lea Conaway (born August 14, 1964) is an American actress and fashion designer.
Early life and education
Conaway was raised in Lubbock, Texas. Her father was a car dealer and her mother is a real estate agent. She attended Southern Method ...
as Abby Manheim, one of Joe's co-workers at STARKe Pharmaceuticals.
*
Robert Joy
Robert Joy (born August 17, 1951) is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as medical examiner Sid Hammerback on the police procedural series ''CSI: NY'', and his appearances in the films ''Atlantic City'' (1980), ''Ragtime'' (1981), ' ...
as Pat Chilcutt, the head of Joe's department at STARKe Pharmaceuticals.
*
Tina Lifford
Tina may refer to:
People
* Tina (given name), people and fictional characters with the given name ''Tina''
Places
*Tina, Iran, a village in Khuzestan Province, Iran
*Tina, Tunisia, a town in Sfax Governorate, Tunisia
*Tina, Guadalcanal, Solomon ...
as Cassandra Taylor, a counselor at Natalie's school.
*
Jesse Ventura
Jesse Ventura (born James George Janos; July 15, 1951) is an American politician, actor, and retired professional wrestler. After achieving fame in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), he served as the 38th governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2 ...
as Himself
Production
Development
John Scott Shepherd, who wrote the film's script, had previous experience in
advertising
Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...
as a
film
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
and
video producer
Video production is the process of producing video content for video. It is the equivalent of filmmaking, but with video recorded either as analog signals on videotape, digitally in video tape or as computer files stored on optical discs, hard dri ...
. Shepherd was inspired to write a screenplay about those experiences and the people who have to work behind the scenes in corporate America. "It occurred to me that we all expect to be special, if not famous," recalled Shepherd.
The screenplay caught the attention of Kopelson Entertainment executive Matthew Gross, who first read the script while working on a
television pilot
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...
with Shepherd. Gross passed the script on to his bosses, Anne and
Arnold Kopelson
Arnold Kopelson (February 14, 1935 – October 8, 2018) was an American film producer.
Among his credits are ''Platoon'', ''Seven'', ''Outbreak'', '' The Fugitive'' and '' The Devil's Advocate''.
Life and career
Kopelson was born in Brooklyn, ...
, who gave Gross full support with the project.
The role of Joe Scheffer was initially offered to
Jim Carrey
James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and artist. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a role in the American sketch comedy te ...
, but he decided to join the 2001 film ''
The Majestic'' instead.
The screenplay's balance of comedy and drama intrigued actor
Tim Allen
Timothy Alan Dick (born June 13, 1953), known professionally as Tim Allen, is an American actor and comedian. He is known for playing Tim "The Toolman" Taylor on the ABC sitcom ''Home Improvement'' (1991–1999) and Mike Baxter on the ABC/Fo ...
, known for the
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
''
Home Improvement
The concept of home improvement, home renovation, or remodeling is the process of renovating or making additions to one's home. Home improvement can consist of projects that upgrade an existing home interior (such as electrical and plumbing), ...
'' and such films as ''
Galaxy Quest
''Galaxy Quest'' is a 1999 American science fiction comedy film directed by Dean Parisot and written by David Howard and Robert Gordon. A parody of and homage to science-fiction films and series, especially ''Star Trek'' and its fandom, the fi ...
'' (1999) and ''
The Santa Clause
''The Santa Clause'' is a 1994 American Christmas fantasy comedy film written by Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick, and directed by John Pasquin. The first installment in ''The Santa Clause'' franchise, it stars Tim Allen as Scott Calvin, an ordi ...
'' (1994). Allen was searching for a project that was more than just broad comedy, and felt ''Joe Somebody'' would allow him to exhibit his comedic and dramatic skills.
Of the script, Allen noted, "the story has a lot of heart to it, and an emotion that I really love."
Producer Brian Reilly, who partners with Allen on his films, commented that "Tim's previous roles did not have the kind of emotional truth or intimacy on screen called for by Joe Somebody. Tim has now reached a time in his life when it's right for him to do a film with rich and shaded characters."
