Product Details

• Actors: Adrien Brody, Milla Jovovich, Illeana Douglas, Vera Farmiga, Jessica Walter
• Directors: Greg Pritikin
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English, Yiddish
• Subtitles: Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Lions Gate
• DVD Release Date: February 17, 2004
• Run Time: 92 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00015HWX2
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #38,885 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Oscar®-winner Adrien Brody has a nifty role in Dummy as a shy loser whose life is transformed by... ventriloquism. Living with his parents and his caustic sister (Illeana Douglas in good form), tongue-tied Steven can't hold a conversation to save his life--until he sits a wooden dummy on his knee. Others find this kind of creepy, but Steven parlays his newfound voice into a date with his pretty lady at the unemployment office (she's played by Vera Farmiga, from 15 Minutes, a soulful actress destined for big things). Writer-director Greg Pritikin doesn't oversell this modest premise, instead nicely filling in the corners with sly comedy and character bits. Milla Jovovich plays Steven's punk-rock buddy, and Jessica Walter and Ron Leibman are his parents--it's a surprisingly strong cast for an indie effort. Dummy won a release when Brody got the Oscar for The Pianist, but this is a worthy and entertaining picture all on its own. --Robert Horton

Product Description
DUMMY (DVD MOVIE)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MILLA JOVOVICH had me LAUGHING OUT LOUD!!!, February 24, 2004

By	Chris Kennison (Jefferson City, Mo United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dummy is a charming little movie about a quiet loser played by Adrien Brody who dreams of being a ventriloquist.

The story revolves around Steven's (Brody) life, his relationships, his family, his future and his hilarious friend FANGORA (Milla Jovovich).

The movie is off the beaten path, unique, subtle, quiet and a throw back to those simple little movies from the 80s that weren't about a whole lot, but were just enjoyable. And I assure you, after watching DUMMY, you WILL NOT forget it.

You will talk about it with your friends and YOU WILL LAUGH!!

The movie is gifted with memorable and rich characters. Illeana Douglas, Vera Farmiga, Jessica Walter & Ron Leibman are a big part of this, but the most memorable, hilarious and unforgettable role belongs to MILLA JOVOVICH.

Milla plays an ill-tempered punk rock chick with a heart of gold and a mouth like a sailor. Milla had me in stitches and I believe that a lot of her acting was improvised. She was into this character and EARNS SOME SERIOUS BROWNIE POINTS for future more meatier roles. She steals the show.

What was already a pretty good movie anyway, was made an exceptional movie by a HOMERUN performance by an actress that is getting better, better and better. This girl has MONGO GUTS, and it shows.

Check out DUMMY. If you like to laugh. You won't go wrong.

I normally reserve 5 stars for classics, but this barely recognized little movie deserves 5 stars, for what it is, what it accomplished and for making me laugh where hundreds of more commercial comedies failed miserably.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars really funny, February 5, 2004

By	Daniel - See all my reviews

The interactions between the characters in this film are what make it so great. I especially loved Milla's character, a punk-rock chick who convinces Adrian's character to do many crazy things. Also, Milla's character sings towards the end of the movie and she does a rockin job at that.

Overall, the plot was nothing special, but the weird cast of characters made it more interesting then it would have been otherwise. In this sense, you can watch this movie over a couple of times since its not really about what happens but how it happens and how oddly the people act.

All of the actors did a terrific job, but most of all Adrian and Milla were excellent.

I doubt you'll be seeing this dvd in the video store, and unless you were one of the few people who saw this film during its limited release, I suggest you pick up a copy.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars an unanticipated delight,

By	Roland E. Zwick (Valencia, Ca USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Is there anything in this world creepier than a ventriloquist's dummy? Rod Serling apparently didn't think so when he turned one into a raving psychopath in a memorable episode of "The Twilight Zone." In "Dummy," the delightfully quirky comedy by writer/director Greg Pritikin, the dummy turns out to be just about the least creepy character in the film - and I mean that in the nicest way possible.

Adrien Brody, in a film made prior to (but released after) his Oscar-winning triumph in "The Pianist," stars as Steven Schoichet, a mild-mannered, socially backward man in his late 20's who still lives at home with his parents and his equally dysfunctional sister. One day, Steven decides to purchase a ventriloquist's dummy, a move that finally gives him the courage to break out of his shell and pursue the woman of his dreams.

Pritikin has come up with an extraordinary ensemble cast that includes, in addition to Brody, Illeana Douglas, as Steven's lovelorn, perpetually frustrated sister; Milla Jovovich, as Steven's foulmouthed wannabe punk rock star friend and companion; Jessica Walter as Steven's off-the-wall mother who figures she can keep her son happy if she perpetually feeds him sandwiches; and Ron Leibman as Steven's father who just wants to spend his time putting together model ships and who can't understand how he's ended up with two children so obviously devoid of purpose and direction in life. Vera Farmiga is charming and winning as the unemployment counselor - perhaps the one "uncertifiable" character in the film - who opens her heart to both Steven and his dummy companion.

Pritikin has taken some very simple material and woven it into a many-splendored tapestry, hitting just the right tone all the way through. The film is wickedly funny one moment and touchingly romantic the next. Yet, Pritikin never violates the uniquely quirky spirit of the premise he's established. It is particularly fun watching Steven engage in long-running conversations with himself, using the dummy as a sounding board for working out his own insecurities and fears.

Beautifully written, directed and acted, "Dummy" is one of the genuine, certified sleepers of the past several years.