Customer Reviews

One Night at McCool's

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

What happens when you mix together a con man, a con man's twin brother, a bartender,a shrink, a hit-man, a priest, a cop, 2 lawyers and a sultry siren? Well, the result will be something like ONE NIGHT AT McCOOL's. As with any mixed drink of this sort, you may not get what you expect, but you'll leave the bar happy.

If ever there were such a thing as a dark romantic comedy, this would be it. If you think you're getting another couples-friendly run-of-the-mill romantic comedy, you're wrong. Whether that is good or bad depends on the viewer.

The movie features an all-star cast that includes Matt Dillon, Michael Douglas, Paul Reiser and John Goodman. However, the performance that carries the film is that of Liv Tyler as the gorgeous femme fatal who is bad news for everyone. Not only does she possess the physical assets to pull off the part, but she is a bona-fide good actress on top of that. The car wash scene by itself is worth the modest price of the DVD.

The best reason to buy this flick is that it is utterly hilarious. The way it hits on every man's fantasy will be appealing to male viewers, while the fact that it at the same time mocks these fantasies will be something women will find amusing. The film finds humor in rather bizarre situations, but it will nonetheless leave you in stitches.

So, with this in mind, go out and spend a night at McCool's. Stick around awhile and enjoy your drink - it all goes down smooth. Then at the end of the night, click your feet three times and say "There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home." And, by the way, home is where the DVD is...

Don't let the negative reviews prevent you from watching the highly entertaining "One Night at McCool's". Three men inexplicably fall for the manipulating femme fatale Jewel (Liv Tyler), who has a gift for relieving people of their possessions. The real reason to watch this film is for the magnificent performance of Andrew Dice Clay in the dual role of Utah/Elmo. His excess body hair and tattoos, topped off with an expertly coiffed mullet, provides two of the best scenes in his acting career.

I found this film a really good night's entertainment and found myself LOL frequently. It was a welcome diversion after a hard day's work. Hands down, Michael Douglas is the funniest person in the film. I have to give him enormous credit for letting himself be made over cosmetically into the most ridiculous looking guy you've ever met with full pompadour hairdo. But there are many other solid performances too. Liv Tyler does a really good job as the beautiful bombshell who comes into men's lives as their dream pick-up only to turn their lives upside down. In fact, contact with her may make you end up dead as she has a way of waltzing into troublesome, dangerous situations. It was great seeing Matt Dillon for a change playing a role where he is the one totally out of control in the hands of the wrong woman. Paul Reiser as Dillon's lawyer cousin who wants Tyler as his dominatrix is very funny too and his solo scene at the end of the movie had me doubled over with laughter. John Goodman, however, is too much over the top as is Andrew Dice Clay. Their roles are almost cartoon-like they are so broad. Tyler is proving herself very well as an actress. I thought she was wonderful in "Onegin" with Ralph Fiennes and she shows real talent here as well.

Ok, for anyone who has watched this film and didnt find it funny, clever or sexy, well then you DO need some kind of therapy.

Tyler plays the best role of her career, the film is shot wonderfully, great lighting, camera angles and direction.

Some wonderfull performance by all the cast, the film is profoundly funny, similar to Coen films, like the big lebowski, there are no 'silly' scenes, its all black adult humour.

I wasn't expecting a great movie, but it was, I can say it was one of the funniest and entertaining movies Ive ever seen.

I'm actually very concerned that there are people out there that didnt 'get' the humour of this film ! IT just makes you wonder at what kind of people are out there.

I'm sorry but when you watch one of the cleverest, funniest, sexiest, provokative films ever, and then write a review saying 'bad movie' then something is very very wrong. and it aint the film.

watch it and enjoy it.

This movie is pure fun!
The characters are overdone in a trashy way, but the director has concepted the whole movie along this path.
Matt Dillon, Paul Reiser, John Goodman and Andrew Dice Clay are really good, but the true stars of this flick are Liv Tyler (talented, beautiful, and after "Lord of the Rings" hopefully in the "superstar"-status she deserves) and Michael Douglas (a great (bad hair day) cameo, where he seems to have dressed up as his dad (Kirk Douglas) - watch for the simularities!).
I can't understand why this movie didn't do better at the boxoffice, but now it's up to VHS and DVD to give it the attention it deserves!

