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List Price: $34.99 | | Label: Paramount
Salesrank: 19535
Released: July 1, 2008 |
| Our Price: $8.41 |
| Used Price: $2.97 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Media: DVD |
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| Features:
AC-3 Color Dolby Dubbed DVD-Video Subtitled Widescreen NTSC | Starring:
O w e n W i l s o n | |
Editorial Review:
Like Owen Wilson himself, Drillbit Taylor has a loose, shaggy-dog appeal. Wilson plays a homeless ex-soldier who wants to emigrate illegally to Canada--and when three misfit high-school students hire him to protect them from bullies, he sets out to fleece them for the money he needs to get away. Naturally, this being a formulaic crowd-pleaser, he bonds with the kids and discovers that maybe his life isn't so worthless after all. Fortunately for moviegoers, the creators of Drillbit Taylor (including co-writer Seth Rogen, star of Knocked Up) have the wit to tweak the formula and give what could have been prefabricated and bland some grit, surprises, and genuine laughs (as well as an allusion to this movie's obvious inspiration, the 1980 teen-movie classic My Bodyguard). While nowhere near as funny (or as rude) as Rogen's previous co-writing effort, the dorkily sublime Superbad, Drillbit Taylor benefits from a similar grasp of the genuine cravings and frustrations of adolescence. Still, it's Wilson's movie, and his slacker-romantic rhythm gives the hmor its swing. Also featuring Leslie Mann (The 40-Year-Old Virgin), who is woefully underutilized as Wilson's love interest. One sneaky bit of casting: The main bully is played by Alex Frost, who played an unhappy teen driven to shoot up his school in director Gus Van Sant's Elephant. --Bret Fetzer
Drillbit Taylor (Widescreen Edition) Reviews:
Mediocre 
2008-10-11 - I was really looking forward to this movie as I'm usually a fan of Owen Wilson, but I have to say this one was a bit dull. If I had to guess, I'd say the potential humor was toned back to get a PG-13 rating.
On the plus side there are some funny parts such as the body guard interviews, the training sequences, and Owen Wilson as a gym teacher. There was a lot of room to expand these parts and make the movie funnier.
On the negative I think the whole robbery aspect detracted from the film. It didn't add much to your opinion of Owen's character, and the scenes with the other homeless guys were rather pointless.
All in all I think there are much better Owen Wilson movies (Wedding Crashers, anything with Ben Stiller) and better high school movies, this one didn't stand out.
Not the best Owen Wilson movie - but still enjoyable 
2008-09-20 -
My family enjoyed watching this movie, although it did seem quite outrageous in terms of what the bullies were getting away with - which was frustrating! But, the kids loved it.
entertaining, but not so funny 
2008-09-18 - This was an entertaining movie to watch that I would recommend partly because it is different than other movies I have watched. This wasn't really a laugh out loud movie and I didn't expected it to be. But it turned out to be a good movie to watch. People say Owen Wilson provides a similar type of humor atmosphere in his movies and its true but his role in the movie is different and fits in. I liked it.
BEST COMEDY!!!! 
2008-09-01 - I thought this movie was just going to be another some-what funny movie. Dam, me and my wife laughed so hard, some scenes were basically unexpected! I would say a must have!!!
Straight off the Judd Apatow assembly line - hilarious 
2008-08-30 - Two socially awkward nerds and a tag along embarking on the freshman year of their high school career are inevitable targets for bullying. Ryan and Wade, T-Dog and Skeletor, respectively, are polar opposites in outward appearance. One fat, one skinny, they are the Laurel and Hardy of adolescence. Wearing the same shirt on the first day of school only made it worse.
Insert a homeless hustler named Drillbit Taylor (Wilson) who replies to the kids' online ad for a bodyguard. Seeing as how Taylor will work for fractions of actual qualified bodyguards, he gets the job. Of course, by work I mean "take the kids' money". And by take their money, I mean "take their money, rob their home, sell their goods, and impersonate a teacher at their school". What ensues is a confrontation between the school bullies and the bum, a knock-down, drag-out struggle for supremacy and high school survival.
It's essentially an update to Can't Buy Me Love, only this version's nerds choose to fight the cliques and bullies rather than spinelessly coalescing into popularity via bribes. Seeing as how it comes from the same crew that created Superbad, the two movies are also easily comparable; although, this movie's three kids are a little more pathetic than McLovin and crew.
With enough laugh out loud moments (especially the self defense scenes) and ridiculous situations (the rap battle had me in stitches) to last from beginning to end, Drillbit Taylor is a solid addition to modern comedy, and a perfect showcase for young comedic talent. Sure, it's a bit crass, but if you enjoyed any of the recent similar comedies (e.g. Old School, Knocked Up, Superbad, Wedding Crashers), you'll end up adding this to your collection.