Writer-director David O. Russell follows up his dark independent comedy SPANKING THE MONKEY with this hilarious romp about a man who goes on a quest to find his biological parents. Mel Coplin (Ben Stiller), a new father, is convinced that he won't be able to give his son a name until he reunites with his real mother and father. .. Read more
| Starring | Ben Stiller, Patricia Arquette, Tea Leoni, Alan Alda |
|---|---|
| Director | David O. Russell |
| Genres | Comedy |
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Writer-director David O. Russell follows up his dark independent comedy SPANKING THE MONKEY with this hilarious romp about a man who goes on a quest to find his biological parents. Mel Coplin (Ben Stiller), a new father, is convinced that he won't be able to give his son a name until he reunites with his real mother and father. So Mel, his depressed, neglected wife, Nancy (Patricia Arquette), and a sexy adoption consultant named Tina (Tea Leoni) set out to find them. By the time they reach the New Mexico home of Mel's true parents (Alan Alda and Lily Tomlin)--two laid-back hippie scientists who are in the LSD business--Mel's marriage appears to be completely demolished. But the wackiness doesn't end there, since his neurotic, overbearing adoptive parents (George Segal and Mary Tyler Moore) arrive just in time to add even greater confusion to the mix.
Russell assembles a cast who have contributed greatly to the development of American screen comedy, and they throw themselves into their roles with great fervor. Commenting on identity, sexual and cultural prejudice, and the convention of marriage, Russell's script is a farcical laugh-fest that is at once intelligent, fast-paced, and witty. His assured, grounded direction makes FLIRTING WITH DISASTER's humour all the more outrageous and hysterical.
| Starring | Ben Stiller, Patricia Arquette, Tea Leoni, Alan Alda, Mary Tyler Moore, George Segal, Lily Tomlin, Richard Jenkins |
|---|---|
| Director | David O. Russell |
| Studio | BUENA VISTA HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 28 mins |
| Certificate |  |
| Genres | Comedy |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | Production year: 1996 To Rent: DVD: 05 Aug 2002 |
Mel (Stiller) has a wife, Nancy (Arquette), an as yet unnamed baby, and a 'psychic need' to track down his biological... read more on Time Out
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Modern screwball classic
To me this is one of the best comedies of the last ten years, and a screwball comedy the likes of which they just don't make anymore. Russell makes ... read more »
[Highly rated reviewer]
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avoid this film
this is a nasty little film that is unfunny and full of weak and poorly drawn characters, do not rent this film. we managed about half an hour and could not be ... read more »
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Ben Stiller's finest hour?
God knows why more people haven't heard of this film. a consistently funny and charming US comedy that is so much more than the sum of it's parts. ... read more »
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Stiller does his regular shtick - as a shmuck
This film wants to be much zanier, wackier and funnier than it actually is. It borrows from all sorts of road movies but it doesn't quite pull off the left... read more »
Even though I loved the screwball farce Flirting with Disaster and admired the politically acute Three Kings, the trailer for I Heart Huckabees left me fearing the worst, despite a super-hip cast including Jason Schwarzman (from Rushmore), Mark Wahlberg, Jude Law, Isabelle Huppert, Dustin Hoffman, Lily Tomlin and Naomi Watts. To start with, that title didn't inspire confidence. And from what you could gather, the story was bewilderingly whimsical - something about 'existential detectives',... Read more
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