Crazy on the Outside (2010) Reviews

• boring and flat

  Apollocandybar2011-07-04

  This movie should have been good, but just fell flat. I can't put my finger on why exactly. From the first minute, it's boring. The acting is not good, even Sigourney Weaver is not good! The script is flat. Nothing really happens. We watched this for about 45 minutes and just couldn't take it any longer. The main character is released from prison and supposedly trying to restart his life. It doesn't make much sense. The grandmother supposedly believes he's been in France for three years rather than prison. The sister (Weaver) is domineering towards her husband but flakes when around her brother. Doesn't make sense. The parts that are supposed to be comedy (Allen's character daydreams about violently attacking various characters) - aren't funny in the slightest. I felt like it SHOULD have been at least okay, but just wasn't!

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• It means well, has potential, but...

  saucyswells2010-01-09

  Tim Allen's directorial debut is very hit and miss...sadly, mostly miss. The movie needs a lot of editing and a completely different third act. The film starts as an offbeat comedy...and even though there are no hardy belly laughs, there are a number of clever ideas and lines (many delivered by the under-appreciated JK Simmons). But with an all-star comic cast, you would think there would be more, ahem...comedy. Halfway through the film becomes more of a family drama. The humor totally disappears and the quirky oddball characters become normal. The third act is very cliché, generic and melodramatic. But all the performers give it their best---even players like Ray Liotta and Kelsey Grammar are playing parts that could have been done by anyone. And the film's one running gag is actually funny for a while, but it goes nowhere after the 100th mention.

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• What A Yawn Fest...

  DiamondGirl4272010-06-29

  Yes...it was a comedy..sort of. It was also suppose to be entertaining as well...which is barely was. The characters had no depth..you could tell these people were acting..and that the script wasn't something worth bringing to the big screen much less as a bargain rental from a Red Box. The movie offered major stars struggling through as if they never bothered to learn their lines...or simply did not care to. I get that Tim Allen obviously is a major player in Hollywood...and seeing how his other films have been HUGE successes...this one falls flat. No one could possibly believe this character had committed ANY crimes at all..no matter how minor. Even the "bad guys" seemed weak. Ray Liotta has made his mark in films being a bad ass...here he seemed about as dangerous as a kitten. I hope if Mr. Allen and company decides to do another film...they find a storyline with more depth to it...Please.

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• The Tool Guy is running out of tricks

  studioAT2015-07-24

  Tim Allen was at the top of his game when he made 'The Santa Clause' back in 1994. Sadly 16 years later his last film to date as a leading man is poor. The idea behind the film is good and you certainly can't say that the cast isn't a good one, it's just that the film plods along as a snails pace and really isn't that funny. It's almost like Tim is trying to tick all the boxes to make a hit film and yet the magic spark isn't there. I applaud him for trying his hand at directing, but the fact that half the other actors in the film appeared with him in other more successful films only gives a sense that he was calling in favours. Even the DVD extras are a bit self congratulatory when you consider that Allen's company 'Boxing Cat' comes up right at the start. I like Tim Allen, I like his work. This just wasn't a good example of it.

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• Nothing crazy about "Crazy on the Outside"

  ncoviell2010-03-31

  This past January, Tim Allen reemerged from his two year hiatus to direct his first full length feature, "Crazy on the Outside," a movie in which he was also the lead. Tim Allen is a good guy and his work will a bona fide guilty pleasure (looking at you Santa Clause), but there is nothing remotely crazy about "Crazy on the Outside." At one point in the film, Allen's character, Tommy, probably wishes he were back in prison. Presently, Allen probably wishes he hadn't gone through with this mellow, clichéd film that can most positively be described as "watchable." In "Crazy on the Outside," Tommy (Allen) is released from prison after serving a three year sentence. Looking to bounce back and avoid the mistakes he made previously, and under the watch of his deceiving sister Vicky (Sigourney Weaver) and his probation officer Angela (Jeanne Tripplehorn), Tommy starts to rebuild his life. Holding down a job at a local burger joint, Tommy originally attempts to win his old flame (Julie Bowen) back while trying to restart his father's painting business; however, as things move forward Tommy seems to be gaining interest in Angela and vice versa. It's difficult to find any elements of this film that aren't negative. If anything, "Crazy on the Outside" is an enjoyable movie to watch if you want to kill time or maybe if you still have parents that are awkward to watch smut movies with and love Tim Allen; if so, perfect match. Every part of "Crazy on the Outside" is artificial and recycled. Its craziness is limited; in fact, as the story unfolds you'll find yourself wondering: "when will something entertaining happen?" Allen's type of humor certainly isn't unanimously praised; however, he has his moments; sadly, none of which appeared in this movie. The gags and jokes aren't even close to being humorous and the silly moments that are tossed in, such as a pirate statue winking; only hurt the film's name. "Crazy on the Outside," like many movies before, appeared to give a glimmer of hope from the trailer, but managed to fall into the safe, cliché mold that's come to be expected. The story is about as predictable as any other; from the very beginning it is obvious that Tommy will eventually end up with Angela. To make matters worse, there wasn't even question how the two would end up together. "Crazy on the Outside" follows the typical romantic plot structure of build up, connection, disaster that rips lover's apart, rock bottom, motivation to not lose each other and reconnection. The worst part of the story is by far Angela's son Ethan who acts as the spark plug of Tommy and Angela's relationship. Ethan knows that he wants Tommy as a father figure in his life after only their second meeting and it comes off as relatively creepy and extremely unrealistic. Certainly, Allen will be used as a scapegoat, but there wasn't a lot to work with as far as the script goes. The only way to describe Allen's directorial debut is that he took the safe route. On an acting stand point, Allen is Allen and nothing more. The trailer made "Crazy on the Outside" appear that it'd feature a more vulgar performance from Allen, which would be a welcome sight; however, that didn't end up being the case as he was blocked by a PG-13 rating, which will undoubtedly be the downfall and killer of "Crazy on the Outside" as not only is it normal, it isn't crude. Aside from Allen, "Crazy on the Outside" features a lack of J.K. Simmons and Ray Liotta, two praiseworthy actors caught in roles that didn't need to be in. In fact, Liotta isn't even utilized correctly in his scenes as his angry, aggressive persona is completely absent. Weaver may just be one of the film's few bright spots as she plays Allen's fibbing sister quite well and offers a good deal of care and spunk for the film. Weaver's Vicky could possibly have been the only crazy aspect of "Crazy on the Outside" as her lies only become more monumental as they come and are the closest thing to entertainment. In "Crazy on the Outside," it all returns to the fact that it is false displayed. There is nothing out of the ordinary in the movie and it follows a familiar path. For the most part, its characters, actions, jokes, gags, storyline and romanticism are empty, recycled and lifeless. Sadly, this is a step backwards for Tim Allen, both from an acting and directing standpoint, especially since he probably viewed it as a safe film. At the end of the day, Allen didn't deserve to be connected with this project; though he must have been crazy on the inside to have gone through with it.

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