Barefoot (I) (2014) User Reviews

Feeling the touch

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 9 June 2015]

You cannot be more down to earth than having no shoes and socks on. Barefoot is being risky, because you're expose yourself to getting hurt (a lot). But it also means you feel things on a different level, you probably enjoy things more than others, since you are more connected to things and letting them in.

Evan Rachel Woods is terrific in playing the innocent, quirky character in this one. And she kind of steals the show, though Scott Speedman is our central character, who's the one learning life lessons and not the other way around. Even though this is predictable, you root for things to happen and cannot help but feel elevated at times or being sad with the characters too. The connection is there, if you allow it to happen

Sweet remake with a lovely Evan Rachel Wood

[tanjareen-1 · 8/10 · 19 April 2014]

As a German movie fan I am familiar with Til Schweiger's original 'Barfuss' (2005). But since I always try to keep an open mind I was intrigued to see this remake - and I wasn't disappointed.

'Barefoot' - as an americanized version - tells the story a little bit different and dips more into the romantic (comedy) genre. That's fine by me because a mere copy of Schweiger's film would be pretty redundant. Evan Rachel Wood plays beautifully and portrays an adorable innocence in her role as 'Daisy', the mental patient accompanying Scott Speedman's 'Jay' to his brothers wedding. Their unusual bond is sweet and the movie has more of a light romantic dramedy tone than the original. The colors are warm and the tempo is upbeat but slows down for some nicely done heart-to-heart scenes. I especially loved the setup of certain pivotal scene towards the end.

I can already hear all those serious movie 'critics' moaning about yet another unnecessary remake but that's just it - this remake is not unnecessary. It tells a similar story with a different tone, in a different light, with a different background - transitioning it to a lighter genre. It's not taking anything away from the original - I see it as more of a bonus and really liked it.

Implausible and charming

[stills-6 · 7/10 · 2 June 2015]

Don't look too deeply. This is a movie that wants to be fun and adventurous and a little bit dangerous. If you're in the right mood, you don't need much more than that. Sure it's ridiculous and implausible and poorly edited, and Scott Speedman only has two gears, and the writing is a little off, and the central relationship is a little creepy on several different levels. No matter. This is one of those movies that is touched by the magic of the movies -- maybe not enough to make it great or even good as a movie, but it has a relentless sparkle-eyed charm that makes it pleasant and irrationally satisfying as an experience.

Somewhat clunky but still heart-warming

[hiyaboyos · 22 February 2014]

I watched this movie last night not knowing what to expect. I briefly read the premise and thought I'd take a chance and watch it. In a word, I was not disappointed. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys just a good, simple, plain vanilla romantic movie. If you're not into that, then you wouldn't appreciate this movie.

The movie starts out kind of slow and slowly builds momentum. Granted, the acting is not the greatest I've seen, the story line is not fluid; it's broken up and has plot holes and just not developed very well. It's supposed to be a comedy, but didn't find it hilarious. It's more cute than funny.

However, and a big however, all things considered, I liked the movie. I found it heart-warming and love does conquer all after all. I didn't over analyze it or read too much into it. I just accepted it for what it is and enjoyed it over all.

Very cute and simple a romantic story!

[jkt2006 · 6/10 · 27 April 2020]

Sometimes all you are looking for is a simple story that is about simple people and simple lives. This one is about pure characters who find each other. Don't give a damn to the critics reviews or ratings. Just enjoy this one for a fun filled evening with a glass of wine. You won't regret it!