With Allen on board, the studio executives began to search for a director for the film. After reading the script and discussing the details with Allen, Reilly, and numerous studio execs,
John Pasquin
John Pasquin (born November 30, 1944) is an American director of film, television and theatre.
Film Refer ...
, who had worked with Allen on ''Home Improvement'', ''
Jungle 2 Jungle
''Jungle 2 Jungle'' is a 1997 comedy film directed by John Pasquin, produced by Walt Disney Pictures and TF1 Films Productions, and starring Tim Allen, Martin Short, Lolita Davidovich, David Ogden Stiers, JoBeth Williams, and introducing Sam Hunt ...
'' (1997), and ''The Santa Clause'', agreed to direct.
Filming
Filming began on April 9, 2001.
The entire film was shot in
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, with a
majority of the shoot divided between the twin cities of
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
and
St. Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
.
Screenwriter Shepherd spent many years working in the Twin Cities, becoming very familiar with the area in the process.
Gross reflected on the city: "Minneapolis is a major player in this film, which can be seen in the cast, the background players and the locations. It was written for the city."
The film was shot in fifty-four days on over thirty locations.
Joe Scheffer's workplace was shot at Waterford Towers in
Plymouth, Minnesota
Plymouth is a city in Hennepin County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. A suburb in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, the city is about west of downtown Minneapolis.The population was 81,026 at the 2020 census, making it Minnesota's ...
. Production designer Jackson De Govia transformed the fourth floor of the New Age office building into a drop ceiling corporate environment, which serves as a community to its employees.
The Club 13 scenes were filmed at the Grand Hotel Minneapolis, while the karaoke scenes were shot at Grumpy's Bar & Grill, both in Minneapolis.
The scenes of Tim Allen and
Patrick Warburton
Patrick Warburton (born November 14, 1964) is an American actor.
On television, he has played David Puddy on '' Seinfeld'', the title character on '' The Tick'', Jeb Denton on ''Less Than Perfect'', Jeff Bingham on ''Rules of Engagement'' and Lem ...
racing their shopping carts were shot at the
Target
Target may refer to:
Physical items
* Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports
** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports
** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
store in North St. Paul.
The scenes taking place at Scarett's gym were filmed in the city of
Richfield.
The final playground scene was shot at Central Lutheran School in Saint Paul. Other scenes were shot in the cities of
Crystal
A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions. In addition, macros ...
and
St. Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
.
There was originally to be a title sequence of a number office workers getting to know the corporate structure. For timing purposes, the title sequence was instead spread over the film's first two scenes.
[Retrieved on April 11, 2009.] The young girls in the "Bring Your Daughter To Work Day" video Joe can be seen working on in the beginning of the film were all daughters of various film crew members.
The original fight between Joe and Mark was shot over two days in Minneapolis, which made it somewhat difficult to match up the colors in the processing stage of editing during post-production.
Halfway through the shooting of the martial arts scenes, Tim Allen's arms became painfully bruised.
Due to his injuries, Allen began to wear pads on his arms, which is why he is seen wearing them during training from the middle of the film on. Shooting finished on June 16, 2001.
Release
Box office
''Joe Somebody'' opened on December 21, 2001, ranking number ten at the box office, and earning $3,553,725 in its opening weekend in 2,506 theaters. Outside of the U.S., the film was most successful in Mexico, grossing a total of $917,266 in box office sales. ''Joe Somebody'' went on to gross $22.7 million in the U.S. box office and $1.7 million in foreign countries, totaling $24.5 million in box office sales.
Most of the blame for the film's disappointing returns could be attributed to three blockbuster films in theaters at the time: ''
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' is a 1997 fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. The first novel in the ''Harry Potter'' series and Rowling's debut novel, it follows Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, a youn ...
