Customer Reviews

Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star [VHS]

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

There's a scene in "Dickie Roberts Former Child Star" where Dickie, played by David Spade, is playing poker with a large group of former child stars. Being a fan of old 60's-80's television shows, I found that I did reconize at least more then half of those stars. And when Barry Williams, who played Greg on "The Brady Bunch", was giving away items from some of the classic episodes from the old sitcom, I was laughing away in my seat.

"Dickie Roberts" is a form of comedy where even thought you know what is going to happen, it's still funny because of the way that it is brought out. It's done in a way that everything that you know will probally happen, happens when you least expect it. It's like watching a normal comedy, with everything happening out of order. Predictable, but surprising, if you could understand what I'm saying.

The movie opens like an episode of "E! True Hollywood Story," where you learn a brief history of Dickie Roberts as a child star and Dickie Roberts as an adult. When he was a child he was the star of "The Glimmer Gang", with the famous catch phrase of "This is nucking futs." He never knew who his real father was, and once the show went off the air, his mother abandoned him. Now years later, Dickie is a thirty five year old parking valet, who wears gloves twenty four hours a day, who gets dumped by his girlfriend Cyndi. He finally decides to tryout for the new Rob Reiner film "Mr. Blakes Backyard", and he tries to get an audition from his agent, Sidney Wernick(played by Jon Lovitz perfectly.)

After meeting with Reiner, he decides that Dickie looks just like he pictured when he wrote the script, but he is afraid that Dickie will not be able to handle the emotional aspect of the film, because he never experienced the main function of adulthood, which is a childhood. Reiner tells Dickie that he is waiting a few months to decide who will get the part, giving Dickie an idea. He decides to put an ad in the newspaper and hire a family to treat him like a kid for about one month, so he could see what it was like to be a kid. After some horrible meetings with people, he ends up on the driveway of The Finneys. Car salesmen dad George has agreed to the plan without talking to his wife, Grace, of their two children Sally and Sam. None of those three like the idea of having a stranger living in their house, but they agree to let him stay and for the next few weeks, Dickie experences what it is like to be a normal kid, without the fame.

I like David Spade. I liked "The Adventures of Joe Dirt," and I liked him on the now cancelled show "Just Shoot Me." So naturally I was excited when I learned that he was going to be in this movie. Everybody worked well in this. All of the actors and actresses looked like they were all having a good time, which is good. I feel that it is a shame that this movie did not make as much mony as it did. So soon, if "Matchstick Men" is sold out(read earlier review) go see "Dickie Roberts Former Child Star."

I first saw this in the theater. Honestly, I had absolutely no intention of seeing this movie, but it was important to a friend of mine and somehow she convinced me to go with her. I like comedies, but I don't like things that are slap-stickish or that are geared solely for the pleasure of 12 year old boys.

I was pleasantly surprised with Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star. This movie was incredibly funny and I loved watching Barry Williams, Leif Garrett, Corey Feldman, Danny Bonaducci, and Screech playing poker. Every game they play, Barry raises the stakes by adding souveniers from the Brady Bunch episodes telling them they can easily make money on ebay.

The movie is slightly absurd but it is hilarious. For me, it is funny because there honestly are people who think and act like Dickie does. They got so into the idea of fame that they would do absolutely anything to "make a comeback" even ride around in a baby stroller and go "ga-ga goo-goo".

I also enjoyed the children in the movie. They are so smart and witty and really hold their own against Dickie. They open up a whole world to him that he's never experienced before: a normal childhood. In the beginning, they hate him and make fun of him, but as they get to know eachother, the children learn from Dickie how to be self-confident and Dickie learns the value of love.

While some of the jokes are crude, they work for David Spade in a way that another actor would find it hard to get away with. David is able to combine a childlike wonder and innocence with vulgarity in such a way that you never completely dislike Dickie. There is enough hope and sincerity that you find yourself pushing for him even though he goes over the top to get what he wants.

Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star is also filled with wonderful oddities like a celebrity wrestling match between David Spade and Emmanuel Lewis (of Webster fame), visits to AA and Lamaze, the Barry Williams poker games, and a witty song at the end featuring various child-stars from the 70's and 80's.

