Customer Reviews

California Dreaming

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This movie was so bad that I wanted to go back to the video store and ask for my money back. Then, I wanted to contact the director, producer and writers and tell them that I wanted my money back. And I'd like my money back from the studio, DVD distributor and anyone else who had anything to do with the creation of this movie.

I'm a pretty open-minded and fair person but I had to warn others about the wrath of this movie. Dave Foley is the only thing about this movie that kept me from stopping the DVD after the first 10 minutes.

Lea Thompson's character gets all the lines. Her character is so shallow and annoying you hope this All-American working mom gets ran over by a bus! Or I guess it would be nice if she wasn't allowed to verbally communicate in this movie.

I usually make myself watch an entire movie even if it's horrible but this movie I couldn't finish. And the sad thing is I probably watched half of it and there was no climax... yet... and I could have watched only 30 minutes of it or maybe 60 minutes... I don't know. It's pretty bad when a movie makes you feel suicidal (as in, to end your misery of watching this film) and it's supposed to be a comedy!!!

And if you want to see a funny movie about a family of four traveling West via rental RV and you want to laugh, watch the movie RV with Robin Williams, Cheryl Hines and Jeff Daniels.

I hate to give bad reviews but OH, MY... this movie was the pits!

Lea Thompson is over-the-top and fantastic in a role that finds her playing an uptight mother who is at times the underdog and other times the villain. Poor Mrs. Gainor just wants to relive a sort-of mysterious perfect vacation she had in Doheny Beach, California, during her high school years. It slowly becomes evident that nobody but her wants this out-of-the-way vacation. Everyone else would be happier settling for their perpetual crash pad: Branson, Missouri.

Everyone in this ensemble piece--including "Home Improvement" alumna Patricia Richardson as a well-meaning aunt--is adequate. The plot is relatively predictable and the gags are commonplace, but a few funny scenes and an energetic Thompson may win this one a few fans in the audiences of understanding indie film fans.

* Spoilers*
This is really bad for 60 minutes -- the movie starts out with two minutes of opening credits, RV cruising the expressway, which has very little to do with the plot.
First scene is Dave and Lea buying an RV to take one trip to California -- it looks like Dave is making the decisions but that doesn't last beyond this scene. The next 58 minutes is characters cast way beyond stereotypes -- the clueless controlling mom, the dad without a voice, the clueless teenage daughter who thinks it's OK to hide her boyfriend in the bathroom of the RV for a cross-country trip, the daughter's boyfriend's gun-totin' hillbilly family, the husband's sister -- an attorney! -- who comes out with lines like "No one from Omaha goes to California" -- and the mom decides to steal her sister-in-law's dog until her sister-in-law apologizes.
It's kind of like "The Stupids" -- although "The Stupids" built upon that theme of cluelessness and were actually likable. NO ONE in this movie is appealing for the first hour -- and that is VERY surprising for a movie with a cast with huge potential, including the wonderful Patricia Richardson! The last 21 minutes, it's worth watching.
But what in the world was going on for the writer and director to put together 60 minutes of nothing worth watching?

I bought this movie because part of it was filmed in my brother's house. I didn't like the movie at all, but it was fun getting some family video.

That is what this movie deserves. Zero. After the house alarm gag going on for over 10 minutes, I thought I will give it another 15 minutes, and then if it does not get better I will turn it off. It did not get any better--in fact the situations dragged on and on. Each time something funny could have happened, it dragged out into not being funny. Now, maybe this was supposed to be a comedy mixed with some serious points? All I could do was cringe over neurotic women (as presented in the film), dysfunctional families and situations, -- eventually I just started fast forwarding. It never got better, and I found myself mumbling, "ok, now this is happening...", "next this will happen" as I skipped forward. I feel like I just wasted over 1 hour of my life.

Granted, not everyone will like this movie, especially if they are looking for over-the-top comedy like that of RV. I found it very entertaining, perhaps because I live in Nebraska and have experienced these attitudes and behaviors. Yes, Foley is a bit bland and Thompson ascerbic and the inability to leave the city ridiculous, but the rest works for me. Loved the kids, the relatives and the dog. At times the movie reminded me of About Schmidt in its slice-of-life approach.

I watched the movie on cable this morning, expecting light family fare. I am a big fan of Dave Foley and Lea Thompson, so how bad could it be?

Bad.

The director has apparently never staged a comedy, so he kills whatever minimally funny jokes or set-ups there are. It's painful to watch these veterans deliver these lines, in such an unfunny way.

Not that this should be a great film, but wow -- it is a dud.

A fun romp with some meat to the story. Check out the cute teenage daughter! Every family will see something of themselves here.