Phoenix, Oregon (2019) User Reviews

you can't go wrong with pizza and aliens

[hannahrodriguezwrite · 7/10 · 5 June 2020]

Phoenix, Oregon is a well-done indie film with a lot of charm and some funny moments. The story centers on Bobby, a relatable character who you're drawn to from the moment the film begins. Throughout the film, Bobby spends some time drawing graphic novels- his true passion. His spreads include pieces of his past (and aliens because he has some interesting thoughts about their involvement in his life). These spreads come into play within the film as flashbacks that I thought were a unique touch.

The romantic interest for Bobby wasn't a likable person in my opinion... and the romance felt tacked on in general. Definitely wasn't a fan of that, but the rest of the film was delightful and witty.

Also... if you decide to watch this, make sure you get a pizza to eat because I regret not having pizza.

Decent fun take on the Mid-life Crisis movie...

[samwilliams-26657 · 7/10 · 19 June 2020]

This film is great watch if you're in a chill mood. It is relaxing, pleasantly funny and has some interesting writing and subject matter. The pacing can be a little uneven, but once it gets going it's engrossing. The cast give great performances and fit their characters very well and the story has some great moments that build on those characters. Good fun for a light evenings entertainment.

Not terribly bad, it starts out rather promising, but the movie gets a bit stuck. Lacking spark.

[imseeg · 5/10 · 7 March 2022]

The good: decent acting performances. A story, however uneventful, that still has nice likeable characters and true to life dialogues.

Photography and sound are good.

The bad: this movie is definitely lacking spark. It's quite difficult to stay involved, because not much is happening. Now you must know that the leading character's life in the movie is stuck as well. So it isnt surprising that this is a slowburning uneventful story as well. Still some pepper and salt is needed dearly, to keep this movie more interesting.

Probably best suited for a patient art house audience.

Cheap, boring, uneventful indie B-movie that I stopped watching after 20 minutes

[akcenat · 3/10 · 25 July 2020]

"Phoenix, Oregon" is midlife crisis dramedy about graphic novelist in which everything - at least at first 20 minutes - screams B-movie, cheap and boring endeavor. It is depressive and non-charming film with the beginning that is dragging quite a lot. Actually, it is 'engaging as watching dough rise'. Skip it.

Great indy film

[jamielewis-2 · 8/10 · 17 May 2020]

Enjoyed this one, no special effects or million dollar budget but good acting and a good story. The guy who plays Al steals every scene he's on, real joy to watch.

Definitely Worth a Watch

[ladyclare-20267 · 8/10 · 3 October 2020]

My wife and I just finished watching this film, and we both loved it. The story is a classic indie buddy story/tale of redemption, the acting is good enough, but gets added weight from the authenticity of the characters and the people playing them, and the soundtrack is excellent, and compliments the movie perfectly. I would definitely recommend this film.

Great story and message

[net-86849 · 9/10 · 18 May 2020]

My wife and I enjoyed the message and story of the chef and bartender/graphic novelist striving to do something better and the struggles they faced along the way.

Deserves cult status! Very good, funny, poignant movie!

[mnparker · 9/10 · 1 June 2020]

I don't know what y'all were watching, and the less-than-inspired tag line accompanying this doesn't begin to do it justice. Engaging true-to-life characters, plot and dialogue keeping movie clichés at more than arms length while sharing a quotidian tale of Everyman, doing our collective best, beaten, coming back. This is an excellent movie that thankfully I saw before I saw the reviews - as I often let the score determine if it's time worthy, a habit to readily reassess. Excellent movie. Worth the time and payoffs days later.

Genuine

[LilyWai · 8/10 · 22 April 2020]

Loved this film, a little sweet snapshot of how droll the midlife grind can be when you don't have the life you thought you'd have. Great understated performance from James LeGros as Bobby, and the full cast of his friends & associates offer plenty of dramatic layers for his character to engage with. Jesse Borego as Carlos is a breath of fresh air to Bobby's downer moments & his passion for his craft is infectious. I appreciated the fumbled semi romantic thread between Bobby and Tanya too as too often in movies it's all packaged up so neatly the viewer is deprived of seeing the truth when it comes to 'just not the right time' connections. Oh and have to mention Kevin Corrigan's Al, nicely positioned in both character and storyline as Bobby's polar opposite nemesis. Highly recommend but one negative is I almost passed this by thanks to the insipid title. I get the 'Phoenix' connection in the storyline but come on, something a little more thoughtful would be cherry on the top.

Heartwarming, indie movie

[zeidersharrison · 8/10 · 3 June 2020]

Phoenix, Oregon is a terrific independent film. I loved the performances by James Le Gros and Jesse Borrego, the writing, and the heart that this film has. I do think the production design was a little weak but it didn't hurt the story. The film is really strengthened by its uniqueness. Other films do focus on common folk in small towns (e.g. the Brinson family in Wildlife) but what director/writer Gary Lundgren does so well is that he makes the audience care about Bobby, the main character. He writes and directs the actor well; Le Gros depicts a middle-aged American really well. I do recommend checking this film out.

Great Family Movie

[dannyshain · 9/10 · 29 July 2019]

My wife, 16 year old son and I very much enjoyed the movie. The acting was very natural leaving me feel as if I lived the story in the movie rather than just having watched it. Great job by everyone! The producers told me that the "R" rating was for the use of the "f" word 1x. I don't even remember hearing it. Hahaha.

Fun, funny, and a movie with a message

[michael-roesch-12337 · 9/10 · 1 July 2019]

It's a darn good movie. No chase scenes or special effects, just a good plot, great character actors, and an interesting setting. The movie offers a believable story, a message that is not trite, and more than a few good laughs along the way. I suspect we will hear much more about this movie as it gets exposure, but go and see it as soon as you get a chance.

Funny & heartfelt movie worth watching

[awilson-85588 · 10/10 · 2 July 2019]

Got to catch Phoenix, Oregon when it screened in SF recently. What a delightful movie. The acting is great, the storyline is heart-felt without being too sentimental, and there are a cast of unexpected characters that are funny and believable. Go see it in theatre or catch it when it comes to Netflix!

Nice little movie about midlife crisis

[arjaannikkisaily · 8/10 · 23 October 2021]

How to critizise this? Entertaining and funny, a family movie. Story about a small town boys/men, who are doing their best to make themselves worthwhile. This is a story what happens to the men who were left behind in small town, when their wives and girlfriends flew to big cities to find The Boss and live their dreams. Watch it, don't just get bored in 10 minutes.