Heckler (2007)
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60% of critics liked it
(5 reviews) -
54% of users liked it
(1,734 ratings)
Nearly anyone who performs in public on a regular basis is familiar with the notion of the audience member who makes their opinions loudly and clearly known during the show, and like most comedians Jamie Kennedy has dealt with his fair share of hecklers over the course of his career. However, when… More Nearly anyone who performs in public on a regular basis is familiar with the notion of the audience member who makes their opinions loudly and clearly known during the show, and like most comedians Jamie Kennedy has dealt with his fair share of hecklers over the course of his career. However, when Kennedy moved from stand-up comic to actor, he encountered a new breed of heckler -- the on-line film critic who posts angry rants on the internet, taking Kennedy to task for nearly every aspect of such critically drubbed movies as Son Of The Mask and Malibu's Most Wanted. Kennedy teamed up with director Michael Addis to make the documentary Heckler, which explores the increasingly combative relationship between artists and their audience. Heckler features interviews with a number of comics and musicians discussing their experiences with loud-mouthed spectators (including Bill Maher, David Cross, Louie Anderson, Rob Zombie, Joe Rogan and David Allen Grier), but Kennedy goes a step further, confronting a number of the writers who've bad-mouthed his work and questioning their role in the creative process. Kennedy and Addis also talk with filmmaker Uwe Boll, who went so far as to challenge his critics to a boxing match. Heckler received its world premiere at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Michael Addis
- Genres
- Documentary
- In Theaters
- Sep 9, 2008 Wide
- Studio
- Jizzy Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Peter Debruge, Variety
Addis and Kennedy have tapped into a rich subject here.
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Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
Heckler isn't perfect, or even especially memorable, but if nothing else, it's at least the best movie that Kennedy's ever been involved with. And you can put that on the poster!
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Amy Nicholson, I.E. Weekly
Kennedy objects to objections about his mean-spirited jokes; the unexplored subtext of this solid film is why all humor has gone negative?
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Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com
Heckler doesn't penetrate like a proper documentary should; it's more silly than exploratory, missing a prime opportunity to crack open a dialogue between critic and performer that could generously benefit both parties.
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Staci Layne Wilson, Horror.com
Jamie Kennedy and the film's director, Michael Addis, present an amazing amount of footage (including the Uwe Boll vs. The Critics boxing matches) and an impressive spectrum of sources (everyone from Jewel to George Lucas).
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