''Naked'' is a 2017 American
comedy film
A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
directed by
Michael Tiddes
Michael Tiddes is an American film director and producer, best known for directing ''A Haunted House'' and ''A Haunted House 2''.
Career
In 2013, Tiddes made his feature film directing debut with the horror comedy film ''A Haunted House'', bas ...
and written by Rick Alvarez, Cory Koller and
Marlon Wayans. It is a remake of the 2000 Swedish film ''
Naken
''Naken'' is a 2000 Swedish comedy film written and directed by Torkel and Mårten Knutsson. It stars Henrik Norberg as a naked man who is caught in a time loop on the day of his wedding.
Plot
On the day of his wedding, Anders wakes up hungov ...
''. The film stars
Marlon Wayans,
Regina Hall
Regina Lee Hall (born December 12, 1970) is an American actress. She rose to prominence for her role as Brenda Meeks in the comedy horror ''Scary Movie'' film series (2000–2006). She has since appeared in the television series '' Ally McBeal ...
, Jonathan Todd Jackson,
Scott Foley,
Loretta Devine
Loretta Devine (born August 21, 1949) is an American actress, singer and voice actor. She is known for numerous roles across stage and screen. Her most high profile roles include Lorrell Robinson in the original Broadway production of '' Dreamg ...
,
Brian McKnight
Brian Kelly McKnight (born June 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, radio host and multi-instrumentalist. He is most recognized for his strong head voice, high belting range and melisma.
McKnight is known for h ...
and
Dennis Haysbert
Dennis Dexter Haysbert (born June 2, 1954) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as baseball player Pedro Cerrano in the '' Major League'' film trilogy, Secret Service agent Tim Collin in the political thriller film '' Absolute Power'' ...
. The film was released on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
on August 11, 2017.
Plot
Substitute teacher Rob Anderson is offered a full-time teaching job, but is reluctant to commit. He and fiancée, physician Megan Swope, fly to
Charleston, South Carolina for their wedding the next day. Megan's disapproving father, businessman Reginald, has invited Megan's successful ex-boyfriend Cody. Rob goes out with his best man, Benny, only to wake up on his wedding day,
naked
Nudity is the state of being in which a human is without clothing.
The loss of body hair was one of the physical characteristics that marked the biological evolution of modern humans from their hominin ancestors. Adaptations related to h ...
in an elevator in a hotel far from the church. He is arrested for
streaking
Streaking is the act of running, often naked, through a public area for publicity, as a prank, a dare, or a form of protest. Streaking is often associated with sporting events, but can occur in more secluded areas. Streakers are often pursued b ...
, but when the church bells ring, he is pulled back in time to the elevator an hour earlier; Rob realizes he is stuck in a
time loop
The time loop or temporal loop is a plot device in fiction whereby characters re-experience a span of time which is repeated, sometimes more than once, with some hope of breaking out of the cycle of repetition. The term "time loop" is sometimes us ...
, reliving this hour.
Desperate, Rob gradually adapts to his situation. When he learns that no wedding at that church has ever been canceled, he concludes that God has intervened. Rob develops multiple ways to obtain clothing and travel to the church; gains the trust of a police duo, a biker gang, and singer
Brian McKnight
Brian Kelly McKnight (born June 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, radio host and multi-instrumentalist. He is most recognized for his strong head voice, high belting range and melisma.
McKnight is known for h ...
; learns that Cody is planning a
hostile takeover
In business, a takeover is the purchase of one company (the ''target'') by another (the ''acquirer'' or ''bidder''). In the UK, the term refers to the acquisition of a public company whose shares are listed on a stock exchange, in contrast to t ...
of Reginald's company; and has meaningful conversations with his mother, Megan, and Reginald. He eventually discovers that Megan's jealous
maid of honor
Bridesmaids are members of the bride's party in a Western traditional wedding ceremony. A bridesmaid is typically a young woman and often a close friend or relative. She attends to the bride on the day of a wedding or marriage ceremony. Tradit ...
Vicky abducted him and put him in the elevator after hiring a prostitute, Callie, to seduce him (which backfired—Callie actually helped Rob with his vows).
In the final iteration of the loop, Rob enlists the cops to race across town, invites Callie to the wedding, and gets his suit to the Church. He exposes Cody and Vicky, earns Reginald's approval, and marries Megan. He has accepted the teaching job and wants to have a stable, grounded life with her.
