I was positively intrigued to see such a wide divergence of opinion on this flick; I can't recall ever seeing such a split opinion in this space. Therefore I will offer the moderate observation that, while being far from the cleverest comedy I've seen, the movie isn't all that bad. The script is not a particularly witty effort, but the tangled web that these 4 retired hoods spin for themselves becomes progressively more intriguing. (I would note that the arson technique portrayed must be taken with about a pound of salt) The sentimental sub-plot about the missing daughter is unnecessary and dilutes the comedy (though, mercifully it's not played up very big). Altogether, not a cause for raves, but not as bad as some here say.
49 Reviews
Light senior moments
Chase_Witherspoon13 November 2010
So much promise, yet so little achievement was the enduring impression left on me after watching this comedy. A group of ageing ex-con artists conjure an imaginative, yet flawed plot to save their Miami retirement home from soaring rents by using the body of a dead neighbour to scare away potential residents. When the dead man's son (Sandoval) emerges to take vengeance on those responsible for his death, they use their collective criminal experience to dodge the attempted retributions.
Dreyfuss, Reynolds, Cassel and Hedaya probably weren't quite old enough to convince me that they were geriatrics, relying on props to affect the age (hearing aids etc) although Reynolds did a great impression of someone who'd lost his marbles. His near-death epiphanies lead to several hair-brained schemes while Dreyfuss' main angle is assisting the local police investigating the death, the female detective (Moss) unaware the she is his daughter. She mistakes his kindly advances as those of a dirty old man, while Dreyfuss is trying to work out how to confess to the ruse, and still reconcile with the daughter neither knew existed. Moss is stunning and it's almost inconceivable that the Pivster (Piven) is both her detective partner and boyfriend from whom she's estranged. Must be low self esteem...
Slapstick, sentimental comedy has its moments and an appealing cast but never quite hit the notes I was expecting, all things considered. Easy, lightweight viewing.
Dreyfuss, Reynolds, Cassel and Hedaya probably weren't quite old enough to convince me that they were geriatrics, relying on props to affect the age (hearing aids etc) although Reynolds did a great impression of someone who'd lost his marbles. His near-death epiphanies lead to several hair-brained schemes while Dreyfuss' main angle is assisting the local police investigating the death, the female detective (Moss) unaware the she is his daughter. She mistakes his kindly advances as those of a dirty old man, while Dreyfuss is trying to work out how to confess to the ruse, and still reconcile with the daughter neither knew existed. Moss is stunning and it's almost inconceivable that the Pivster (Piven) is both her detective partner and boyfriend from whom she's estranged. Must be low self esteem...
Slapstick, sentimental comedy has its moments and an appealing cast but never quite hit the notes I was expecting, all things considered. Easy, lightweight viewing.
A Crew of Veterans.
anaconda-406589 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
The Crew (2000): Dir: Michael Dinner / Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Burt Reynolds, Dan Hedaya, Seymour Cassel, Carrie-Anne Moss: Here is a comedy that features a concept that is actually funny. Title suggests small factors prevailing over bigger ones. It opens in New Jersey 1968 and chronicles four mafia guys now living in a care home. Richard Dreyfuss regrets leaving his family and wishes to locate his daughter. Burt Reynolds cannot hold a job. Dan Hedaya works at a morgue. Seymour Cassel hardly speaks accepts during sex. They are blackmailed into kidnapping but accidentally blow up the home of a drug dealer. This is perhaps the funniest and best set up comic sequence in the film, and director Michael Dinner capitalizes upon it with great payoff. Acting by the veteran cast is a great combination. Dreyfuss will discover that his daughter is indeed the police woman investigating their crimes. Reynolds cannot make a career out of the fast food industry. Hedaya makes smiles on the corpses at the morgue. And Cassel has great sex. Carrie-Anne Moss is effective as Dreyfuss's daughter who is a police officer and now dealing with who her father became. What works against it is the contrived ending that allows the criminal so-called good guys to get off the hook. It has a great theme regarding time and age and a small crew that got duped into making a terrible move. Score: 7 / 10
Hugely entertaining
alexmucha27 July 2003
A plot that takes an unusual and comical look at what would normally be the darker side of society, with retired mobsters, detectives, hookers and bungling drug lords coming together in a storyline that takes all the cliches and presents them in a new and refreshing manner.