Quite enjoyable!

I dont usually give movies 5 stars unless they are REALLY good. This move was beyond REALLY GOOD. I couldnt stop laughing once. It was so funny, me and my best friend were just laughing the whole time. Now I am just anticipating the release of this hilarious comedy. If you like comedies, you'll love this movie. There are some scenes that might not be appropriate for younger kids, since the rating is PG-13, so I wouldnt recommend letting younger children watch this movie. Teenagers and adults will probably enjoy this movie the most. Its jokes and great acting makes this movie one of my favorites of all time. I doubt I could get tired of the hilarity of this movie. Enjoy!

I went to see this with my friend. She didn't really care for Joe Dirt but even she loved this movie. I laughed so hard and nonstop for the whole 1 hour and 35 minutes. Every joke works in this movie. It is hilarious and just worth watching for anyone who's ever dreamed of being a star or if you had a bad childhood like Dickie did.

Being such a fan of films made by Saturday Night Live performers of Spade's era, it's amazing that I'd never actually seen this movie. I was told that it wasn't that good and that it wasn't Spade's best work - not measuring up to Tommy Boy, etc... I will admit that Tommy Boy was more memorable, but Dickie Roberts was quite a bit better than I was expecting it to be. I wish I had seen it sooner.

David Spade is the perfect actor to play this role of a washed-up former child star on the skids. He believes that he's still part of the "in crowd", but he always finds himself on the outside. The side of Spade displaying his quick-witted insults and harsh nature serve him well in this part and he does an excellent job with it.

The storyline is rather ridiculous, as is the case with most movies of this genre, from the SNL crew, but again, it hardly seems to make a difference. The movie is entertaining and lighthearted - not meant to be taken too seriously. I thought it was hilarious. There are some great one-liners, which Spade seems to have built his fame upon.

The supporting actors are also cast perfectly. Highly recommended for fans of this brand of comedy.

Recently, after taking a stronger interest in David Spade, I picked up "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star" used at a video store. I wasn't sure what to expect since the movie received some harsh reviews from the critics and viewers alike. After watching the movie twice, I can still say that I am very pleased with this latest addition to my movie collection.

In response to the harsh reviews, I believe this movie, like Mr. Spade himself, is entirely underrated. I will admit that the film was not perfect and could have been better, but really it was a very good movie. It had its laugh-out-loud moments between some slapstick bits and Spade's usual snarky dialogue. Although, I don't think the writers took full advantage of all the comedic moments in the film. I think the premise of a former child star trying to make a comeback by re-living childhood could provide more hilarious situations.

What really surprised me about "Dickie Roberts" was its heart-warming aspect. I, by no means, anticipated the touching scenes in the movie, although they are often interrupted by another funny bit.

Spade really gave a strong effort in this film. His humorous parts are delivered perfectly. Also, his sincere and tender lines are delivered so strongly, that you really feel bad and take pity on his character. I never thought I could see David Spade in a drama, but now I am thinking differently.

I'm not sure if non-fans of Spade will appreciate this film. If his comedy does not appeal to you, you may be better off renting the movie, but I still encourage you to watch it.

I thought that this movie is an excellent family movie with only slight traces of adult humor. There are many hilarious parts such as the Slip n Slide, Water Wiggle, and sprinkler/jetski/motorcycle. David spade at his best, with much contribution from Grace, Sam, and Sally. A true future classic.

If you rent this movie, be sure not to turn it off at the very end. Let the credits roll because that part is probably the funniest thing of the movie! Overall, the film was very funny as well, but not as funny as the bonus at the end. David Spade was very funny in this movie, and also very lost. I thought this movie wasn't going to be very good, and after renting it I BOUGHT IT. I think that it is silly, funny, and then it turned into a movie with a lot of heart. The family that takes him in is lost just like Dickie and they find themselves in each other. I love those type of movies. Since he helped write the movie, it is easy for him to get in character and play it to a T. Sure, it is a little stupid and juvenile at times, but the catch phase is `Nuckin Futs'. You will find yourself saying that after watching the movie!!

