Waking Up in Reno (2002)

The Age of Commercialism

best movie i've ever seen.

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Being a fan of Billy Bob Thornton, and the diversity of his skills, I noticed this movie listed, and was surprised I hadn't heard of it.I'd traveled more than usual during both the period it was being filmed in 2000, and when it hit theaters more than 2-1/2 years later (that passage of time is the first clue all was not well with the production).Now Patrick Swayze can't act for sour apples, but Thornton has more than enough ability to make-up for the difference between them. And Charlize Theron is someone whom it would be a pleasure to see, even if it showed her watching paint dry.Being curious, I checked this site's production info. It made a whopping < $600 per screen its opening weekend, and just over $400 each, after its month's theater run in latter 2002. Overall gross was $261K, which I'd doubt could cover cast and crew's hotel and food for a week on location.The story is pretty benign, and even the use of the usually interesting locale of Reno is as dull as the rest of the goings-on.It's something like several SNL bits all pieced together, none individually too great at all, and the overall presentation even worse.Whatever, the expenses for this production had to be considerable - even if all worked for less than their usual fees - so the one thing which made it a barely tolerable opus was the quality of the filming and Billy Bob's present (albeit understandably somewhat laconic here , compared with his usual work.Think of the three superb, totally diverse characters he portrayed in "Sling Blade," "Bandits" and "Bad Santa," and you know he realized this work was below standard, long before the viewers had the opportunity to confirm this. One star for him, even here, and one because production was better than, say, the typical "Lifetime" flick.

Because the first half is worth sleeping through as the fun is in the second half. Trust me, you won't miss anything of the story if you catch it from the second half but make sure to catch Penelope Cruz's sizzling but hilarious cameo first with Billy Bob and then with Patrick. The story is nothing new, nor interesting and has been done x times. The characters are irritating particularly those played by Thornton, Theron and Swayze. However, Natasha Richardson's Darlene is very likable. Performance wise, all the actors fit the bill especially Natasha Richardson (who remarkably pulls off the Southern accent)and Charlize Theron (in the later scenes). The lads, Billy Bob Thornton and Patrick Swayze are alright. The ending was somewhat awkward but a happy one nonetheless. The 'catfight' scene in the lift was hilarious and there's a wonderful moment of acting by Richardson when she's in the lounge after her tiff with her husband when she finds out that he cheated on her. One might feel hateful towards Theron's character when she advises Darlene and supports her like a friend when she had shagged her husband but in the latter half one feels sympathy for her as Theron displays Candy's remorse quite well. The soundtrack is quite fun and of the foot-tapping sort. Overall, this is an okay movie to watch after you've had a very tiring day and just want to relax and watch something that won't use up your energy too much.

SPOILERS:This was not a terrible movie but not much above average. It certainly was moderately disappointing but fun in it's own way.With this incredible cast and the fact that it is essentially a "road movie" it should have been a bit better then it was. What a cast this movie had! Theron and Richardson sink their teeth into these roles and create characters with fully developed personalities. Thornton may have been the best here but I must say Swayze, who I've always thought was a bit under rated, was excellent and I really enjoyed seeing him in this role. I also loved Penelope Cruz in this role and wish her part had been larger. The whole cast was way above average.But the movie still lacked a lot. With all the possibilities this movie had, I didn't think the central subject matter fit very well. Although the cast is great and they develop their characters, there isn't much development in the way the characters interact with each other. Therefore it is kind of difficult to buy into the movie.Plus you kind of feel a little gypped at the end, as you don't really see how much is resolved. There are occasionally some really good scenes such as the confrontation between the two women, which unfortunately, is turned into a cat fight (after a really poignant scene I might add) and the scene where Swayze says he wants respect. Even the interaction between Swayze and Cruz is practically non existent after she starts talking to him at the bar. This movie is WAY to short. And I also think maybe it would have played better as a drama or at least a dramatic comedy. It really wasn't very funny anyway although it had a few moments toward the end.Also considering this is a road movie, I thought more could have been done from a cinematography standpoint. Again-there's a few moments, examples being a breathtaking scene of the nighttime sky and of coarse the last scene. But way more use should have been made of the photography and way more interesting adventures should have happened on the way to Reno.I wouldn't really recommend this movie but fans of any of the performers might want to check it out for some really good acting. It's a credit to the talent of all these performers that even in a mediocre movie, each one manages to turn in a performance that's above average and then some.

WAKING UP IN RENO (3 outta 5 stars) Dubbed by the filmmakers as "a redneck 'Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice'", this is an enjoyable little movie... very funny at times but also treating its characters as real people with real emotions. Billy Bob Thornton is Lonnie Earl, a used car salesman married to Darlene (Natasha Richardson) but who has had a recent fling with her best friend Candy (Charlize Theron). Candy's husband Roy (Patrick Swayze) is desperately trying to get his wife pregnant but suspects his sperm may not be working. While on a vacation in Reno to renew their wedding vows, the foursome's relationship comes to a head when Roy's non-existent sperm count is confirmed the same day as his wife's pregnancy and everyone notices Lonnie Earl's shifty eyes upon hearing the news. While amusing and likable, the movie isn't quite as good as it could have been... and it often seems to be setting up future situations (like a suddenly-ignored attraction between Roy and Darlene) that never come to fruition. (I was expecting much hilarity from a scene of Lonnie Earl's attempt at eating a 72 ounce steak in one hour... but the scene winds up being mostly uneventful.) The actors do a great job though... particularly Thornton, whose skill at blurting out totally insensitive and inappropriate lines is unsurpassed, i.e. "She's on her deal, y'know?" And I will take any excuse to see the lovely Mrs. Liam Neeson (Natasha Richardson) on screen!