I've watched this movie several times - I think it's well written and acted, with some great characters, the casting is excellent as is the soundtrack.
Not a great classic, but I don't think it's trying to be, just a hugely entertaining movie - I'm sure the actors enjoyed making it.
I've watched this movie several times - I think it's well written and acted, with some great characters, the casting is excellent as is the soundtrack.
Not a great classic, but I don't think it's trying to be, just a hugely entertaining movie - I'm sure the actors enjoyed making it.
could be a tv movie
mm-3930 August 2000
This film could be a tv movie,its budget, script, and acting; I've seen better made for tv movies then this one. It not bad, but I would rent it, there is a few laughs. I was happy I went on cheap night, this movie is not worth $8.50 times 2 when I head out. In defence this movie is not bad either, the movies story did not make me drift off and the cast played a very entertaining role, and I even laughed a couple of times.
Amusing spoof of 'Goodfellas'
moirakc27 September 2000
Mob film affectionados will appreciate this film if only that it adds a new perspective to an old theme. There are several cleverly orchestrated scenes which spoof other classic mobster films, giving viewers something more than simple comedy to get them laughing. Richard Dreyfuss was not entirely convincing as a retired 'wiseguy'; he doesn't really fit the part somehow. The storyline may have been improbable at times, and dragged a little on a few occasions, but for the most part it holds one's attention until the very end. It really makes one wonder; what does happen to all those old "made" guys if they happen to live to retirement age?
TV quality mob comedy
FlickJunkie-28 April 2001
`The Crew' is a comedy that attempts to be `Goodfellas' plus forty years. Four aging wiseguys have retired to Florida and they spend most of their time reminiscing about the glory days. Eager for some action, they cook up a number of bumbling schemes that make them feel like they are back in the rackets. The screenplay is mildly droll, but lacks anything that might be considered hilarious. It is a bit more entertaining if you happen to have grown up in any metro New York Italian neighborhood, since the actors do a good job of capturing the colloquialisms and attitudes one might have found there.
The film has a TV feel about it, which is not surprising given the fact that the writer is Barry Fanaro (`Benson', `Golden Girls', `Archie Bunker's Place') and the director is Michael Dinner (`The Wonder Years', `Chicago Hope', `The Street'). Also working against the premise is the fact that we have been inundated with Mafia humor (`Analyze This', `Mickey Blue Eyes', etc.) lately and the novelty is wearing off.
The acting is okay, but not great. Richard Dreyfuss is reasonably good as the narrator and leader of the motley crew. Dan Hedaya and Seymour Cassell are also wryly humorous as his henchmen. Burt Reynolds is probably the weak link here. Carrie-Anne Moss has a minor role that doesn't give us much by which to judge her talents. The best performance is probably by Jennifer Tilly, who plays her standard airhead sex-bomb character, which says a lot about the general mediocrity of the film.
This occasionally amusing dark comedy has a veteran cast but fails to elevate itself above sitcom class humor. I rated it 5/10. Add a point or two if you like mob humor or grew up in New Jersey in the sixties.
The film has a TV feel about it, which is not surprising given the fact that the writer is Barry Fanaro (`Benson', `Golden Girls', `Archie Bunker's Place') and the director is Michael Dinner (`The Wonder Years', `Chicago Hope', `The Street'). Also working against the premise is the fact that we have been inundated with Mafia humor (`Analyze This', `Mickey Blue Eyes', etc.) lately and the novelty is wearing off.
The acting is okay, but not great. Richard Dreyfuss is reasonably good as the narrator and leader of the motley crew. Dan Hedaya and Seymour Cassell are also wryly humorous as his henchmen. Burt Reynolds is probably the weak link here. Carrie-Anne Moss has a minor role that doesn't give us much by which to judge her talents. The best performance is probably by Jennifer Tilly, who plays her standard airhead sex-bomb character, which says a lot about the general mediocrity of the film.
This occasionally amusing dark comedy has a veteran cast but fails to elevate itself above sitcom class humor. I rated it 5/10. Add a point or two if you like mob humor or grew up in New Jersey in the sixties.