A remake of a German Film, has very original concept but the first half is more successful than the second

[inkblot11 · 7/10 · 17 August 2015]

Jay Wheeler (Scott Speedman) lives up to his name as a wheeler-dealer. A son of wealthy New Orleans stock, he has chosen to run up gambling debts and pursue other nefarious actions. This lands him in jail, where he is sentenced to community service at a mental hospital. While mopping the floors, he saves a pretty patient, Daisy (Evan Rachel Wood) from being assaulted by a male resident of the same ward. Not long after this, his gambling totals are so large that the casinos are after him. His only recourse is to go back home for his brother's wedding, where he will ask his father for a "business loan". But, needing to look the part of a successful gentleman, Jay decides he needs a lady on his arm. All of the pole dancers of his acquaintance turn him down so he gets the brilliant idea to bring DAISY, after she follows him out the door one night. Is he serious? Yes, she's highly functional but may have killed her mother, also a disturbed individual. With instructions to tell everyone she is a nurse, can Daisy and Jay pull this ruse off? Not likely, and soon other escapades follow. Meanwhile, the hospital's head shrink (JK Simmons) is throwing fit after fit. Is there a future for this strange couple? This remake of a German film has a great concept and a winning performance from Wood to elevate its eventual loss of energy. What fun to have a "crazy" woman pose as a gal pal at a high society wedding! Speedman does fine work, too, as do Treat Williams, Simmons, Kate Burton and more. As the scenery goes from California to Louisiana to Texas and back again, fans of varied venues will be happy, too. Yes, the flick slows down and loses focus in the second half but still will resonate with a certain kind of offbeat film lover. So, if that's you, get shoes on and go get Barefoot.

Evan Rachel Wood is angelic in this quirky Indie road movie

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 20 November 2020]

The black sheep loser of an affluent family (Scott Speedman) is forced to mop floors at a mental facility while on probation wherein he meets an angelic patient (Evan Rachel Wood). He takes her to Louisiana to meet his family and misadventures ensue. Treat Williams plays the dad and J.K. Simmons the director of the asylum.

"Barefoot" (2014) is an entertaining enough romcom misadventure and part-road movie. Wood is stunning in an innocent, celestial way, but needs to eat some hamburgers. There's a Prodigal Son angle and the movie leaves you with a warm feeling despite some debaucheries in the first half.

The film runs 1 hour, 30 minutes, and was shot entirely in Louisiana.

GRADE: B-

Saved by Evan Rachel Wood

[phd_travel · 7/10 · 7 June 2014]

A wayward son of a wealthy family working in a mental hospital brings a mental patient to his brother's wedding.

The story is sweet and at sometimes a little lacking in subtlety but overall it's watchable romantic comedy that's quite light hearted and has two leads that are good. It could have been funnier and better written in parts but it's still worth a watch for fans of the leads.

Evan Rachel Wood's unique charm and loveliness save her character Daisy Kensington from being annoying. Evan is such a versatile actress she can play anything from super sweet to evil (Mildred Pierce) and her innocence is believable here. The character is given some dialog and behavior that could have been better written. Scott Speedman is fairly charming and rakish in his role looking for help from his parents. Shouldn't have made him so scruffy.

Worth one watch.

A heartwarming & feel good movie

[soundaryaona · 9/10 · 25 February 2014]

It was a very well written script with excellent acting by the lead pair. Evan Rachael was flawless in her portrayal with some great support by Scott. Its very different than your average Rom-com but does fall prey at some areas to the regular formula film making. Nevertheless a movie that's light & frothy which will end up making you feel for the characters. Its a good choice for a refresher after a day's long work to just unwind. The cinematography and music were also working well with the script. The direction was top notch and it looked like the director knew what he wanted from his actors. I wouldn't really mind watching it again sometime. A surprise package indeed, go for it !!!

Worth it!

[tmccleary-13600 · 7/10 · 30 March 2021]

Such a great cast and what a cute story! This movie was simple and fun, so well done! I smiled multiple times and so need that in our lives!

