Once in a while there comes a movie that is aimed at the nerds, geeks and unpopular kids in all of us. Superbad achieves huge success by going for the sex. In many ways, Fanboys is a purer and better film.
Eric (Sam Huntington), Linus (Chris Marquette), Hutch (Dan Fogler) and Windows (Jay Baruchel) are four high school best friends who share the love of Star Wars and everything geek-like (except Star Trek -- they despise it). But Eric abandoned the group for three years while trying to impress his father, a car salesman, by working at his dealership. When Eric knows about Linus's illness, he decides to rekindle the friendship. They decide to fulfill their high school dream by driving cross-country to the Skywalker Ranch, this time to steal a rough cut of the new Star War prequel George Lucas has been working on (The Phantom Menace). If they succeed, they will live on forever as fanboy legends.
It so happens that Windows hooks up, online, with a woman who has insider information and access to the ranch. Armed with that connection, the group sets off on a three-day trek. On the way, of course they encounter the bizarre and weird. A few twists prompt Zoe (Kristen Bell), "one of the guys" who works at Windows's comic bookstore, to rescue them, then join them on the adventure.
The best friends are played with great chemistry by Sam Hutington (Looking Up Dresses) as the reluctant Eric, Chris Marquette (The Invisible) as the boy with the dying wish, Dan Fogler (Balls of Fury) as the disgusting Hutch, and Jay Baruchel (Knocked Up) as the nerd's nerd. These actors are not well-known (with Fogler and Baruchel being the most recognizable) but that works very well and gives the film a bit more authenticity. These four guys really do seem like best friends, however different they are.
In comparison, Kristen Bell (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) stands out not only because she's the most recognizable star (through no fault of hers -- she made Fanboys before she did Sarah Marshall and Heroes), but also because she is too pretty and girlish to play "one of the guys" type of fangirl. Plus her eventual relationship with the awkward Windows is rather a fanboy's fantasy come true. Still, she does a good job and seems to have fun with the offbeat role.
The film also boasts wonderful cameos that would make the true fanboys scream. They include William Shatner playing himself, Seth Rogen, Carrie Fisher, Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, and Billy Dee Williams.
Written by Ernest Cline, Adam F. Goldberg (Daddy Day Camp), and Dan Pulick, the script is uneven and offers a rather conventional approach to the buddy road trip genre. The premise, however, shows their real love and respect for geekdom. The screenplay is chockfull of trivia that only the true fanboys and fangirls would know. There's also a genuine energy which you will understand if you've ever been a geek. They also play the Star Wars vs. Star Trek card with great humor (if a bit over-the-top; but that's why this is a comedy).
There are, of course, flaws and dull moments, or jokes and situations that don't really work. The eventual romance between Windows and Zoe feels obligatory and forced, and totally unnecessary. The situations and dialogue sometimes feel trite and too over the top.
What is surprising, though, is the heart in the film. The four best friends, and the girl who tags along, truly show chemistry and it feels like they really do care about each other, even as they bicker and make fun of each other. The screenwriters nail it when they depict the social ineptness of these characters. There are some profound moments as well, and the ending is surprisingly emotional and poignant.Director Kyle Newman (Drone) mostly gets out of the way and lets the story tell itself and the actors do their thing. The result is a run-of-the-mill direction but good enough to support the source material without calling attention to itself. Newman is able to keep up the pace, and give enough time for character development. We end up really liking these characters and caring about them, which lead to a very satisfying, though predictable and cliched ending. Still, if you've been a true fanboy or fangirl, you'd appreciate it. Newman shows a genuine appreciation of the story and the characters' sentiments.
I went to the movie not having a lot of expectations. After all, I've seen enough road trips and geek-love. But this really surprises me, and leaves me with certain glee that reminds me, maybe, deep down I'm just a closet fanboy!
Stars: Sam Huntington, Chris Marquette, Dan Fogler, Jay Baruchel, Kristen Bell
Director: Kyle Newman
Writers: Ernest Cline, Adam F. Goldberg, Dan Pulick
Distributor: Weinstein Company
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for pervasive crude and sexual material, language and drug use
Running Time: 90 Minutes
Ratings:
Script – 7
Performance – 7
Direction – 7
Cinematography – 6
Music/Sound– 7
Editing – 8
Production – 7
Total – 7.5 out of 10
Interpol agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) is working on a case with New York DA office on a possible lead that may expose a major international bank for certain organized crimes. When the New York officer is murdered, Salinger tries to find out who exactly is behind the conspiracy by working with DA Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts).
Their investigation leads them to IBBC, the fourth largest bank in the world. Apparently, IBBC is buying and selling arms to terrorists. As one character explains to Salinger and Whitman, the banks are not interested in money, but debts -- whoever controls the debts control the world. And in order to carry out their missions, IBBC, headed by Jonas Skarssen (Ulrich Thomsen), would stop at nothing including assassination. In order to get the evidence they need, Salinger must track down the assassin, who will provide the direct link back to Skarssen and IBBC.