A flick with a brain, a heart, and a good sense of humor.
=G=13 May 2001
"The Crew" tells of four aging "wise guys" retired in Florida who tire of being "porch potatoes" and decide to reinvent their "crew" which leads to a series of funny escapades. The film has a solid cast, a lively joke-a-second script, and plenty of criss-crossed subplots so there's never a dull moment. Unlike "Space Cowboys", "The Crew" never takes itself too seriously, doesn't mix genres, and it, IMHO, a more fun watch. Now, if yous got a problem with that...forgettaboutit!
GRUMPY OLD MEN JOIN THE MOB
Mitch-387 July 2002
Warning: Spoilers
*Warning* Possible spoilers ahead* In the vein of aging boomer comedies, affording more opportunities for older actors to star in mainstream movies, THE CREW is part of this trend. Seeing Hollywood do this about face is good, even if their interest lies purely in the commercial potential.
The story brings us to a gaggle of aging mobsters, spending out their last days in some sweaty, ramshackle hotel in Florida. Naturally, there are going to be literally tons of old age maladies, used as fodder for humor. Anything from prostrate problems, hair loss, erectile dysfunction, etc. etc. Some of it works, and some of it takes a nap.
The pacing of the film keeps it slow, even plodding, and the subplots became way too many, to keep this film focused. Love interests, improbable situations, trying too hard to make the protagonists look like lovable and cutesy curmudgeons, long lost daughters, on and on, ties this film to a short tether.
THE CREW floats about midstream at average, and has a few good moments. The rest of the time we wait for something to happen.
RECOMMENDED, for fans of the leads (Richard Dreyfuss, Burt Reynolds or Dan Hedaya).
The story brings us to a gaggle of aging mobsters, spending out their last days in some sweaty, ramshackle hotel in Florida. Naturally, there are going to be literally tons of old age maladies, used as fodder for humor. Anything from prostrate problems, hair loss, erectile dysfunction, etc. etc. Some of it works, and some of it takes a nap.
The pacing of the film keeps it slow, even plodding, and the subplots became way too many, to keep this film focused. Love interests, improbable situations, trying too hard to make the protagonists look like lovable and cutesy curmudgeons, long lost daughters, on and on, ties this film to a short tether.
THE CREW floats about midstream at average, and has a few good moments. The rest of the time we wait for something to happen.
RECOMMENDED, for fans of the leads (Richard Dreyfuss, Burt Reynolds or Dan Hedaya).
Grumpy Old Mobsters
ScorpioVelvet1 July 2016
I would never thought of seeing Richard Dreyfuss working with Burt Reynolds until I've watched The Crew (2000). It is like Grumpy Old Men (1993) except it deals with old-time mobsters who decide to reunite for one last crime and things get fishy when they make it on the news as another group of mobsters interfere with their lives. The film has dozens of pretty funny moments & dialogues while Dreyfuss & Reynolds go at their funniest & best in the entire comedy genre. Plus Dan Hedaya makes a fine addition to the cast, too. No wonder why anybody has watched this film before except recalling my family owning it on VHS, but still a good comedy to watch to pass some time.
My Rating: 3/5
My Rating: 3/5
Amusing, Yes. But scattershot and still misses the mark
Bob-4517 July 2001
"The Crew," like one of its leads, Burt Reynolds, had great potential, but squandered it in silliness and a scattershot approach. Reynolds, along with Richard Dreyfuss, Seymour Cassal and Dan Hedaya play over-the-hill mobsters now retired in Miami Beach, trying to save their retirement hotel from the intrusion of yuppies. The scheme the use to do this is actually quite clever. However, as always, the "devil is in the details". The execution is too violent and sexually gamey for senior citizens (particularly female), too silly and juvenile for teen audiences and too predictable for the rest of us. Certainly, I cannot quibble with the casting or the performances in "The Crew". In addition to the leads, Lainie Kazan is always a welcome attraction, as is Jennifer Tilly (when one can keep his eyes off her boobs or her legs, one realizes Tilly can be a first rate actress). Carrie Anne-Moss seems a bit miscast. She's a bit to hard to engender the kind of warmth necessary in her role. But Miguel Sandoval excels in a thankless, stereotypical role as the drug lord. Although Touchstone Films premiered with a film using frontal nudity ("Splash"), the sex and violence in "The Crew" seems out of place. Let's see, we have simulated oral sex, Men's magazine level near nudity (course, no worse than you see at the beach or a public pool) and violence involving baseball bats, shotguns and near drownings. Have we really been THIS desensitized?