Wear Shoes

[havp2 · 3/10 · 29 November 2014]

Like a green lawn in a dog park, this movie looked inviting, but too many turds made it impossible to enjoy. Woods' character, Daisy, was simply not believable (I wanted to use "incredible" or "unbelievable", but I want to ensure the meaning is clearly understood!). She's supposed to be suffering from some sort of psychosocial trauma from living a solitary and isolated life with her mother, which has rendered her extremely naive about the outside world and its customs, such as wearing shoes and having table manners. Thankfully, however, she knows enough about make up, so this innocent fawn is still smoking hot! Daisy vacillates between near-catatonic screaming in the face of stress to the type of doe-eyed wonder you might expect from a newly be-legged mermaid taking her first steps on terra firma. Speedman's "Jay" comes off as a cliché: a good but misunderstood person who has the ethics of a criminal and lout, but enough morals not to pounce on a debilitated hotty...even when she asks for it! Except for the character of Dr. Bertleman, played by J.K. Simmons, the rest of the cast falls in line falling short. From the Dukes of Hazzardish car chases, to the overly-dramatic slo-mo apprehension in the diner, this movie went from dramatic to silly, then to dumb and dumber. All in all, not a good movie.

One of the best romantic movies

[SirTalyn · 10/10 · 16 May 2021]

One of the best romantic movies I've seen in a long time. Scott Speedman is great but Evan Rachel Wood is SPECTACULAR as the semi clueless character he supporting cast of J. K. Simmons, Treat Williams, and Kate Burton is supreme as well.

Well worth your time if your looking for romance.

Brad.

Merry Go Round

[travelintom · 7/10 · 10 July 2022]

I liked it. I am here because I need help placing the location of the carousel.

I am certain I have been on it. Santa Monica? San Antonio? New Orleans? Thanks..

You could do a lot better than this one...

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 25 June 2014]

"Barefoot" is a very frustrating film to watch. The acting is very nice, the direction very good as well and the film has a lovely soundtrack. So it has everything you'd want in a rom-com...except for an intelligent and well-written script. Rarely have I seen a film like this---where everything was so good and the script was so darn awful. It's a shame, as the folks in this film deserve more...as does the audience.

Scott Speedman stars as Jay--a very, very, very irresponsible and unlikable guy. Sure, he's handsome but it's hard to care about any leading character in a romantic film who is a thief, loves to spend all his time gambling and hanging out in strip clubs, kidnaps a mental patient and skips out on probation. He's in trouble because he owes bookies a lot of money and they're threatening his life. Because he's not a very nice person, no one will give him money and he's desperate. Ultimately, he comes up with a plan so stupid, unfunny and bizarre that I just couldn't believe the film. You see, he also works as a janitor in a mental hospital. And, when a cute mental patient named Diasy (Evan Rachel Ward) sneaks out of the hospital to follow Jay*, he decides to take her across the country to his brother's wedding. Why? Because he wants to convince his family he's no longer irresponsible and has a good job and a steady girlfriend. Unfortunately, she is bizarre and is much like bringing a feral child into civilization. With very few social skills and little understanding of the real world, his highly illegal and insane plan seems preposterous. It's also apparently supposed to be funny...which it never really is.

After convincing everyone but Jay's mother that Daisy is nuts, Jay's plan falls apart. So what does he do? He steals his father's beautiful classic motor home and goes on a cross-country road trip. Now, the motor home looks like it was made in the 1950s and is turquoise, yet for a long time he's able to elude the police--even during a high-speed chase! Yet, because the film is supposed to be a rom-com, by the end of the film everything just magically works out and they live happily ever after. Now think about it, if ANYONE (even someone not as screwed up as Jay) kidnaps a woman, steals a motor home, jumps probation and causes half the police in Texas to pursue him, you would never, ever expect a happy ending...just a trip to prison (though, I suppose, it COULD lead to romance...but that's another film I suppose).

