Sherman's Way (2008)

33% of critics liked it
(18 reviews)
38% of users liked it
(1,976 ratings)

Fate brings together two mismatched travelers in this comedy. Sherman (Michael Shulman) is a tightly wound, career-obsessed college student whose mother, Evelyn (Donna Murphy), is a successful politician who micromanages her own life as well as that of her son. Planning to spend a few weeks in… More Fate brings together two mismatched travelers in this comedy. Sherman (Michael Shulman) is a tightly wound, career-obsessed college student whose mother, Evelyn (Donna Murphy), is a successful politician who micromanages her own life as well as that of her son. Planning to spend a few weeks in Northern California with his girlfriend, Marcy (Lacey Chabert), Sherman instead discovers that she's dumped him for another, more fun-loving guy; adding insult to injury, Sherman's wallet and credit cards have been stolen and Evelyn decides it's time to cut off his allowance. With few options and eager to prove he can be free-spirited and self-reliant, Sherman decides to hitchhike to Los Angeles for an internship interview, and takes a ride with the first person willing to take him down the coast. Sherman's ride turns out to be Palmer (James LeGros), a former Olympic skiing champion-turned-footloose middle-aged bohemian who is more interested in keeping his vintage convertible in tune than in getting anywhere at any specific time. While Sherman and Palmer have next to nothing in common, before long the younger man finds himself learning some lessons about life from the scruffy stranger behind the wheel. Sherman's Way was the first theatrical feature from producer-turned-director Craig Saavedra. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 37 min.
Directed By: Craig M. Saavedra
Written By: Tom Nance
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Mar 6, 2009 Wide
On DVD: Jul 21, 2009
Studio: Starry Night Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times
Shulman, though, who also produced, is a personality drag, unable to make us care that Sherman's off-putting arrogance warrants even by-the-numbers enlightenment.
Lou Lumenick, New York Post
LeGros isn't bad, but this pre-DVD road trip feels like it's four hours long.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
Note to indie filmmakers: a life-changing road trip, some quirky characters, and a cutesy soundtrack do not a movie make. Or, at least, not one that's worthy of an audience's hard-earned cash.
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times
Like an annoying new puppy, Sherman's Way just wants to run around in circles and lick your face. After a while, though, you kind of fall in love with it.
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
Sherman's Way manages to be a road movie that never gets very far because it keeps going around in circles.
Robert Wilonsky, Village Voice
Director Craig Saavedra and writer Tom Nance's collaboration plays like something out of an indie-film paint-by-numbers.
Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru
Breezy, harmless and mildly engaging, but ultimately insipid and forgettable.
Eric Henderson, Slant Magazine
Not since Larry David's Sour Grapes has a movie kicked off by so thoroughly painting its protagonists as deeply unlikable souls.
John P. McCarthy, Boxoffice Magazine
Upon learning he can't swim or drive, we know a skinny-dipping scene and driving lessons loom around the bend. So what? LeGros is still funny and the montages and gentle sitcom wit go down more easily in wine country.
Lewis Beale, Film Journal International
Cute fish-out-of-water comedy is a lightweight but inoffensive time-waster.
Marshall Fine, Hollywood & Fine
A surprising little low-budget comedy that has heart, smarts and charm.
Susan Granger, SSG Syndicate
Whimsically entertaining but all too familiar and formulaic.
Mark Holcomb, Time Out New York
A victim of its own bad timing, Craig M. Saavedra's buddy-comedy-cum-road-trip-flick might've had a chance back before the world started going to hell.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A delightful comedy about the sentimental education of an uptight and inexperienced young man who happens to be insanely rich.
Nick Schager, The Screengrab
Charts the contrived awakenings of two caricatures.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
The "fish-out-of-water-coming-of-age" genre loses so much ground in Craig Saavadra's tedious indy comedy that you
Luke Y. Thompson, OC Weekly
Not an uncontrived moment goes by.
Steve Rhodes, Internet Reviews
You'll want to make your way to Sherman's Way. In a cynical world, we need more sweet comedies like this charmer. Prepare to fall in love with life again.

Read all 18 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

♥˩ƳИИ &

Cast: James LeGros, Enrico Colantoni, Michael Shulman, Lacey Chabert, Donna Murphy, Brooke Nevin, M. Emmet Walsh, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Tad Hilgenbrink, Tom Nance Director: Craig M. Saavedra Summary: When uptight Yale law student Sherman (Michael Shulman) gets dumped by his… More
Cast: James LeGros, Enrico Colantoni, Michael Shulman, Lacey Chabert, Donna Murphy, Brooke Nevin, M. Emmet Walsh, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Tad Hilgenbrink, Tom Nance Director: Craig M. Saavedra Summary: When uptight Yale law student Sherman (Michael Shulman) gets dumped by his girlfriend (Lacey Chabert) and cut off from the family fortune in one fell swoop, he hitches a ride to Los Angeles with former Olympic ski champion Palmer (James LeGros) in this captivating indie comedy. A series of unexpected adventures with the eccentric slacker begins to open Sherman's eyes to some new realities. My Thoughts: "Anytime I see a film that involves a 'road-trip', I'm all for seeing it. Some are much better then other's, and this film falls in the other category. I didn't hate the film, I actually found it to be quite funny at times. But the acting and story could have been better. Also there wasn't much of a road-trip flick as it is just someone spontaneously hitch-hiking. They really only stop at one place. Palmer and his friend DJ are free spirits and lets life happen instead of trying to make it happen which is the opposite of Sherman. The longer Sherman is around these two gentlemen the more he comes out of his shell and as the saying goes, off his high horse. When Sherman meets the off-beat quirky Addy, the shell comes completely off and Sherman starts to come into his own person and not what his mother molded him into. There are many moments when the men try to get in touch with their sensitive sides, but as they are men, it soon turns into a joke or a snide remark. The film is funny and Palmer keeps the movie interesting. Worth seeing at least once."