A highly underrated sleeper comedy
optimistjean7 August 2005
I don't think this movie was given enough of a chance. The cast alone is worth watching the movie for (Jennifer Tilly is one of my favorites; the cast also includes Burt Reynolds, Richard Dreyfuss, Jeremy Piven and Carrie Anne Moss. The jokes are cute and clever, and although it doesn't have the clever wit of a Tarantino, it's still well-timed and hilarious.
I'd never heard of this movie and happened to see it on TV. Now, I'm a hard sell, and I laughed my ass off through half the movie and smiled at the sweet, fairy tale ending that leaves everyone walking away from the movie with warm fuzzies.
And it's not just some mushy piece of sap; it's about old wise guys, so there are plenty of geriatric fist fights and pee jokes for the guys (and for those of us females who appreciate gentle toilet humor too, like me).
So give this movie a chance, is all I'm saying, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
I'd never heard of this movie and happened to see it on TV. Now, I'm a hard sell, and I laughed my ass off through half the movie and smiled at the sweet, fairy tale ending that leaves everyone walking away from the movie with warm fuzzies.
And it's not just some mushy piece of sap; it's about old wise guys, so there are plenty of geriatric fist fights and pee jokes for the guys (and for those of us females who appreciate gentle toilet humor too, like me).
So give this movie a chance, is all I'm saying, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Sweet, But Unrealistic Mob Comedy.
FiendishDramaturgy31 May 2007
I was delighted with the casting choices here, but in all honesty, they just don't work. Dreyfus and Reynolds are bumping heads, dramatically speaking. The gags don't work. You have four greats (Dan Hedaya, Seymour Cassel, Richard Dreyfus, and Burt Reynolds), who are all funny and they are all straight/serious, but at all the wrong times, which throw the timing off so badly that you don't get a single good laugh out of it.
It tries to feel like the camaraderie experienced in Cocoon, but it comes off more like an extended version of Johnny Skidmarks, and not in a good way! Not that there could BE a good way, I hated that movie! Honestly, it's okay for a light chuckle, but if you're looking for substance of ANY kind, you won't find it here.
It rates a 5.5/10 from...
the Fiend :.
It tries to feel like the camaraderie experienced in Cocoon, but it comes off more like an extended version of Johnny Skidmarks, and not in a good way! Not that there could BE a good way, I hated that movie! Honestly, it's okay for a light chuckle, but if you're looking for substance of ANY kind, you won't find it here.
It rates a 5.5/10 from...
the Fiend :.
Well what can I say
bluebomber5 September 2000
Like many I thought this was a waste of some very good talent. I hope that this doesn't mean that these people are on their way down the proverbial ladder and will have to sink into the gutter with more trash like this. I expected so much more and am very disappointed. Hindsight now tells me I should have waited for the Video a few years from now and saved a few bucks. But then maybe in a few years you won't even be able to find it on the shelves
IMHO I rate it 3/10
IMHO I rate it 3/10
Not Bad
tasker10925 August 2000
Maybe because I "AM" over 50 I enjoyed the Crew. I cant say. But the music was good too. I came home and did a search on Napster for Joe Pesci's "Old Man Time". Good song. Check it out. People are used to complicated stories and special effects. They cant just sit and be entertained anymore. Which is what this movie is-entertainment. I enjoyed it. 7 out of 10 stars I would say.