The bottom line is that the actors were actually very good in their roles. Additionally, the film was very competently directed---as the film looked very nice and set a lovely mood. But with such an awful script, how can you possibly make a decent film?! This is an annoying film. It has many nice elements but is just terrible in spite of this. You and your date could certainly find a movie better than this for your date night. Heck, it would be hard not to! *How did Daisy escape? She just walked out the door and it magically let her go! No alarms, no security detail in pursuit...nothing!

a diff movie , y is it being criticized

[shraddhagrawal · 24 February 2014]

There are very few movies that make u leave smiling when it ends n this is surely one of them. The actress Evan Rachel wood looks stunning natural beauty with natural emotions and a very lovable level of innocence , the story is different from usual boy meets girl romantic genre, movie is edgy with some cute lines ,handling the issue of home locked person with a scizopernic mother beautifully,the actor looks smart and has acted well,this is a movie id love to watch some other time too .

i recommend it to every one who is looking forward for a nice out of the box romantic movie .

A bit far-fetched

[dbuckshnis · 6/10 · 18 July 2022]

It's quite a strange movie with a storyline that doesn't make sense as the authorities seem to be outwitted or stupid. The dad would never let that motor home out and gone and would be able to do an APB. The acting is great however.

Missing pieces

[katemiller-18083 · 6/10 · 1 August 2016]

I enjoyed the premise of this movie, but it felt like there were pieces missing from the storyline. There wasn't enough backstory on either of the leads, the mother seemed to jump from meeting a stranger to all of a sudden becoming besotted with her, and the films synopsis focused on an arc that was over by the middle of the movie. There is so much that should have been added to the storyline that would made it a bit more likable. The characters were enjoyable, especially Daisy and her naiveté although these characters would have been better received (once again) if the story was fleshed out a bit more.

Not a waste of time, but also not a story I'd return to.

Sweet though Ridiculous

[pc95 · 7/10 · 25 December 2014]

Directed by Andrew Fleming with some touch and fish-out-of-water type humor, "Barefoot" features beautiful Evan Rachel Wood as a highly unbelievable character supposedly completely away from society while growing up - a big plot supposition. While this was a pretty big leap in logic for me, I decided to let it go. Along in her shadow, the co- lead is Scott Speedman, bringing to mind Jason Bateman or even a bit of Bradley Cooper though probably more serious than both and not as interesting. The movie works thanks to Wood's Cinderella-ish performance and great support from JK Simmons who has a nice presence as a Doctor. There are some perfunctory and trite scenes, but there was enough charm in the movie to keep it all together. I enjoyed it.....Recommended 7/10

IF YOU GO TO JAIL, WE CAN'T BE TOGETHER

[nogodnomasters · 7/10 · 13 October 2018]

Jay (Scott Speedman) likes to drink, gamble, speed, smoke, and go to strip clubs. Unfortunately, even with an MBA he isn't much good at it. On parole, he lands a gig mopping floors at a mental institution. He also has outstanding gambling debts. His family has money as he goes to New Orleans (from LA) to his brother's wedding. Pressed for a date, he opts to take with him newly escaped mental patient Daisy (Evan Rachel Wood). She is child like and honest. She will say anything to anyone and needs to be protected, the type of girl guys easily fall in love with. She doesn't like shoes.

This is another quirky romantic comedy. We have entered a downward spiral where each romantic comedy has to be odder than the previous one, irregardless how inane the ending or impossible the situation or how awkward they make us feel while trying to make us feel good.

Evan Rachel Ward was delightful in her role, although her scripted character was not convincingly real. Jay is a guy whose character is difficult to connect with, oh poor little rich kid.

The film makes for a good rental for lovers of quirky romantic comedies.

No sex or nudity, although there are some strip joint scenes, they are in bikinis. I don't recall any F-bombs although rated PG-13 for "brief strong language." I may have missed it.

A Hidden Jewel!

[mistidakitten39 · 8/10 · 5 April 2020]

Not real sure why this didn't get a better score on Rotten Tomatoes! I am glad that I watched it anyway! Evan Rachel Wood is one of my favorite actresses ever since I saw her in "Thirteen" She is really great at "feeling" her character!! She did a perfect job with playing the innocent, sweet, isolated girl that falls in love! Fabulous story! Great job! Must watch, very heartfelt!

