Customer Reviews

20 Dates

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

I adore everything about this film. I think it's pretty obvious that this film is not the 'documentary' it pretends to be, although I really wish it was. I personally don't believe it's likely to fall in true love with someone, knowing you are on camera; but hey, it is Hollywood.

Myles Berkowitz is a divorced, self-centered director/actor who makes a lot of bad decisions and can't keep his big mouth shut. He's decided to go on just 20 dates to chronicle trying to find love in Los Angeles, and attempt to find real people falling in true love.

Myles is incredibly annoying, and everything he does tells me he isn't looking for love(from his rude physical comments to disrespect for just about everyone), but that's why I adore it so much. Myles is every single one of us who thinks we are something we're not, or maybe it's just that we're just not ready for love, or we don't even know what love is. Purposely picking up on unsuspecting women in grocery stores, or even while they are at work; this guy is every man who tries to lay on a slick line that makes you cringe, until they finally leave you alone; and yet still, this man thinks he's looking for love.

My favorite parts of this film are with Robert McKee and Myles; discussing the brilliance of Casablanca to the very poignant facts about woman versus men and what we really want. They are great moments that bring a smile to my face with their sheer honesty and insightfulness.

I really wish this film would have ended at the first ending, instead of the ever so happy one, but it is a heartwarming, somewhat enlightening film I honestly enjoy.

But really Myles, try a little harder? I'd love to have just a little more faith in men.

Staged or not, (I did not get the impression that it was) I think this movie is hysterical. Above that I think it really addresses some of the real issues between men and women. The film also shows how hard it is to make a movie in hollywood and still stay true to your art or concept. The movie also has the interesting side effect of being somewhat romantic. I feel that Berkowitz has worked hard to make his first movie a hit, and in my opinion has had success.

Myles is a creedy dude. Narcistic beyond all belief, he seems to want to achieve all the things that elude him most. The problem is that his various attempts at achieving the goals are misguided. He seems to be always be saying: "I deserve this, so why can't I get it?" His cameras and his life style invite comparision to Patrick Bateman from AMERICAN PSYCHO. Then again, he is sort of an every man. His intentions are honorable, but his execution is flawed.

Then again, this is the "Myles" character that is being documented on film. I think that this is just an off-spring of Myles Berkowitz, the filmmaker. The "Myles" character is really just a composite sketch of all Berkowitz's worst personality flaws. This movie is a way for him to disect himself. That is probably why he has all of his friends and his agent in the movie. They list off all of his worst characteristics. Surely, they must have mentioned some good ones. Berkowitz just decided not to include them. Berkowtiz is similar to Woody Allen. The "Woody" character that you see in all of his movies is not Woody Allen. He is just a public personae to air the real Allen's dirty laundry. Film making is a cathartic release.

With that being said, I like this movie a lot. There are some things that are obviously staged. I think that it is a pretty good bet that the producer of the film is a fictional creation. The ending of the film, which is its one weak spot, is also staged. The rest of it simply seems to real to be staged. Look at the footage of Berkowitz's ex-wife. Or ths reaction of the women when they find out they are being filmed. It's eithier phenomonal acting, or it's honest to God "Candid Camera" stuff. I think what I like most about it is the uncomprimising honest. He goes to AA meetings to meet women. He uses sleazy pick up lines ("Do you want porno movies?" he asks Elisabeth.) He even films himself freaking out on his crew. And I love that the fact that he blew his one shot at fame because he couldn't star or direct. Berkowitz knows he looks like a jerk, but he doesn't care. It is all for the sake of the movie.

The real achievement of this movie is that you root for "Myles," regardless of his flaws. He only wants what we all want. You can't blame the guy for trying.

Loved this movie. I took several people to watch it twice, they loved it. Parts may have been scripted, but some was pure life, improvisation, and hilarity. Since I was busy enjoying it, I had a hard time finding the scripted parts. The themes are real and situations I guarantee you are real. Myles shows us a lot of ourselves in him. Much has been compared to W. Allen, and rightfully so, but this movie shows real life much more than Allen's offbeat satire.

Berkowitz loses our trust early in the film and never regains it. Immediately you realize that this movie is staged and what results is just bad writing and bad acting. On his dates Berkowitz nevers says anything charming or intersteing. On one date, one woman is offended to learn she's being photographed with a hidden camera. She wounds Berkowitz's hand which he says required stitches. We never seen the hand wound or the stitches. Each date is so fabricated and staged. I felt insulted and cheated. He must think his audience is stupid to think that these dates are real.

There's nothing worse than having to listen to someone who thinks they're funny (or even worse, cute) and they're not. If you met this guy at a party, you would roll your eyes and move on. This guy is like a dime-store Rich Lewis. Let's put it this way, one of the worse mistakes I made during the 90's was NOT walking out on this movie. When it was over, I felt like I had just wasted two hours of my life. Nuff said?

This is the first rented movie that I have ever turned off, that is really bad in my book. The movie is obviously contrived, if not outright scripted. I heard his interview on NPR, in which he claimed the movie was for real, he should be ashamed of himself. The movie was painful in it's failed attempt at Woody Allen style shtick. Maybe I missed somehting there, but I think the movies low sales speak for themselves (this movie is no "Clerks").

I heard about this movie on a review show and had to go see it. I heard some lines from it and thought it was funny. Since it was a low-budget art film, of which I'm not particular fan, I went into the movie with some trepidation. I was quite surprised. Myles Berkowitz fills this movie with a great deal of self-deprecating mockery. I found it difficult to tell which parts were scripted and which parts were not, and truthfully that is a good sign of a well-made pseudodocumentary. One of the funniest characters in the film is Berkowitz's film school mentor. The viewers just have the sense that the character believes in what he says.Berkowitz's attempts to attract women at any cost, including pimping his own nephew, are hilarious.The whole scene really illustrates what we guys would stoop to in order to pick-up women. Berkowitz's insights into financing and selling his idea of the movie are entertaining and enlightening because they really delve into the workings of Hollywood. I would highly recommend this movie. It also happens to be a great date movie because of its romantic overtones. A must-see.

This is like watching someone's bad home movies. Actually, it IS watching someone's bad home movies. Myles Berkowitz is the most irritating character I've seen in ages. The movie is supposed to be a comic documentary about relationships, but keep these two things in mind--it's not funny, and all of the "real" scenes seem staged (badly). Particularly irritating here is the use of snippets from (some) classic movies. Myles comes off like one of those quick!grabtheremotecontrol late-night TV motivational speakers. One of the year's worst, no matter what year you see it.

If you like Woody Allen humor, you will love this film! I could not stop laughing out loud from every scene!