Not good, but not a waste either
Quinoa198431 August 2000
This film doesn't have all the great jokes it could've had, but it does have likeable characters and a Ok premise. In Space Cowboys it had everything right, with the old timers. This film doesn't have it all. But, it does have some good acting (mainly by the 4 leads) and some good humor at the wiseguy genre (following in Mafia!, The Sopranos and Analyze This) and even though it doesn't help enough, it makes it watchable. For some. C
Somebody needs to whack this movie.
kpanther8322 August 2000
Now I know this is an August movie but that is no excuse for this pointless comedy. I was completely lost in this movie about 4 old retired "wise guys" who wanted that spunk and thrill back into their lives. Problem is was that the main story--which I'm still unsure of--was saturated with ridiculous side stories about getting back with your girlfriend, finding your lost love one, and a rather stupid involvement with a stripper. Maybe I would have been able to laugh at the many jokes if I wasn't concentrating so much on finding the point of the movie, or for that matter, the point of me still being in the movie theatre. I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone under the age of 50 (the elderly people, who occupied 80% of the audience, seemed to enjoy it).
I just wanted to see Christa Campbell
lastliberal9 August 2007
Sometimes we watch movies for the strangest reasons; at least I do. I tuned into this movie about a bunch of aging mobsters for one reason - and it wasn't to see Richard Dreyfuss, Burt Reynolds, Dan Hedaya, or Seymour Cassel, who played some aging mobsters trying to stop the development of their South Beach hotel.
I do have to say that the mob needs a retirement plan, as it is pitiful seeing old wise guys flipping burgers or dancing with old widows for $3.50 an hour.
The mobsters came up against the Columbian mob led by Miguel Sandoval when they accidentally whacked his father. They didn't really, but that part of the humor in this film.
It was nice to see Jennifer Tilly and Carrie Ann Moss, and Jeremy Piven as a sleazy mob-connected detective that was always trying to hit on Moss, but they are not the reason I tuned in either.
This story has been done before in different ways with different characters. There was noting especially funny about this version or the actors involved.
So, why did I watch it? I wanted to see Christa Campbell, who was on the screen for maybe five seconds. I could have waited for next month's Playboy, or October's Scars, or the release of Death by Engagement, but I just couldn't wait. It wasn't worth the five seconds.
I do have to say that the mob needs a retirement plan, as it is pitiful seeing old wise guys flipping burgers or dancing with old widows for $3.50 an hour.
The mobsters came up against the Columbian mob led by Miguel Sandoval when they accidentally whacked his father. They didn't really, but that part of the humor in this film.
It was nice to see Jennifer Tilly and Carrie Ann Moss, and Jeremy Piven as a sleazy mob-connected detective that was always trying to hit on Moss, but they are not the reason I tuned in either.
This story has been done before in different ways with different characters. There was noting especially funny about this version or the actors involved.
So, why did I watch it? I wanted to see Christa Campbell, who was on the screen for maybe five seconds. I could have waited for next month's Playboy, or October's Scars, or the release of Death by Engagement, but I just couldn't wait. It wasn't worth the five seconds.
A wasted opportunity
mattymatt4ever8 April 2001
Let me see...old retirees/former gangsters decide to reform the crew. Sounds great to me. What doesn't sound great is the way they handled this potentially hilarious premise. I can't say I hated this movie, because I did get quite a few chuckles, but no real laughs. And when you see a cast including Burt Reynolds and Richard Dreyfuss you can't help but feel cheated when it doesn't live up to the hype. First of all, the trailers are misleading. And the poster of the whole crew--Dreyfuss, Reynolds, Seymour Cassel and Dan Hedaya--in gangster suits and hats is as well. Because we hardly ever get to see them get into action, mob-wise. In the first act, we're bombarded with senior citizen stereotypes: getting to a restaurant in time for free soup, ogling young women, having weak bladders, playing Bingo, etc. In other words, it goes for pretty cheap pay-offs. The four leads look more like caricatures of senior citizens than actual senior citizens. Everything in this movie is mediocre, except the acting. Some critics felt the movie was trying too hard; I felt it was trying too little. The plot, however, is overwrought. We're stuck with one preposterous situation after another, and they all somehow interlock. In a funnier movie, I would've excused that--but in this one...the plot was a distraction. Just like how we're stuck with old people stereotypes, we're stuck with Cuban stereotypes, with a bunch of "Scarface" wannabes. That didn't work out too well either. Despite the great cast, I would not suggest renting this movie. Though it's not bad, there's so much unocovered potential that you just want to yell out your ideas to the director. The cast deserves better and we deserve better.