Unordinary Love Story

[Jeni-feronita-247-969095 · 7/10 · 23 February 2015]

Unlike any other predictable romantic love story, "Barefoot" tells a love story about two unordinary person - an isolated girl who's been accused for mentally ill and troublemaker son from a wealthy family. The story was nicely developed along with the leadings' characters. It made me stay until the end of movie to see whether it would go for happy ending or tragically twisted.

Though in my opinion, Evan Rachel Wood was more shiny than Scott Speedman. In some scene, Scott seemed unable to show his struggle expression but it has been covered by Wood.

It was definitely my selection for valentine's day. Too pity, I knew the movie few days after when it was played on cable TV.

Uhhh... Wha?

[wpqm6 · 3/10 · 31 January 2015]

Wait a second. When did 'mentally ill' mean 'neonatally intelligent manic pixie dream girl'?!? I registered just to comment on the ridiculousness of this movie. It solely relies on the attractiveness of its lead actors. It is rushed, unrealistic, cliché. Can you say overdone estranged father-son dynamic?!?! Despite being feel-goody, this movie is just too stupid to take sincerely. Even a little bit. I am very sorry I picked this off of Netflix. And shame on y'all for trying to say it's 'artsy'."I think she's just suffering from PTSD"?!?! Seriously...? IMDb thinks I need to add more lines to this review. Honestly there is nothing else about this movie worth saying.

Tender moments with a fantastic story will touch your heart.

[face-819-933726 · 9/10 · 22 February 2014]

Take all of the innocence, and sweetness of Pretty Woman, and then make it feel real, and you will be getting close to the precious movie that this is. Evan Rachel Wood seems to have gotten younger, and is just so radiant as Daisy who is so like a little child that we meet on her first day in the real world. Scott Speedman is just great as the scatterbrained lead Jay, always looking over his shoulder, and running for the next bit of scraps as his life is slowly rotting away under him. The two come together at the best time for each, and we are taken with them on a sweet and tender journey in which they will both be the cure that the other one needs. To say I Enjoyed this would sell it short. I really loved this movie, and recommend it to everyone. There is a bit of language, and some minor violence. Beyond that you just have one great story with a fantastic cast who are all as real as you could hope for, but that still has a little bit of magic that every story needs.

Not bad but not good either

[divefanatic · 6/10 · 12 August 2014]

I'd watch this movie if you are out of other things you would rather watch and would enjoy a very simple yet slightly quirky love story.

The writing and plot are where this movie is very plain. There were a couple laughs in it and it was mildly entertaining but it doesn't leave you feeling like you've watched anything wonderful. Best I can say is that I wasn't bored but wasn't enthralled either.

I think Evan Rachel Wood and Scott Speedman did a good job with their characters but their roles didn't really give them a chance to shine.

If you're thinking about watching this movie for Evan's acting like I did, I'll have to warn you, she's good in it too but you won't get that awe you usually feel after seeing her performance (still good but not the inhumanely good acting that is her norm).

An entitled jerk takes advantage of a mentally challenged woman

[scottyent · 2/10 · 9 July 2022]

I suppose written as a general synopsis, this movie could be sweet and believable. A sheltered woman with a haunted past gets reintegrated into society, and a guy that helps her learns about himself and they end up falling in love. Doesn't sound too bad.

This movie, on the other hand, made these characters completely impossible to root for. The guy is a hugely entitled jerk who is overall a horrible person. No redeeming qualities except for occasionally caring A TINY BIT when the woman is having a meltdown.

She, on the other hand, acts like a woman with the mental capacity of a 10 year old. She borders on mentally challenged for much of the movie, to the point where it feels genuinely uncomfortable to watch. Clearly this guy is taking advantage of her for his own benefit. He even talks her into stuff by treating her like a 5 year old.

After knowing most of her story and having dragged her to a wedding across the country, the guy literally abandons her in a bus station. But because he feels bad and comes back hours and hours later, it's all good! Forgiven!

From beginning to end, the plot was absurd, the characters out of place, and zero logic was present. Save yourself the time.