Free Enterprise (1998)

83% of critics liked it
(23 reviews)
72% of users liked it
(4,635 ratings)

With a little help from the commander of the Starship Enterprise, two geeky sci-fi buffs venture into the final frontier -- finding a steady girlfriend -- in this satiric comedy. Mark (Eric McCormack) and Rob (Rafer Weigel) are two guys in their late 20s who are emotionally stuck in adolescence;… More With a little help from the commander of the Starship Enterprise, two geeky sci-fi buffs venture into the final frontier -- finding a steady girlfriend -- in this satiric comedy. Mark (Eric McCormack) and Rob (Rafer Weigel) are two guys in their late 20s who are emotionally stuck in adolescence; they're obsessed with science fiction, comics, and collectable toys, and they aren't especially graceful or successful in their relationships with the opposite sex. While both have actually been able to turn their obsessions into careers -- Mark edits a sci-fi fanzine, while Rob works at a film production house -- both feel the need for guidance as they approach 30. As children, they used to imagine themselves being counseled by William Shatner, whose role as Capt. Kirk on Star Trek elevated him to the status of a deity in their eyes. To their amazement, one day Mark and Rob meet Shatner in a bookstore and actually strike up a friendship with him, only to discover that he is just as confused about life, women, and work as they are (though he does confess his burning ambition to produce a new version of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar in which he plays all the characters himself). Emboldened by his new friendship with Capt. Kirk -- wait, make that William Shatner -- Rob begins pursuing a romance with Claire (Audie England), a fellow sci-fi fan who is pretty, charming, and a few steps up on the maturity ladder from himself. But this is bad news for Mark, who isn't at all happy to be losing his best friend to some girl. Free Enterprise was the first feature for writer/director Robert Meyer Burnett and screenwriter Mark A. Altman, who freely (and rather bravely) admit that the lead characters are based upon themselves. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 48 min.
Directed By: Robert Meyer Burnett
Written By: Robert Myer Burnett, Mark A. Altman
Genres: Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy

In Theaters: Jun 4, 1999 Wide
On DVD: Nov 2, 1998
Studio: Regent Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
A celebration of risk-taking in the spirit of the heroism of Captain Kirk.
Gary Dauphin, Village Voice
A reference-laden but emotionally thin relationship comedy.
Lawrence Van Gelder, New York Times
The fun of Free Enterprise, which occasionally runs a bit thin but is mostly sustained by the filmmakers' verve and wit, lies in its many visual and verbal references to popular culture trivia.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
When compared to other entries from the recent crop of new filmmakers crafting movies about their lives, Free Enterprise stands out as one of the most entertaining and least pretentious efforts.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...uniformly superb performances...
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
The highly-charged comic engine for the entire vehicle is none other than William Shatner.
Steve Tilley, Jam! Movies
The movie is so crammed full of lethally funny science fiction references that even hard-core Trekkers might miss some, and many regular folk will only hear them go whizzing overhead.
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times
This movie hits my demographic so closely that I can hardly review it objectively. If you love action figures and William Shatner, you need to own this film.
Ron Wells, Film Threat
This is a good comedy about two fans with a hero and a dream.
Almar Haflidason, BBC
The packed DVD release lets you explore the wonderfully weird world of writer Mark A Altman and director Robert Meyer Burnett.
Almar Haflidason, BBC
A witty comedy that glows with self-deprecating humour.
Kim Newman, Empire Magazine
The in-joke -peppered dialogue is consistently brilliant and the genial Shatner allows himself to be sent up nicely.
Harvey S. Karten, Compuserve
A worthwhile entry in the large pool of coming-of-age comedies, bound to be a hoot for Trekkies, an amusing ride for others.
Liz Braun, Jam! Movies
Quick, smart, ironic fare.

Read all 14 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Jason S

The cut I saw of this movie was a little long and a lot of the scenes could have been shortened or cut out all together. The characters were good and the journey they go on was good to watch. It had a lot of fn stuff in it but people not into the fan stuff should be able to follow… More
The cut I saw of this movie was a little long and a lot of the scenes could have been shortened or cut out all together. The characters were good and the journey they go on was good to watch. It had a lot of fn stuff in it but people not into the fan stuff should be able to follow the flick. I'm a little suprised that Shatner was in the flick as he is playing himself and comes off as a little crazy. I didn't mind the rap at the end either.
Michael G

A dopey, low-rent Swingers knock-off that opts to dry hump film geek and comic book culture instead of swing dancing and martini culture. The references are great even if the execution was really weak. The scenes with Shatner are worthwhile, but for as much as this movie is right up… More
A dopey, low-rent Swingers knock-off that opts to dry hump film geek and comic book culture instead of swing dancing and martini culture. The references are great even if the execution was really weak. The scenes with Shatner are worthwhile, but for as much as this movie is right up my alley, it just came off as really contrived and from what I caught (there was a point where my friends and I took what would become a permanent break from it), it never really came together. And when I saw the rest from oddly enough where I left off upon my initial viewing it was even worse. The climactic party with Shatner rapping/delivering a monologue was nothing short of awful.
xGary X

A little cheap and annoying as the subject matter is such an easy target, but seeing Shatner send himself up makes it worth it. Kevin Smith does this kind of stuff so much better though.
Alec B

You'd think that a movie about nerds, by nerds would attempt to be more realistic in it's depiction of the lifestyle of 30 year old men who collect action figures and comics but it isn't. They didn't even try to pick guys who looked the parts. There is some funny… More
You'd think that a movie about nerds, by nerds would attempt to be more realistic in it's depiction of the lifestyle of 30 year old men who collect action figures and comics but it isn't. They didn't even try to pick guys who looked the parts. There is some funny stuff (basically anything with Shatner) but the movie is kinda dull otherwise.
Sean S

Gen-X? Gen-Y ? Or is that Gen-Orig vs Gen-Next? Sci-fi geeks and in particular Star Trek geeks try to find a life or just life in general. The dialogue speaks to me as it sounds much like stuff I would talk about with my friends. William Shatner once again proves he is fearless when… More
Gen-X? Gen-Y ? Or is that Gen-Orig vs Gen-Next? Sci-fi geeks and in particular Star Trek geeks try to find a life or just life in general. The dialogue speaks to me as it sounds much like stuff I would talk about with my friends. William Shatner once again proves he is fearless when it comes to mocking himself.