Light, Fun Comedy
stang426 August 2000
Wanna see something fun with no blood, no hidden agenda, just humor? It's a lotta fun. It's not adolescent glee -- don't expect Mike Myers. But it's not short on entertainment value. Four old retired wise guys are forced back into the "business" for reasons beyond their control. Sometimes it's a bit formulaic, but it's always entertaining. I'll see it again.
Really, Really Bad
mgreene-212 May 2001
I rented The Crew (2000) with my family and could not even finish watching the whole thing, and it was only 88 minutes long! Director Michael Dinner needs to stick to TV. Voice overs worked great in The Wonder Years (tv show) but I don't need a voice over for the first 45 minutes of any movie. This movie was a brainless and pathetic attempt at humor. This movie was not funny, nor thought provoking, and really is a complete waste of time. Its not that it was just not funny, it was actually annoying, aggravating, and painful to watch. I give this movie a two, which is 100% mark-up for what it really deserves just because of the cinematography, set design, and editing. Enough said. This movie was AWFUL!!
Funny but, like senility, short...
boothboy1822 August 2000
There are good parts and there are bad parts in "The Crew." The good stuff is that all four geezers in the movie are consistently amusing, Jennifer Tilly has never looked better (maybe her cleavage has something to do with that), it's good to see Carrie-Anne Moss in something other than "The Matrix," and the general level of humor is funny even though we've seen it a million times. On the bad side, it's much too short to make a lasting impact, poor Jeremy Piven is stuck in a thankless role, too many jokes are aimed at the same target, and too much time passes between major gut-busters. Still, Richard Dreyfuss and Burt Reynolds get their share of laughs, even though the cleavage gets all the attention.
This movie bit the big one!
pepperanne1423 May 2001
I saw this movie on a flight to Florida...and I turned it off. There was nothing else to do...but I turned it off. It was awful! It really is a shame b/c the idea had great potential...the script was poorly written, poorly executed and just plain boring! It was like the Talented Mr Ripley...I kept waiting and waiting for it to get better...until the wait became excruciating!! LOL Take a pass on this one
Worthless junk
Empire-312 May 2002
This "comedy" is awful. It is boring. Good actors making fools of themselves appearing in this awful movie. There was nothing funny in this movie. Jokes are awful and the plot is junk also... Avoid this movie at all costs. I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone. Depressing...
Simply not funny; one of the year
Movie-1222 September 2000
THE CREW / (2000) * (out of four)
Michael Dinner's new mob parody, "The Crew," just isn't funny. It is as plain and simple as that. The movie is so engrossed in its concepts that it forgets the concepts are not what make people laugh, but the execution of those concepts. Various humors contained within the film provide one-liners and visual sight gags evolving from age, death, sex, and testosterone, not many that are effective. While I enjoyed Michael Dinner's direction style and some of the nifty camera angles, he fails miserably on bringing inspiration to the production. "The Crew" is one of the worst comedies of the year.
The film takes place in South Beach, Miami, where four old men are about to be evicted from their apartment due to rising rent costs. Little does the landlord know, however, the senior citizens used to be slick, wiseguy criminals Bobby Bartellemro (Richard Dreyfuss), Joey "Bats" Pistella (Burt Reynolds), Mike "The Brick" Donatelli (Dan Hedaya) and Tony "The Mouth" Donato. These guys are beginning to realize life is passing them by and plan to concoct a scheme to place them in their past shoes.
The movie has little development of anything. The characters, who are potentially interesting, are introduced with short, specific scenes featuring each in a disjointed incidence in which they react to; their various behaviors are what portray their personalities. Because of the lack of decent prefaces, the character's intentions are unclear throughout the story. Thus the story struggles to pull itself through a brief running time that feels much longer than it is. The producers seemingly inject sight gags along the way for commercial appearance, and the ones that are funny already have been milked to death in TV ads and theatrical trailers.
Bobby, Joey, Mike, and Tony come up with an idea to save their home. They steal a body from the local morgue, blow its head off with a shotgun, and leave it in the lobby of their hotel, thus the seemingly murderous event will lower the popularity of the hotel and keep the rent in check.
