Obviously a labor of love, this family movie will appeal to a very limited audience. Definitely not a chick flick, unless your girlfriend or spouse is into fishing. I suppose fishermen, and anybody who tolerates goofy characters doing stupid things, might find it bearable. The actors are definitely limited by the overly simplistic script. Richard Riehle, and Harve Presnell are welcome additions to the supporting cast. In fact, Harve Presnell's character is not unlike the abrasive Fatherinlaw he played to perfection in "Fargo". "Bait Shop" is an effective time waster, if you happen to be in the mood for mindless entertainment. - MERK
7 Reviews
Blue collar humor.
michaelRokeefe25 June 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Shift into neutral and relax. Blue collar comic Bill Engvall plays Bill, a small bait shop owner about to lose his life-long dream to foreclosure. One way to round up the dough to keep his bait store open is to enter the big bass fishing tournament. Of course, having the worst looking boat on the lake isn't enough to stop him; going up against his business competitor Hot Rod Johnson(Billy Ray Cyrus) brings about an all-out fishing war. Its the good old boy against the flashy ego driven fishing champ. There are some knee-slapping belly-laughs, but not award winning memorable. Also in the cast: Billy Joe Shaver, Mary Rachel Dudley, Harve Presnell and Vincent Martella.
How'd this movie get funded?
brucecsnow28 June 2017
It's like all the comedians that Bill knew refused to write any good material for the movie. Bad or no jokes. Two dimensional characters. Predictable plot line. At least Billy Ray Cyrus is despicable despite his acting.
The only thing that saves this movie was that it wasn't filmed with an 8mm camera. ESPN and Bassmasters should be embarrassed.
The only thing that saves this movie was that it wasn't filmed with an 8mm camera. ESPN and Bassmasters should be embarrassed.
Good family comedy
jloyd-991924 November 2019
Very entertaining, simple feel-good film
LizSta24213 November 2020
Yes, this is a pretty simple script and it's predictable. But so what? It's great fun and I was laughing out loud as most of the fishing 'calamities' instantly reminded me of those I witness my husband face on a regular basis. The acting is perfectly fine, this is meant to be hammy after all! Really enjoyed it.
REEL GOOD
nogodnomasters23 April 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I was told by a 10 year old girl (the one who sold it to me at the flea market) this was a real good film. This film is to bass fishing what Rocky is to boxing...almost. Bill Dugan (Bill Engvall) owns a bait shop on a lake. He has a cast of regulars in the shop which reminded my of the scenes by the fence in "King of the Hill" which include one man (Rus Blackwell) into conspiracy theories. Bill has a wonderful wife (Mary Rachel Dudley), a son (Vincent Martella) who needs some adjusting, a father-in-law (Harve Presnell) who is wealthy, and unfortunately a balloon payment on his shop.
To make matters worse the flashy bass fisherman, Hot Rod Johnson (Billy Ray Cyrus) has opened a fish emporium store next to Bill's Bait Shop. Bill enters the local fishing tournament were the prize is $50,000 in order to save his shop. Bill uses his old fashion fishing methods, while Hot Rod uses the latest high tech fish finders.
The comedy was simple. The story ignores the fact of any zoning discussions, or how one must legally land a fish in a tournament. While the movie creates characters, most of them were caricatures.
A fairly good film for family night. Only very slight innuendos, such as when Bill and his wife wake up, he places his arm around her and she says, "No." Girls in bikinis.
To make matters worse the flashy bass fisherman, Hot Rod Johnson (Billy Ray Cyrus) has opened a fish emporium store next to Bill's Bait Shop. Bill enters the local fishing tournament were the prize is $50,000 in order to save his shop. Bill uses his old fashion fishing methods, while Hot Rod uses the latest high tech fish finders.
The comedy was simple. The story ignores the fact of any zoning discussions, or how one must legally land a fish in a tournament. While the movie creates characters, most of them were caricatures.
A fairly good film for family night. Only very slight innuendos, such as when Bill and his wife wake up, he places his arm around her and she says, "No." Girls in bikinis.
I might be a redneck. Here's your sign!
gnc697125 November 2021
Ok, I know it's not a classic but for me, but I've recently discovered MLF (Major League Fishing) and have to say, it's pretty freakin cool to watch! I've never been an avid fisherman but watching MLF on the Outdoor Network since I became disabled has become a huge pastime of mine, and it's inspired me to go out and get a new Abu Garcia Spinning Rod to go along with my old Cabela's Bait Caster and I'm spending a lot more time on the lake now since I've retired, and I have to say, it's absolutely Heaven. This movie may not be a classic, as I stated but it means alot to me, for the reasons I stated but also because I am born and bred from the Deep South (Charleston, SC) and I never really thought of myself as a redneck but these days I wear that badge with honor. I'm not prejudiced against anyone who's not prejudiced against me, I just love the things that remind me of growing up in South Carolina and Mississippi (where my grandparents lived) and those things are fishing, hunting, church, nascar- lol, respect your elders, and oh, yeah, some of the best food on the planet, I love me some good southern cooking! So that's what this movie does to me. It brings me to a place I don't get to spend as much time in as I'd like anymore, being as we moved out west and I grew up mostly here in Arizona (which also has some great points but that's another post lol). Anyway, this movie is a permanent addition to my iPad downloads as a movie to watch while I'm on the road, whether it's a 10/10 or not! I loved it and will watch it repeatedly for as long as I can!
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