Cast
*
Marlon Wayans as Rob Anderson
*
Regina Hall
Regina Lee Hall (born December 12, 1970) is an American actress. She rose to prominence for her role as Brenda Meeks in the comedy horror ''Scary Movie'' film series (2000–2006). She has since appeared in the television series '' Ally McBeal ...
as Megan Anderson (née Swope)
*
Dennis Haysbert
Dennis Dexter Haysbert (born June 2, 1954) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as baseball player Pedro Cerrano in the '' Major League'' film trilogy, Secret Service agent Tim Collin in the political thriller film '' Absolute Power'' ...
as Reginald Swope
*
Scott Foley as Cody Favors
*
Eliza Coupe
Eliza Kate Coupe (born April 6, 1981) is an American actress, comedian and model, known for playing Jane Kerkovich-Williams in the ABC comedy series '' Happy Endings'', Denise "Jo" Mahoney in the final two seasons of the medical comedy-drama '' ...
as Vicky
*J.T. Jackson as Benny
*
Loretta Devine
Loretta Devine (born August 21, 1949) is an American actress, singer and voice actor. She is known for numerous roles across stage and screen. Her most high profile roles include Lorrell Robinson in the original Broadway production of '' Dreamg ...
as Carol
*
Brian McKnight
Brian Kelly McKnight (born June 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, radio host and multi-instrumentalist. He is most recognized for his strong head voice, high belting range and melisma.
McKnight is known for h ...
as himself
*
Cory Hardrict
Cory Hardrict (born November 9, 1979) is an American actor. He has appeared in film and television since the late 1990s.
Personal life
Hardrict was born in Chicago, Illinois. After dating for six years, Hardrict and actress Tia Mowry were engage ...
as Drill
*
Dave Sheridan as Officer Mike Bentley
*
Neil Brown Jr.
Cornelius C. Brown Jr. (born June 19, 1980), better known as Neil Brown Jr., is an American actor. His most recognizable role may be in the television series '' The Walking Dead'' as Guillermo, leader of the Vatos and as Felix on the short-lived ...
as Officer Rick McBride
*
Jwaundace Candece as Shaundra
*Jason Davis as Principal Melon
*
Minka Kelly
Minka Kelly (born June 24, 1980) is an American actress and model. Her first starring role was in the NBC drama series '' Friday Night Lights'' (2006–2009) and she has also appeared on the shows '' Parenthood'' (2010–2011), ''Charlie's Ang ...
as Callie
Production
On September 21, 2016, it was announced Capra Liviu and
Regina Hall
Regina Lee Hall (born December 12, 1970) is an American actress. She rose to prominence for her role as Brenda Meeks in the comedy horror ''Scary Movie'' film series (2000–2006). She has since appeared in the television series '' Ally McBeal ...
would star in the film.
On October 20, 2016,
Cory Hardrict
Cory Hardrict (born November 9, 1979) is an American actor. He has appeared in film and television since the late 1990s.
Personal life
Hardrict was born in Chicago, Illinois. After dating for six years, Hardrict and actress Tia Mowry were engage ...
joined the cast of the film.
Principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as a ...
began on October 17, 2016.
Release
The film was released on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
on August 11, 2017, three weeks after Regina Hall's previous film, ''
Girls Trip'' .
Reception
''Naked'' received generally negative reviews from critics upon release, criticizing the concept and humor. In his review of the film, Mike D'Angelo of ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' said, "For many, ''
Groundhog Day'' qualifies as a near-perfect comedy. Apparently, though, there are some highly motivated people out there who think it’d be a whole lot funnier if the guy stuck in the endless time loop were constantly running around with his bare ass exposed and his hands covering his junk." He later added, "Let’s place the blame where it squarely belongs: on the moronic premise. ''Groundhog Day'' but he's naked? Why?"
"The film clearly does not care about establishing a realistic world," Cody Schmitz of ''
Decider
Decider is both a real word and a "Bushism". It may refer to:
* ''Decider'' (website), a pop culture website operated by the ''New York Post''
*'' Bill Maher: The Decider'', a stand-up comedy special
* Decider (Turing machine), a Turing machine th ...
'' said about the film, "It just wants to get Wayans in that magic elevator and in the nude." Renee Schonfeld of
Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children. called it a "lowbrow farce with action, swearing and partial nudity." The film
holds 0% on the review aggregator website 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 ...
based on 8 reviews.
References
External links
*
on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
*
{{Michael Tiddes
2017 films
2017 comedy films
American comedy films
American remakes of Swedish films
Films directed by Michael Tiddes
Films set in Charleston, South Carolina
Films shot in South Carolina
English-language Netflix original films
Time loop films
Films scored by David Newman
2010s English-language films
2010s American films
English-language comedy films