Clive Owen (
Naomi Watts (
Written by new scribe Eric Singer, the script is taut with tension and filled with very interesting twists that actually make sense. Oftentimes in thrillers, logic takes a back seat to action and thrills. Fortunately, Singer is able to give us something intelligent, logical and thrilling at the same time. The first act is filled with suspense, and mysteries that would make any espionage fans happy. The second act drags somewhat as it becomes bogged down with police procedures and a wild goose chase and predictable outcomes. That said, there are some really interesting twists, and again, Singer is able to present them with logic and intelligence. The third act takes an unexpected turn, leading to an ambiguous ending that is both appropriate and thought-provoking. We all know terrorists are financially well-funded; so the question is: who really are funding them? And for what reasons?
German director Tom Tykwer (
All in all, 
Harvey Shine (Dustin Hoffman) is a grouchy jingle writer who is seen as a dinosaur by his peers. He's being phased out by his company because they think he's out of touch and quite an embarrassment. He's going to London to attend his daughter's wedding, but he can't wait to get back to work immediately to show his boss that he's still in the game. Upon arriving in London, he feels out of place and ostracized by his own family, including ex-wife Jean (Kathy Baker), her new husband Brian (James Brolin), and estranged daughter Susan (Liane Balaban).
Harvey decides to cut the trip short and skip the wedding reception. But he misses his plane and ultimately gets fired over the phone. There, as he feels like he's hit bottom, he meets airport employee Kate (Emma Thompson). Kate is a lonely single woman whose life seems to revolve around her lonely, widowed mother (Eileen Atkins) and getting set up on lousy blind dates. At first, she is cold to Harvey but eventually the two hit it off. Harvey, perhaps feeling he has nothing to lose, pursues Kate despite her hesitation.
Dustin Hoffman (
Likewise, Ms. Thompson is expertly vulnerable, gentle and sad. There's one scene during her blind date in which she displays a whole range of emotions without uttering one word. It shows us her remarkable talent and skills as an actress. She and Hoffman also have excellent on-screen chemistry together. You almost believe they're a real couple.
The supporting cast is mostly background players while the focus is almost always on Hoffman and Thompson. They've done a good job, especially Eileen Atkins (
Written and directed by Joel Hopkins (
The only thing I find puzzling is that Harvey's family, including his daughter, seems rather cruel and cold-hearted when it comes to his involvement in the wedding. Yes, we know he's been estranged from them, but the script doesn't give us enough background to understand how things got to that point. He is, after all, still the bride's father. There's a missed opportunity when Harvey and Jean have a heart-to-heart chat, but we're left with just a passing remark of why things didn't work out between them.
There are also a few trite moments that I feel is a bit forced as far as the plot is concerned. They're also rather predictable, thus losing their effectiveness in an otherwise sweet, fun little film. Hopkins direction is very straightforward; he mainly stays out of the way and allows his actors do their job.
Based on a popular nonfiction self-help book, the story follows a group of strangers (and some friends) who meet, date, hook up, break up, or must meander through the minefield of relationships. Neil (Ben Affleck) and Beth (Jennifer Aniston) seem to be a very happy couple, having been together for seven years, but Neil will not marry Beth, much to her frustration. Anna (Scarlett Jonansson) meets perfect guy Ben (Bradley Cooper) who is happily married to Janine (Jennifer Connelly). Meanwhile, Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin) is obsessed with a one-time date, Conor (Kevin Connolly). But Conor is hung up on Anna, with whom he had a fling. At the same time, Anna's friend Mary (Drew Barrymore) is having a lot of problem meeting guys -- most of them just want to sleep with her.
Eventually, Beth breaks up with Neil because she feels she can't waste her life on someone who won't marry her even after she's pleaded. On the other side of town, despite Ben's resistance, he can't ignore his mutual attraction with Anna and they end up having an affair. Meanwhile, Janine suspects that Ben is lying to her -- not about his extramarital activities, but something else. After Gigi fails to stalk Conor, his friend Alex (Justin Long) ends up mentoring her on the fine art of dating. And poor old Mary is still having trouble meeting quality guys.
The huge ensemble cast is all excellent in their respective roles. Ben Affleck (
Kevin Connolly (
Writers Abby Kohn (
In fact, that's the true strength of the script -- wrapping a humorous story around some truism. Sometimes you can't help but laugh out loud because you know it is so true. If you can't laugh at life, what can you? It's not to say the story or plot is without its incredulous moments. Some of it seems forced and a bit "wishful thinking." It kind of takes away from the story because it's supposed to be based on some realistic understanding of how relationships work. But these minor hiccups aside, the script is tight and easy to follow (even with its huge cast and multiple plot threads).
Director Ken Kwapis (