Several other key characters come into play. There is a South American drug lord named Raul Ventanna (Miguel Sandoval), who thinks someone's trying to send him a threatening message, ex-lovers and detectives Olivia Neal (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Steve Menteer (Jeremy Piven) who are investigating the homicide and believe the old men to be potential suspects, and a local prostitute/stripper, Ferris (Jennifer Tilly), who blackmails the four guys into murdering her stepmother, Pepper (Lainie Kazan).
The plot is not interesting or engaging mainly because I never cared about any of the unexplained characters. This is the kind of movie in which the ideas are potentially amusing, but the implementation of those ideas are accomplished quite poorly. The plot is frustrating, injecting stale contrivances like an estranged relationship between a father and daughter that feels trite and boring. This movie is like a lacking "Mafia" with a third of the energy.
In a movie as deprived as "The Crew" an inquisitive audience member anxiously awaits the conclusion, not only because they are overcome with pleasure that the pitiful waste of time is finally over, but also because the ending usually brings a sense of accomplishment to a production, regardless of how horrible. However, that sense of accomplishment is also absent from "The Crew." This film's ending resolves itself in a fashion that is entirely unconvincing and abstract. If you are looking for a funny movie about old men doing things out of their league, go see the funny and poignant "Space Cowboys": a movie that shows just how horrible this one is.
Michael Dinner's new mob parody, "The Crew," just isn't funny. It is as plain and simple as that. The movie is so engrossed in its concepts that it forgets the concepts are not what make people laugh, but the execution of those concepts. Various humors contained within the film provide one-liners and visual sight gags evolving from age, death, sex, and testosterone, not many that are effective. While I enjoyed Michael Dinner's direction style and some of the nifty camera angles, he fails miserably on bringing inspiration to the production. "The Crew" is one of the worst comedies of the year.
The film takes place in South Beach, Miami, where four old men are about to be evicted from their apartment due to rising rent costs. Little does the landlord know, however, the senior citizens used to be slick, wiseguy criminals Bobby Bartellemro (Richard Dreyfuss), Joey "Bats" Pistella (Burt Reynolds), Mike "The Brick" Donatelli (Dan Hedaya) and Tony "The Mouth" Donato. These guys are beginning to realize life is passing them by and plan to concoct a scheme to place them in their past shoes.
The movie has little development of anything. The characters, who are potentially interesting, are introduced with short, specific scenes featuring each in a disjointed incidence in which they react to; their various behaviors are what portray their personalities. Because of the lack of decent prefaces, the character's intentions are unclear throughout the story. Thus the story struggles to pull itself through a brief running time that feels much longer than it is. The producers seemingly inject sight gags along the way for commercial appearance, and the ones that are funny already have been milked to death in TV ads and theatrical trailers.
Bobby, Joey, Mike, and Tony come up with an idea to save their home. They steal a body from the local morgue, blow its head off with a shotgun, and leave it in the lobby of their hotel, thus the seemingly murderous event will lower the popularity of the hotel and keep the rent in check.
Several other key characters come into play. There is a South American drug lord named Raul Ventanna (Miguel Sandoval), who thinks someone's trying to send him a threatening message, ex-lovers and detectives Olivia Neal (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Steve Menteer (Jeremy Piven) who are investigating the homicide and believe the old men to be potential suspects, and a local prostitute/stripper, Ferris (Jennifer Tilly), who blackmails the four guys into murdering her stepmother, Pepper (Lainie Kazan).
The plot is not interesting or engaging mainly because I never cared about any of the unexplained characters. This is the kind of movie in which the ideas are potentially amusing, but the implementation of those ideas are accomplished quite poorly. The plot is frustrating, injecting stale contrivances like an estranged relationship between a father and daughter that feels trite and boring. This movie is like a lacking "Mafia" with a third of the energy.
In a movie as deprived as "The Crew" an inquisitive audience member anxiously awaits the conclusion, not only because they are overcome with pleasure that the pitiful waste of time is finally over, but also because the ending usually brings a sense of accomplishment to a production, regardless of how horrible. However, that sense of accomplishment is also absent from "The Crew." This film's ending resolves itself in a fashion that is entirely unconvincing and abstract. If you are looking for a funny movie about old men doing things out of their league, go see the funny and poignant "Space Cowboys": a movie that shows just how horrible this one is.
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