Recent Reviews for Dickie Roberts - Former Child Star
Recent Reviews
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MCT:June 23, 2008Pretty funny movie. It's great how all the former child stars are in this and poke fun at themselves and how their careers are pretty much a joke now.
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MCT:June 23, 2008If Dickie Roberts was more exciting it would've been a great movie. There was still lots of humour even though it wasn't the most exciting movie.
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MCT:May 31, 2008awesomness....great..funny...amazing..omygodd!if youve never seen it,omygodd.u suck!1of the best movies eva!!!
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MCT:May 14, 2008"This is Nuckin' Futs!"
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star is a film that was severely panned by critics and audiences upon first release. It met with such an appalling reception that I purposely avoided it in fear of it being as horrible as some people have said. However when I finally watched the film all my previous expectations were surpassed. People called it 'poor' and 'laugh-less' but I guess it's a matter of taste: I laughed quite frequently and found it to be decent comedy.
Dickie Roberts (Spade) was a very popular child actor who had an enormous fan base. After his show was cancelled while still a young child, the 'child actor syndrome' kicks in: i.e. Dickie is no longer a desired actor among the studios. He slips off the grid and out of the industry due to his sudden drop in popularity. Even his mother leaves him while he is still at a young age. Now an adult, Dickie is poor and has been reduced to typical jobs such as being a valet attendant who parks cars. He misses the fame and popularity of being a famous actor. When in Hollywood he meets Brendan Fraser (played by himself, logically enough) who is able to get Dickie an audition for the new Rob Reiner film. But Dickie is rejected because he doesn't have the genuine feel of the part due to his childhood that he was robbed of. Reiner believes that Dickie just isn't a real person because of the way stardom affected him when he was a child. Dickie is still determined to get the part and stage a successful comeback. To do this he will need to develop a personality of his own. So he advertises a considerable amount of money if a family will allow him to move in and hopefully relive a proper childhood. Dickie moves in with the typical suburban family: selfless mother Grace (McCormack), selfish father George (Bierko) and their two kids Sam (Terra) and Sally (Boyd).
There is a good basic premise here. It's a well-known fact that child stars usually disappear from the spotlight or their life is lost to drugs and alcohol. Although the script is decent, it's ultimately flawed massively by its overuse of clichés and conventions. Not to mention a few sickening sub-plots like the predictable one concerning Dickie falling in love with his new mother Grace. There's quite a bit of sexual humour trapped within this solitary sub-plot. And then of course we have the obligatory few scenes concerning school bullies that Dickie swiftly takes care of. These are all predictable and it wouldn't be a tragedy if they were left out. Despite this they're still mildly amusing at times.
The central laughs are built on the clever dialogue deliveries from David Spade. I'm not going to tell a lie at all - I thought that some of his insulting rants were absolutely hilarious and I was laughing out loud quite constantly. But it's a shame there wasn't any effort on the part of the screenwriter (looking at you, David Spade) to create any other gags or any other characters that can deliver funny dialogue.
After the first third of this film, we all know what the outcome will be. The conclusion is cheesy and predictable beyond words. The good news is that there are a number of decent laughs to keep one entertained despite its predictability.
David Spade is funny when given the right material to work with. Using a script he wrote himself it seems he gave his character the majority of the funny dialogue. The rest of the acting is okay but nothing groundbreaking. The kids sometimes seemed a little cardboard, as did the rest of the cast at times. Acting lessons are badly required during some sections of the movie.
Aside from its flaws and shortcomings, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star at least stocks a good supply of laughs. There's no brilliance or innovation in the laughs department; however the film is still hilarious viewing. One of the film's highlights: a reunion of genuine former child stars being grouped together for a musical finale during the end credits. -
MCT:April 22, 2008
David Spade is excellent as Dickie Roberts a former child tv star who hires a family to act as his real family so that he can regain his childhood, this movie is so funny and has alot of former child stars popping up in the movie in small roles it also stars former child star and now big tv star Alyssa Milano from the successful Charmed series
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MCT:March 25, 2008
david spade gets a bit annoying, but it was kinda funny. I liked the end part when you got to see all those child stars, that was cool
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MCT:March 7, 2008This movie is really funny. I really liked it. The story line is awesome and the fact that he becomes somewhat normal is cool.
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Dickie Roberts (David Spade) is a former child star in 70s icon who is desperately searching for another shot at fame and fortune where he stays with Finney Family (George, Grace, Sam, & Sally .
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MCT:February 22, 2008
Cute and somewhat funny but no serious acting is to be had. The childhood flashback are delightful however.
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MCT:February 15, 2008I AM INSANELY IN LUV WITH THIS FRICKIN MOVIE. I LOVE IT. ESCEPCIALLY THE PART WHEN HES ON THE SLIP AND SLIDE THING.
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MCT:January 14, 2008David Spade stars as Dickie Roberts - former child star. He is a thirty-five year old man whose stardom is far behind him and now parks cars for a living. When he has a chance to star in a Rob Reiner movie, Dickie decides to move in with a real family for research purposes, due to the fact that he himself never experienced a normal childhood and family life. Watch for cameos of Barry Williams, Emmanuel Lewis, Leif Garrett, Corey Feldman, and many others.
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MCT:December 30, 2007
if you haven't seen it see it! my fave movie of all time!! ily David spade! super funny and really cute!
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MCT:December 18, 2007
this movie makes me think is being a star really that great... I mean in this movie all he wants is to be loved... so funny... Is there anyone out there that would let me rent them...
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MCT:December 8, 2007
One of David Spade's better effort. He plays the title character to perfection and it will make you laugh out loud. The end credit song is worth the price of rental alone.
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MCT:November 28, 2007
Not particularly funny or, well, anything.
Rob Riener was pretty funny. for a guy who just had to show up to work. -
MCT:November 9, 2007
this was an alright movie , not a gut buster like i was hoping it to be , but it did have a coulpe laugh outloud parts, and i do like david spades charaster in this movie he really did a good job
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MCT:September 30, 2007
Cleaver, good messages, but I would have preferred it if they hadn't ended it with him married. It would have been better.
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MCT:September 15, 2007
This movie is HILLARIOUS!
I love it! Definetly one of my fav's! David Spade is a funny guy =]
Buut the first time seeing this is always the best. Even the second time i noticed i wasn't laughing as much..
This is a MUST SEE movie! it tops my funniest movies of all time list and is definetly way up there in my favourite movies, hope thats good enough reason for you to GO SEE IT NOW -
MCT:September 2, 2007
Great movie when it came out it was highly underlooked and still is the majority that saw this film enjoyed it.
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MCT:September 2, 2007
Brick Wall Waterfall Dickie Thinks He's Got It All But He Dont I Do So Boom With That Attitude ...
HaHa what a great film ... so funi ... I havent seen this film since its came out and I still remember that song!! HaHa!! -
MCT:August 20, 2007
Cute movie! I loved it great lines that will stick in your head for centuries and year haha to come!
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MCT:August 11, 2007I need to see more of this funny David Spade comedy...."Dickie Roberts - Former Child Star" is like a true story of a former child star!
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MCT:July 30, 2007
I guess I've somehow missed a David Spade movie. . . Dang! I don't care what anyone says about his movies -- our family LOVES them!! I'm going to definitely keep my eyes open for this one. . .
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MCT:July 29, 2007
again David Spade in this film representing this guy's Dickie fall in acting and he rises back up with the help of a hired family! that's all ill say! see 4 urselves
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MCT:July 26, 2007
Funny movie. David Spade is a superb comedic actor. He makes me laugh in every movie he does. He is just so well timed and gets amazing characters. This movie was greatly casted and plotted. Good movie.
