Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageDrillbit Taylor (2008)
Director: Steven Brill
Movie review
From Time Out London
Writer Seth Rogen and producer Judd Apatow created a couple of winning geeks in ‘Superbad’, but this tamer version of the fat kid/thin kid story fails to deliver the same laughs. Based on an idea by John Hughes, it stars Troy Gentile and Nate Hartley as a moderately amusing pair of nerds who fail to impress on their first day of high school (turning up wearing the same shirt doesn’t help).After defending Emmit (David Dorfman) from the school bully, they become perennial victims and decide to hire a bodyguard, Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson). Taylor is a homeless con artist who’s out to rob the children, but their charms grow on him as he trains them up and poses as a teacher to protect them. Wilson’s mix of casual criminality and ineptitude is sometimes funny but rarely endearing: his character’s dark intentions are at odds with the film’s breezy, broad tone. ‘Drillbit Taylor’ is a bit of a giggle, but it lacks bite and direction: even the old prom showdown routine would have enlivened this aimless comedy.
Author: Anna Smith
Time Out London Issue 1962 March 27 – April 2
User reviews of this film
-
- who da ya think said...
- Posted on Apr 23 2008 19:22 ****** shite !!! bbooooo
- Report as inappropriate
-
- usman said...
- Posted on Apr 16 2008 19:17 dumb arse comedy without any sparkle -wasting wilson in the worst way possible
- Report as inappropriate
-
- usman khawaja said...
-
Posted on Apr 16 2008 19:16
this was one of the most drilling exorcisms in recent american comedy genre
i love owen wilson ,he was even good in u,me and dupree ,but here he is a vagabond who takes nude showers by the roadside on long beach while teaching in a suit and tie at a school in suburban LA ,this was dumb enough but then so are the 3 kids who hire him as a personal bodyguard from the internet to save them from some atrocious bullying at school.
he romances and shags a fellow teacher who is one the worst actresses of recent times and then sets on teaching the bad bully boys-there are 2 of them- a lesson ,
while these bull terriers terrorise the 3 protagonists in the school on cctv as well as u-tube ,
these days high school kids upload more movies then uni students -no one believes the 3 victims after they have had virtually been murdered in public .
the plot is as trashy as the execution and the jokes are lame and virtually as dumb as the kids .
the saving grace is wilson -but can he save a really tasteless school comedy that is so pathetic ,it becomes a tragedy -well ,the answer is a plain -no
what could have been a sparkling comedy about bully culture is reduced to showing mr.wilsons bare arse to elicit laughs =enough said
usman khawaja -jbz7879 - Report as inappropriate
-
- mickey said...
- Posted on Apr 12 2008 16:00 this was such a great moviee. i would definetely recomend it. also did anyone notice that "Emmet" was also in "the ring" which is a scary movie. :)
- Report as inappropriate
-
- Alan Smithee said...
- Posted on Apr 08 2008 15:56 Re Drew's correction, the author of the review is a "she" not a "he". Valid point though.
- Report as inappropriate
-
- sum1 said...
- Posted on Apr 08 2008 13:00 j u hav no humor
- Report as inappropriate
-
- .x.sophiie.x. said...
- Posted on Apr 08 2008 09:06 i havent watched it yet im 15 is it worth wacthiin x...
- Report as inappropriate
-
- Sutheran said...
- Posted on Apr 07 2008 12:25 Brilliant film... As long as you get over the fact that an 18year old was in the same class as a first year (chewing gum scene). But yes definately worth watchin, made me lol alot
- Report as inappropriate
-
- BIG JOCK said...
- Posted on Apr 06 2008 23:26 I knew all along and said nothing.
- Report as inappropriate
-
- BOAB MALCOM said...
- Posted on Apr 05 2008 17:42 FTP YA BASS!!!
- Report as inappropriate
-
- Leanne said...
- Posted on Apr 05 2008 16:02 Loved it, i swear i was splitting my sides laughing, Owen Wilson looked so Gorgeous as usual, glad hes feeling better what a film =]
- Report as inappropriate
-
- j said...
- Posted on Apr 03 2008 13:55 if you were 15 or below it would be fun...
- Report as inappropriate
-
- Reginald said...
-
Posted on Apr 01 2008 17:44
thought it was absolutely fantastic! went with a
group of friends and we all thoroughly enjoyed it, definately worth watching chaps. that Owen Wilson what a fellow! - Report as inappropriate
-
- Von Dusseldoffan said...
- Posted on Apr 01 2008 17:42 very very funni ic bin tiser!!! Dratch van dussen blagen hagen draffa. mit pommes!!
- Report as inappropriate
-
- gayboy said...
- Posted on Apr 01 2008 17:35 twas mint i tell theee!!!! booyeah!!!! arrrrrreeeeba arrrreeeba!
- Report as inappropriate
Now showing
This film is showing at these cinemas
Cast & crew
Director: Steven Brill
Cast: Owen Wilson, Leslie Mann, Danny R. McBride, Josh Peck, David Dorfman, Troy Gentile, Nate Hartley, Alex Frost full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Rated: 12A
Duration: 102 mins
UK Release: Mar 28 2008
US Release: Mar 21 2008
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Ashton Kutcher: a life in film
Ashton Kutcher has made it big without ever being in a decent film. Time Out looks back over his strange career
Speed Racer: special feature
Welcome to our special feature on the Wachowski brothers' 'Speed Racer', with exclusive features, shots from the movie and our early review of the film
The Matrix: revisited
It's been ten years since the original 'Matrix' film wowed cinema audiences. Tom Huddleston re-watches the three films and asks, were they really all that?
Iron Man: special feature
Welcome to our special focus on Jon Favreau's 'Iron Man', with exclusive features, shots from the movie and our early review of the film
Ten terrible cinematic superheroes
In celebration of the release of Jon Favreau's 'Iron Man', Time Out offers a list of the ten worst cinematic superheros of all time
What do you think?
Post your review now