Drillbit Taylor

source: Drillbit Taylor

source: Drillbit Taylor

not that i expected much from this movie, but i was really surprised at how terrible it was. sure there are a few funny moments, but overall this movie was super lame. Maybe if i were in junior high or high school it might have been okay - but even thats a stretch. Sure there's a decent message in the movie, BUT the ending seemed jumbled together and poorly thought-out / rushed. I'm glad that i didn't have to pay to see it - i would've been really upset. I felt really embarrassed for Owen Wilson - he's done some great films in the past, but this one really bombed. Hopefully a good role will come along soon for Owen...This movie is sure to go straight to DVD.

When I first saw the trailer for Drillbit Taylor, I thought it actually looked like fun and would be a cool movie, but I decided to save the money and wait for the rental on it, because it was getting some bad reviews. So I did rent it, watched it last night, I'm actually glad I waited for the rental because while I didn't hate the movie, I wasn't a big fan of it. I think because the story was just beyond unrealistic, I know it's a comedy, and I always do lighten up for a movie, but this just seemed ridicules. These boys who are getting picked on, I mean, they're not just getting picked on they're are getting brutally humiliated and somehow no one notices? Not to mention that a homeless guy can just walk into a school wearing a tie and he is assumed to be a substitute and no one asks questions? This script must have been written by someone who was drunk. Three kids at school are getting brutally picked on by two bullies, they're getting hit constantly, being made fun of, getting stuffed into trophy cabinets, and even getting hung from doors; they've had it, they decide to hire a body guard to protect them. They meet Drillbit Taylor, an actual homeless guy who is trying to get to Canada, so he's ripping off these kids in any way he can to get there, but he promises them that he's a great body guard and will teach them how to fight. Of course madness ensues, he ends up liking the kids, the story speaks for itself, I'm sorry. The movie is unoriginal, the comedy is alright, the actors, I wasn't impressed with the casting. I just feel like this movie could have been so much more, it just seems so beyond insane to me to believe a lot of these situations. Not to mention, the bully, he was kinda puny, and I was supposed to believe him as a bully who can kick anyone's butt? I know that everyone is going to tell me to lighten up with this movie, but honestly, I feel like it did waste my time, it was predictable and not comedy gold, I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone to be honest. 3/10

Drillbit Taylor comes from the quite remarkable team that brought 40 Year Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad and Walk Hard. While this movie doesn't quite live up to their ideals, it still is an enjoyable 2 hours. The plot revolves around 3 students and their horrifying treatment at the hands of a couple of uber-bullies. Enter Drillbit Taylor ( Owen Wilson )- a man who is basically a bum who just wants to at first fleece the kids so that he go to Canada to start anew. However the more he gets entangled in the story, the more he begins to care for the 3 kids. The plot is incredibly predictable and doesn't really go anywhere amazing. The three kids themselves too are very similar to the three kids from Superbad; just younger. Whether this was a conscious decision or not, it sorta makes the movie have to stand in comparison with Superbad and unfortunately it doesn't have Superbad's black humour. What it does have though is some nice little comic set pieces, particularly in the middle of the film which are helped by Owen Wilson, who seems to be able to play his part effortlessly. This is a movie that will never set the world on fire, but what it does do is raise a laugh or two without offending anyone ( quite new ground for Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen ). For their first real go at a family film, it does OK.