One Night at Mcool's is a movie that I really enjoyed and laughed throughout. Although it has been 1 year since I have seen it, I do remember really enjoying it and frankly, laughing my head off. The movie has a great cast with Liv Tyler, the awesome John Goodman, Michael Douglas and Matt Dillon. So, as you can see, it's got quite a cast. The movie's about a bombshell played by Liv Tyler that 3 men have fallen in love with. The bartender. The lawyer. The cop. But, she may be more than she seems and a dangerous lady that just screws over these 3 guys. And then comes the hitman hired to kill her. And then comes a crazy dude who seeks revenge. All comes into place, and this ends out being one hilarious and memorable movie that will have you begging for more. I'm a big John Goodman fan also so you know... I just loved.
Great cast. Great everything. This is a no brainer buy and will provide you with laughs forever and ever.

One Night at McCool's explores the different worlds and perspectives of three men attracted to Liv Tyler's character, Jewel. Their different views of her (and each other) are incredibly funny. The end is an unexpected twist that is memorable. Even my niece who hates everything had to have this movie!

I remember the previews on T.V. when this movie was released and thinking "Wow, Liv Tyler is hot!". 3 years later I finally get round to watching the movie and discover that Liv Tyler is indeed very hot. However there's much more to this little movie than Liv Tyler's hotness. The movie retells the same story from 3 different points of view, the bartender, the banker and the cop. Each of these stories is slightly different with an enjoyable and entertaining subtlety that really doesn't come across in the preview that concentrates on Liv Tyler washing a car. The subtlety gets kinds lost at the end (losing the movie a star IMHO) but the set up and concept are intelligent enough, and the follow through done well enough that I'd even apply the rarefied term "Coen-esque" to the project. Top marks all around, I'd suggest buying over renting, as one picks up on more details the second time around. And besides, Liv Tyler is really hot!

This should have been another throw-away, boring, sex-comedy. The fact it isn't is due to some smart casting, and an excellent narrative structure that really drags you in and keeps you interested, and smiling.
The entire movie, save the finale, is told by our three male leads to three different types of confidants. We see the story told and interweaved between them, and see how each one's version of events is clouded by their different obssesions with Liv Tyler's Jewel, the Female Fatale for the MTV generation. "How can you have a top-notch entertainment system without a DVD player?"
This movie even manages to pull two watchable performances out of Andrew 'Dice' Clay!
Watch this movie with a beer, chips, and low expectations, and you are in for a suprisingly good time.

Movie Summary: Randy is a bartender at McCool's. His life isn't anything special, but he gets by. Until one night at McCool's when he meets up with Jewel and everything changes. Jewel quickly moves into Randy's life and tears it apart. She also wreaks havoc in the lives of Randy's cousin Carl, and Police detective Dehling both of whom she met that same night at McCools. As Randy desperately tries to get rid of her, both Carl and Dehling try to win her. But in the end only Jewel gets what she wants.

My Opinion: I heard negative reviews of ONAM before seeing it and this lowered my expectations. I have found that my expectations have a lot to do with how much I like or dislike a movie. Some of the biggest and best surprises have come from movies that I heard were "no good" and some of the worst movie experiences have come from movies that had gotten built up in my mind. In the case of ONAM my expectations were rightfully dropped. The movie seems to have many of the pieces that make a great picture, but the ones it has just don't gel. There are some good performances by Matt Dillion, Paul Reiser, and Andrew Dice Clay and there are some funny situations, but they just seem to go flat. I found the plot a little hard to swallow. Although I like Liv Tyler, I couldn't buy Jewel as being that magnetic and magical as to lure these men into destruction. In the end I think the alternate ending on the DVD shows that even the director didn't know where the movie was going. In one ending Jewel smashes the snow globe, and in the other she does not. If the director can't decide where the movie is going, how can the viewer?

DVD Quality: Video: Widescreen Anamorphic 1.85:1. Good picture quality. Sound: DD 5.1 My Love Is Alive sounded pretty good. I wondered what happened to Joan Osborne. Extras: Deleted scenes including an alternate ending, Making Of, Comentary. Menus: Snow Globe Menu is interesting. This is a fairly decent DVD release.

What You Should Do: Rent it if you are going to check it out. If you can lower your expectations enough, then it is worth seeing.

Related Movies To Check Out: Something About Mary, Snatch, Meet The Parents