,'' ''
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'', and ''
Ocean's Eleven
''Ocean's Eleven'' is a 2001 American heist comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh from a screenplay by Ted Griffin. The first installment in the ''Ocean's'' film trilogy, it is a remake of the 1960 Rat Pack film of the same name. The fil ...
''.
Home media
The film was released to home video in the U.S. on August 20, 2002.
Features on the DVD release include a commentary track featuring director
John Pasquin
John Pasquin (born November 30, 1944) is an American director of film, television and theatre.
Film Refer ...
and producer Brian Reilly, a fight choreography featurette, four
deleted scene
A deleted scene is footage that has been removed from the final version of a film or television show. There are various reasons why these scenes are deleted, which include time constraints, relevance, quality or a dropped story thread. A similar o ...
s with optional commentary, and the film's theatrical trailer.
Reception
Critical response
''Joe Somebody'' received mixed reviews from critics. The film received a two-and-a-half star rating from the
Allmovie
AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne.
History
AllMovie was founded by popular-cult ...
film review website. At
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 top reviews from mainstream critics, the film has received an average score of 43 based on 22 reviews. From review aggregator
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, 20% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 85 reviews. The site's consensus states: "Amiable, but extremely lightweight and predictable."
Scott Foundas at ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' calls the film "pleasant," and gives much credit to director
Pasquin
Pasquino or Pasquin (Latin: ''Pasquillus'') is the name used by Romans since the early modern period to describe a battered Hellenistic-style statue perhaps dating to the third century BC, which was unearthed in the Parione district of Rome i ...
. Although Foundas refers to the screenplay as "bland," he states that Pasquin has a "deft touch" when working with the material. Foundas also gives high marks to
Allen Allen, Allen's or Allens may refer to:
Buildings
* Allen Arena, an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee
* Allen Center, a skyscraper complex in downtown Houston, Texas
* Allen Fieldhouse, an indoor sports arena on the Unive ...
's work in the picture, calling his presence the "pic's winningest asset." Steve Simels at ''
TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
'' writes that the film "has genuine wit and pathos," ''some'' well drawn characters, "and a couple of sly comic performances." However, Simels did state that "none of these virtues can completely compensate for the film's utterly conventional message of uplift." Simels gave praise to some of the lead performances, crediting
Greg Germann
Gregory Andrew Germann ( ; born February 26, 1958) is an American actor who is known for playing Richard Fish on the television series '' Ally McBeal'', which earned him a Screen Actors Guild award. He also is known for his roles as Eric "Rico" ...
in particular for nearly stealing the film, calling his portrayal "truly a marvel to behold." Lisa Schwarzbaum from ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' called the film a "standard-transmission vehicle;" she gives credit, however, to star Allen's performance, saying that the character he plays in the film "just so happens to be the kind of average-Joe character that continues to make Allen such a tidy, non-Joe bundle."
Carla Meyer of the ''
San Francisco Chronicle
The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. de ...
'' believed the film to be "an odd picture, a rumination on depression and self-discovery that's couched as an office comedy." Although Meyer said that the film is "never truly funny or insightful," she did give the picture some credit, stating that "the movie works intermittently by digging a little deeper than you might expect." Meyer also approved of the performances of Allen, Belushi, and Warburton.
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
of the ''
Chicago Sun-Times
The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago T ...
'' gave the film one-and-a-half stars out of five, likening it to "an
afterschool special, with grownups cast in the kids' roles." Ebert also called the film "crashingly obvious," later remarking that the audience is "faced with the dismal prospect of being denied a climax, which, if it occurred, would be just as predictable as its substitute."
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
*
{{John Pasquin
2001 films
2000s English-language films
2001 comedy films
2001 drama films
2001 comedy-drama films
20th Century Fox films
American comedy-drama films
Films about father–daughter relationships
Films about bullying
Films directed by John Pasquin
Films produced by Arnold Kopelson
Films scored by George S. Clinton
Films set in Minnesota
Films shot in Minnesota
Regency Enterprises films
Workplace comedy films
2000s American films