Run Ronnie Run (2002)

That was an excellent one.

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

This film is based on characters from the mid-to-late '90s HBO sketch comedy show Mr. Show, which starred Bob Odenkirk and David Cross. Mr. Show, which I just rewatched in its entirety in the past couple of weeks, has a reputation as being one of the best sketch comedy shows ever. Personally, I wouldn't rank it anywhere near as high as many others. It was far more hit-and-miss than its fans like to believe. For every great sketch, you'd have to suffer through at least one completely lame sketch. That said, when the show did hit upon something good, it was truly memorable. And the Ronnie Dobbs sketches, of which there were two in the show's 30 episode run, are definitely a couple of the best they did. This movie basically retells the Ronnie Dobbs sketches over 90 minutes. And, as Saturday Night Live has proved again and again, what works in 5 minute segments doesn't stretch out well to 90 minutes. But even most of SNL's movies surpass this one (although not It's Pat!). This movie is incredibly unfunny. The only thing that works – kind of – are a couple of the songs that pop up occasionally. The only other Mr. Show characters that appear in the film are the members of R&B group 3 x 1 – 1, and that little music video they do was one of the few tolerable things in the movie. Jack Black, who appeared in several episodes of Mr. Show, gets a funny little non-sequitur song that's supposed to have been cut from a Mary Poppins-like movie. And the fat kid action sequence was slightly amusing. The only performer who is consistently entertaining is SNL's David Koechner, who, IMO, is one of the most underrated of SNL performers. Other than that, the film is terrible. Even Bob & David have disowned it, so I would suggest that even fans of the show should just ignore its existence.

Almost four years after HBO unceremoniously stopped running "Mr.Show with Bob and David",many of the producers,cast and crew of the show came together to make a feature-length movie about arguably one of the more memorable characters created on it:Indominable shirt-less redneck ne'er-do-well Ronnie Dobbs(David Cross,in one of the best showcases of his talent). This effort is a treat to those who enjoyed the show and/or the character,but I imagine the appeal is fairly limited.This film is sort of a Rags-to-riches story,telling of just how Ronwell Dobbs went from ordinary,below-average intelligence hoodlum from rural Georgia who has a penchant for getting in trouble with the law,to a national and international celebrity and anti-hero,due much in part of the grooming of prissy,disgraced English film producer and failed inventor Terry Twillstein(Bob Odenkirk,who doesn't seem to get employed enough for my money). Terry gets his chance to groom Ronnie when the local sheriff in Ronnie's home-state(M.C.Gainey)makes a deal with Terry to take Ronnie off his hands. From there,Ronnie goes about finding creative new(and old)ways to get arrested in every state in the nation and many cities of many countries around the world. He,naturally becomes hugely rich and,as wealth is often to do to people,makes Ronnie an even bigger irresponsible ass than before.Chock-full of cameos,ranging from former "Mr.Show" cast members such as Mary Lynn Rajskub(as herself),Sarah Silverman and Brian Posehn to non-show affiliates such as Jeff Goldblum,Matt Stone,Trey Parker,Scott Thompson,Mandy Patinkin,Jeff Garlin,Dave Foley,Andy Richter and Garry Shandling,this film is funny and loose,but it seems to be sort of an odd fit for the material it's presenting. Anyone familiar with "Mr.Show"knows that the sketches and characters had no end and merely blended into the next segment,simply to wrap around and come back to the host segment,whereas this movie has to flesh out a story that initially had one,maybe two segments of about seven minutes in length and make it into a full 90 min. film. It works just well enough as is,but it does kinda feel like writers Odenkirk and Cross and director Troy Miller were getting bored with the story and wanted to create a quick resolution to it. Granted,this show works no worse than just about any SNL sketch that got green-lighted in the past(Night at the Roxbury,anyone?),but having been a fan of the original show,I suppose I expected more.As it is,it's a great showcase(as said earlier)for Cross and a tantalizingly sharp skewering of current television standards and what makes a celebrity in this culture.

Run Ronnie Run, 2002 6/10, 28th best movie of 2002, 162nd best of the 2000's, 429th all time Mr. Show with Bob and Dave is one of my favorite shows. Run Ronnie Run was created by the makers of Mr. Show with Bob and Dave and actually based on one of the first scetches ever seen on that show. However, Run Ronnie Run is not one of my favorite movies of all time. What I saw here was exactlly what I saw when I watched Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy. What works extremely well as a 30 minute scetch comedy show doesn't work nearly as well as a 90 minute film. That's not to say the movie isn't enjoyable. There's some good laughs, and its really a fairly interesting plot. I liked the movie well enough, but overall I was expecting much better.

This movie is a cult classic, this movie has quickly won its way into all of my friends hearts, when there is nothing to do, watch Ronnie Dobbs. When there is a party and everyone wants to have a good laugh, where do they turn? Run Ronnie Run, I can guarantee you that you will love this movie, there is none better. This movie has tons of support even from other A list Hollywood actors, can you say Cameo, this movie is chock full of them every one plays a very special role in the making of Ronnie Dobbs, the only bad part about this movie is the trailer is terrible, if you see it you won't want to watch the movie but outside of that it is pure gold...... So in conclusion I have decided, I am going to buy myself a Diamond Crystal Speedboat, and paint it gold.....What Kind you Like......You will be quoting this movie till the day you die.....David Cross you are my hero