On paper the plot seems OK - a former child star hires a family to relive his lost childhood so he can get a part in a new movie - but it only works on paper.

The first 15 minutes or so are not bad, and the song by all the child stars during the closing credits is pretty good. There were about 2 strong scenes in the movie - the poker game, and...I forget the other one - probably the dad at his car dealership. The big gap in the middle needed help, though.

Craig Bierko as the father of the family was the best character, and Jenna Boyd as the daughter was pretty good too. The others were sort of forgettable - even Rob Reiner.

For a PG-13 movie it was kind of pushing the limits of taste in some spots, I thought, such as giving the finger, fake swearing by kids ("shizits") and some suggestive comments. A couple people commented the young girl dancing was too sexual - but the actress has been on stage before as a sort of mini Britney Spears, so what's new?

Although there are a large handful of extras on the DVD, both commentaries (one by director, one by Spade and the writer) were rather lackluster. The "Comedy Central" segment had a some funny moments with a few child stars making fun of themselves.

You can't rate a movie too high when the best part is literally the closing credits, so I don't. And, it is relatively expensive (at the time about $20). Try "Airplane", "A Shot In The Dark", "Drop Dead Gorgeous", or even "Fletch" for some cheaper, yet better, laughs.

David Spade's signature apathetic sarcasm gets my funny-bone every time. I find his comedic style hilarious. I think it's the tone of his voice, the way each comment rolls out of his mouth with this tinge of arrogance that makes him one of the funniest comedians working today. Even when his films are ridiculous and utterly pointless (which, honestly, a lot of his films are) he is still on point and delivers the goods. In `Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star' he fails to disappoint yet again, serving up one hilarious gag after another. While there are parts of `Dickie Roberts' that don't fit for me, as a whole I actually think this comedy works rather well. Sure, Spade has a lot to do with that, but plot wise too; it's actually quite an interesting concept.

The story is that of Dickie Roberts, you guessed it, a former child star. Now all grown up and feeling the after effects of fame gone `bye-bye', Dickie strives to once again capture the hearts of the American public. The only problem is that Dickie didn't have a normal childhood. He was famous at a very young age, abandoned by his mother after his show was canceled and thus doesn't know what it's like to be a normal person. That drawback makes it impossible for him to land any substantial parts because he can't play `normal'. So, to fix this problem he does something so very un-normal and hires a family to `his' family so that he can get a feel of what it's like to be a normal kid. That said family is the Finney's; George and Grace and their two kids Sam and Sally.

It's apparent right off the bat that, while the Finney's are kind of storybook they still have some real problems; clichéd problems if you will. George is a workaholic who has become disinterested in his wife; Grace is the kindhearted `golden' mother, the kind that Dickie didn't have; Sam is the nerdy kid who's bullied at school and Sally is the slightly obnoxious little girl who has a heart of gold.

A lot of what happens in `Dickie Roberts' is predictable if not a little `out there' but it's all presented in a way that makes it easy and fun to swallow. A lot of the gags are delivered effortlessly and are quite entertaining (the whole `demon rabbit' scene alone is worth the price of the DVD) and Spade is always one to keep his dialog (no matter how dense) fresh and funny (it's all about delivery).

David Spade really understands Dickie mostly because I think there is a lot of Spade in Dickie. Mary McCormack is beautiful and sincere as Grace, but there are some issues I have with her character (mainly the whole `Dickie likes Grace, Grace likes Dickie' thing). She's the picture perfect mother, and she is one major cliché, but she makes it work the best she can. Scott Terra and Jenna Boyd do a fine job playing typical kids, if not a little exaggerated and Craig Bierko is pretty good as the very unlikable father George. Alyssa Milano is hilarious as Dickie's ex-girlfriend Cyndi and John Lovitz continues to get laughs as Dickie's hard working agent.

The ending is very `Hollywood' but what else did you expect; you could guess the ending from watching the trailer. I still give it a solid three, three and a half stars. It serves up the laughs, plenty of them actually, and never grows stale. With cameo's by a slew of former child stars not to mention some pretty famous faces, `Dickie Roberts' is funny, witty, entertaining and all around enjoyable.