Most people know Owen Wilson. Many people know Luke Wilson. Few people are probably familiar with Andrew Wilson. He's the hand with the BB in it in The Royal Tenenbaums. He pops up from time to time in Anderson movies and other movies with the Wilsons in them. But maybe he's a bit more camera shy and doesn't want to be an image on the screen, so for the most part he hasn't followed the same path as his brothers. Now, apparently, he's directing. Cool! This is probably the hardest type of movie to review. Simply stated, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it, but it isn't very good.
The imagery is nice. The story is pleasant, but predictable. The humor I get, but it's kind of slow and isn't really memorable. Character development feels added as an after-thought, but at least it's there. It honestly feels like O Brother Where Art Thou? meets My Name is Earl without the skill of the former or the humor of the latter. It's a very non-specific movie, which is why I feel very non-specific about it.
I'd state that as an entertainment medium, it's worth a rental, but that it probably won't be on shelves for long. In the meantime, Luke and Andrew Wilson show enough skill in directing that perhaps either or both of them can go on to make some much more interesting movies in the future. For now, though, I wouldn't really recommend this movie to anyone in particular as it doesn't really feel like it has much personality.
--PolarisDiB
The Wendell Baker Story
2005
Action / Comedy / Drama / Romance
The Wendell Baker Story
2005
Action / Comedy / Drama / Romance
Keywords: con manrelease from prison
Plot summary
Near the Texas-Mexico border, Wendell Baker has a few things going for him: his genial nature and optimism and the love of Doreen. His troubles? He dances around telling her that he loves her, and his idea of work is illegal. He's arrested, imprisoned, and she puts him behind her when she realizes that even prison is just a good excuse for him to play football with the guys. When he is paroled, it's to a job in the "hotel industry" at a board and care home for seniors, where the head nurse is running a scam. Three of the residents respond to Wendell's good heart. Can they expose the scam and help Wendell win back Doreen?
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It's a start...
Wendell Baker Story- A Nothing Biography **
The Wilson Brothers- Owen and Luke star in this film which is basically nothing with nothing.
Luke, as the corrupt individual bilking Medicare patients, is totally unconvincing here as well as out-of-character. He still appears that he can be taken to the cleaners at any time.
Who cares if Eva Mendes wants Owen or not. She is totally unappealing in her role.
Owen starts out as a smuggler of illegal Mexican immigrants and after he is jailed and pardoned, he is assigned to work at a senior citizens' residents where he sees much corruption.
Harry Dean Stanton is also dead-pan in his role as one of the seniors. Isn't he always? It's nice seeing Seymour Cassel in a film? He was so appealing years ago in his supporting Oscar nominated performance in "Faces."
Even the ending here is unappealing. Big surprise that good will eventually triumph over evil.
Who was Kris Kristoferson supposed to be in this film? Howard Hughes?
Weak But Amiable
Luke Wilson is a drug dealer who comes out of prison less of a wiseacre than when he went in. He's got a job at an old-folk's home, but despite his amiability, when he sees his old girl friend, Eva Mendes, he wants to reconnect. The old geezers at the home try to help him out.
It's an amiable if underwritten movie, carried on the charms of its leads..... but they don't seem to be up to making this movie work. A good cast, including Owen Wilson, Seymour Cassell, Harry Dean Stanton and Kris Kristoferson collect paychecks.