Duets (2000)
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20% of critics liked it
(89 reviews) -
44% of users liked it
(10,195 ratings)
Director Bruce Paltrow teams with his Oscar-winning daughter Gwyneth Paltrow for this road comedy with music. Paltrow plays Liv, a struggling professional singer whose meets her father, Ricky Dean (Huey Lewis), for the first time at the funeral of her mother. As it turns out, both Liv and Ricky… More Director Bruce Paltrow teams with his Oscar-winning daughter Gwyneth Paltrow for this road comedy with music. Paltrow plays Liv, a struggling professional singer whose meets her father, Ricky Dean (Huey Lewis), for the first time at the funeral of her mother. As it turns out, both Liv and Ricky supplement the income from few-and-far-between gigs by singing in karaoke contests, and soon father and daughter are competing on the same circuit. Meanwhile, Todd Woods (Paul Giamatti), a salesman who has grown disenchanted with his job, his family, and his life, picks up a hitch-hiker named Reggie Kane (Andre Braugher), and during a stop at a tavern, they discover they make a good duet team while belting out a version of "Try A Little Tenderness." And waitress Suzi Loomis (Maria Bello) sweet talks Billy (Scott Speedman), a cabbie, into driving her to Omaha, where the national karaoke finals will determine who does the best job of singing along with the records, as the lives of these six characters begin to intersect. Duets also features Angie Dickinson as Blair, Liv's grandmother who was once a showgirl in Frank Sinatra's Las Vegas floorshow; Brad Pitt was originally cast in Speedman's role but withdrew after he and Paltrow announced the end of their off-camera relationship. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Rating, Runtime
- R, 1 hr. 52 min.
- Directed By
- Bruce Paltrow
- Written By
- John Byrum
- Genres
- Drama, Action & Adventure, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Sep 15, 2000 Wide
- On DVD
- May 8, 2001
Critic Reviews
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A.O. Scott, New York Times
Every so often a movie comes along that's bad in such original and unexpected ways that it inspires an almost admiring fascination.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Its fundamental error is that it tries to squeeze bittersweet heartbreak and goofy social satire into the same story. Just when the movie gets the rhythm, it steps on its own feet.
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Tom Keogh, Film.com
A mixed bag, all in all, but worth seeing.
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M. Faust, Common Sense Media
A not very good adult movie about adult issues.
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Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
"Duets" is a frustratingly mediocre road movie that connects three unlikely pairs of people in the much maligned phenomenon of Karaoke singing as a metaphor for "finding the meaning of life" by sharing their interpretations of pop songs.
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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Maria Belloas Suzi Loomis -
Andre Braugheras Reggie Kane -
Paul Giamattias Todd Woods
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Huey Lewisas Ricky Dean -
Gwyneth Paltrowas Liv -
Scott Speedmanas Billy
