Movie Reviews Randy and The Mob (funny videos)

By Mr D Stevens

  This is a well made comedy drama, starring Ray McKinnon in two roles as Randy Pearson, a good natured happy go lucky “big shot” who owns a number of businesses, but is currently in a financial mess, and Cecil his twin brother.

Randy happens to borrow money from a loan shark, which unbeknown to him is connected with the Mob. Soon afterwards he starts getting phone calls from a Mob guy, Franco played by Paul Ben-Victor (Tombstone) as to when and how he is going to settle his debt, Randy tries to explain that as hard as he has tried he cannot come up with the money for the debt as well as his increasing debt with the IRS (Internal Revenue Service).

After asking around and finding out that he could be in some serious trouble with the Mafia, Randy contemplates selling one of his businesses to Elmore Culpepper where Burt Reynolds (Boogie Nights) does a short cameo.

Surprisingly Franco has a solution to his financial troubles, and that involves sending Tino Armani played surprisingly well by Walton Goggins (unrecognisable from his character in The Shield), to sort out his financial troubles, even so much as to pay off the IRS. On their first meeting Randy is amazed to find out that Tino has the same country dialect as he does, to which Tino responds he never judges people by the pigment in their skin or their dialect. After a while Randy is even more impressed by how seemingly good natured Tino is, and soon all in the small community are besotted by Tino. He even manages to improve the menu on one of Randy’s restaurant businesses that had so many people queueing to get in when Randy arrived he automatically assumed there was an incident and that the police had been called. At this stage it should be mentioned Randy has an on-going problem with one of the local law enforcement officers Griff Postell, played by Brent Briscoe (Mulholland Drive) who seems to have it in for him at every opportunity, since Griff blames him for a “whooping” he gave him in the third grade, which many witnessed, but Griff subsequently gave Randy a “whooping” in the sixth grade, but unfortunately no one witnessed it.

As well as trying to solve his financial troubles, Randy has to cope with his wife Charlotte, played by the lovely Lisa Blount (The Accountant) newly acquired Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from dancing lessons she has been giving, which has left her a little depressed, and trying to patch the relationship with his gay twin brother and his partner Bill played by Tim DeKay (The Russell Girl). A relationship Randy has never accepted, much to the annoyance of his twin and his partner.

This is a surprisingly genial comedy drama, and it contains some classic scenes, especially where Randy is on the phone to Franco while at a rubbish tip.

Ray McKinnon is effortlessly adept between the two roles, and it is an entertaining movie many will enjoy.

Mr D Stevens is a reviewer at Movie reviews


Movie reviews World’s Greatest Dad

By Mr D Stevens

  This is an interesting dark comedy starring the legendary Robin Williams (RV) as Lance Clayton, a school teacher at a high school his son Kyle played by Daryl Sabara (Spy Kids), also goes to.

From the onset we see the relationship between father and son is not optimum at the best of times, as Lance walks in unexpectedly on Kyle to find him in an embarrassing position with a belt around his neck, Lance panics thinking he is dead, only for Kyle to critique his father for catching him at an anxious moment. Lance is long suffering towards his son, while Kyle on the other hand is rude and obnoxious at every opportunity, case in point when caught with his trousers down he ridicules his father by calling him a homosexual, but Lance fires an equally quick retort saying that he fathered him so he is not a homosexual.

Later on we join Kyle at school, where he continues his behaviour, by making an off-hand rude remark to a girl and is summoned to Principal Anderson’s office, played by Geoffrey Pierson (24), along with Lance. It seems Kyle has been getting into trouble at school for quite sometime and is given one last chance.

It becomes obvious that Kyle has no intention of changing, despite Lance trying to participate more in his son’s life by trying to involve him in his day to day activities, even though Kyle typically finds a way to resist. On this particular occasion he comes along with his dad on a date with another teacher at the school, Claire played by the lovely Alexie Gilmore (something about her smile just lights up the entire room).

The date didn’t go as well as Lance hoped for, because although Lance assumed everything went OK, Kyle on the other hand was busy taking pictures of Claire under the table with his mobile phone. As well as trying to win the affections of Claire from another teacher and basketball coach Mike Lane, played by Henry Simmons (Shark), we find out that Lance is also trying to get established as an author, but all attempts so far have failed, and his frustration is even more apparent as Mike’s first time publication to the New York Times is published amidst congratulations from fellow teachers. Lance’s frustration is about to come to an end, because something happens that opens up his literature to the world, and the much needed respect, recognition, and romance from Claire are soon at his fingertips.

At times this is sad and poignant. Some of the crude humor fits in well with the scenes, and as usual Robin Williams does a superb job capturing the lonely single parent, desperate to bring his son into line.

Mr D Stevens is a reviewer at Movie reviews


Movie Reviews Sherman’s Way

By Mr D Stevens

  This is a well made comedy drama for a journey of self discovery, focusing on a law student Sherman Black played by Michael Shulman who discovers a little about himself and life from a road trip with a two-time Olympian, Palmer played by James LeGros (Ally McBeal).

We meet Sherman with his girlfriend Marcy played by the lovely Lacey Chabert (she has grown quite a lot since the amazing child actress in Party of Five). Marcy has issues with Sherman for not taking charge and making his own decisions, it turns out every aspect of his life is being controlled by his powerful mother Evelyn, played by Donna Murphy (she still looks as ageless as she did with Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: Insurrection), she controls which law firm he chooses to do his internship, and is against him spending the summer with Marcy.

Sherman decides to go against the grain and prove to Marcy that he can make decisions for himself, and attempts to ignore his mother’s wishes by spending the summer with Marcy, without letting her know, he intends to just turn up at her door step, in the process he happens to bump into another fellow who helps him with his luggage, on both of them reaching Marcy’s front door, he is a little surprised to see Marcy kissing the guy, she eventually notices him and while he walks away in a rage, she follows him, but instead of apologising she says “this is what it seems” and tells him she is just trying to explore the different options life has in store for her.

In his anger Sherman decides to go back to the law internship his mother had arranged for him, and hails a driver to give him a lift, and Palmer arrives, fresh from an unfortunate performance at a car dealership, which he left with a classic vehicle nicknamed “The Rooster”, it turns out Palmer is estranged from his son, and would like to give him “The Rooster” as a graduation present, except his son graduated three years ago. After a short stop at a dinner, Sherman unfortunately finds out he has lost his wallet getting into Palmer’s car, and has no option but to phone his mother for financial assistance, however he takes this opportunity to stand his ground against her demands, and stays with Palmer to prove a point to himself that he can make his own decisions.

The two unlucky individuals find themselves paired together at the home of Palmer’s friend D.J., played by Enrico Colantoni (A.I.), and although they seem to be polar opposites; with Sherman intent on keeping a schedule, while Palmer on the other hand would rather take life as it comes, they end up learning from each other. While Palmer’s Rooster is being fixed Sherman does some shopping around the town for his supplies, and bumps into the lovely and odd Addy, played by Brooke Nevin (The 4400), they become friendly and Sherman asks her on a date, unfortunately he cannot drive, neither can he swim, and ends up having Palmer drive both of them around, where they end up in a lake, in a very comical scene.

It is a lovely romantic movie, many will enjoy.

Mr D Stevens is a reviewer at Movie reviews

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