Yes, Owen Wilson is always likable in these kinds of roles. Yes, it has more than a few funny moments. Yes, it's easy to like the heroes and hate the bad guys. Why does no one find it disturbing?? Because it makes a happy ending, typical Hollywood wrap up, to violent, disturbing, deeply troubling and criminal harassment and torture. Only people who don't care and don't ever think about why they like what they like and how the film-makers manipulate, would not object here. It is an irresponsible film and really glorifies the problem by making it a fun buddy caper. I hate to sound so uptight, and I don't think I really am, but some of the sadistic attacks on these children made me cringe and rage as I saw it... not because it went too far, but because to some degree this sort of thing happens everyday, and the system, the school, the parents the other students stand by just as they do in this film. However, here we have a fantasy about some crazy solution. It would be fun and cute if it weren't such a vile topic - one nobody seems to take seriously. If you have children, or know children or care about children in the public school system, this film should not be fun for you. Do not suspend your disbelief. Is rape a fun topic for a happy ending buddy comedy? Is murder? Is child beating? Domestic violence? No? Really?? No one would say yes to any of that? Then why is a topic that can lead to things like school shootings and suicide, not to mention the endless fear, deep emtional damage and daily desperation and unhappiness of many children's lives, so easily translated into a cutesy buddy film with a happy, feel-good ending? The makers of this film should bear some scrutiny for exploiting such an issue, for diminishing it and making light of it. As I started by saying, yes, there is fun involved, but those who are so immune to the ugliness portrayed here, the wrong, the real problem that goes as ignored in the real world as it does here, that this is enough, should do some thinking when they watch films.

'Drilbit Taylor' is a teen movie that revolves around three highschool students being bullied and in order to protect themselves they plan to hire a bodyguard. The film has its own charm and is quite likable thanks mostly to Wilson's chemistry with the three teens. Another thing I liked about this movie is that it wasn't overloaded with sex and crudeness which seems to be a forced compulsory requirement of every teen movie these days (a recent example being the awful 'Superbad'). The teen actors, Nate Hartley and Troy Gentile are very good. Hartley particularly gives a natural performance. Owen Wilson uses his superb comic timing and does nothing short of great. What I didn't like about 'Drilbit Taylor' is that it tends to go unnecessarily over the top with some sequences and the fight scene in the end is a little too violent. The bullying scenes were meant to be funny (at least that's the impression I got given the background score and the way it was executed) but with me they had the opposite effect and I wonder how kids who are actually bullied would feel after watching such scenes being used as comic relief. However on the other hand, it might be uplifting to them as the point of the movie was to stand up for oneself and his friends. Anyway, 'Drilbit Taylor' is fun entertainment. Not the best of its kind but still good enough.

Drillbit Taylor is the latest Apatow/Frat Pack movie. It isn't great and it isn't awful. Rogen's screenplay disappointed me, he did such a good job on Superbad. This movie will be compared to Superbad and rightfully so. It basically serves as a prelude to Superbad. Owen Wilson does his usual. Wilson's charm and improv skills keep this movie afloat. I think that if this movie was rated R it would have fared better with reviews and box office performance. Overall though its a must see for Frat Pack fans and Wilson fans. I also wish Owen well in his upcoming projects and i hope he is well on the road to recovery. 6/10

Right off the bat, I have to say that I am pretty easily pleased. There aren't a hell of a lot of movies that I absolutely loathe. Just movies I will not want to see again. Drillbit Taylor is essentially a younger Superbad with Owen Wilson. Unfortunately, the story is not as engaging, not as funny and just not as good. This movie will most likely be a stepping stone for several of the young cast. Alex Frost as Filkins, the bully, is quite frightening and plays the slightly psychotic role extremely well. Troy Gentile is being labeled as a young Jonah Hill, but I felt he was a lot more like Joe Pesci. Nate Hartley did well as the young second lead. There are a number of funny scenes like the bullying montage, the rap battle and Wade and Ryan's preparation. The problem that there is too much stuff in between which isn't funny.

I recently watched this movie... and it was not worth watching. I have enjoyed the other recent movies by the director, producers, and actor(s), yet this fell drastically short. They try to sell too many slap-stick jokes that have comedy value to anyone older than 7. There are very funny parts, but not enough to sustain the movie. People who are fans of Seth Rogen, Steven Brill, and Owen Wilson will be very disappointed. Do yourself a favor and wait for this to come out on DVD, which probably won't take long. Kids will eat this up like candy, but those over 7 will be let down, by a long shot. Sorry guys, this one is bad, but I am willing to bet your next titles (respectively) will be as good as your previous titles, and that this horrible film was just a fluke. The next time I see Drillbit Taylor will be too soon.