The Ladies Man (2000)

11% of critics liked it
(73 reviews)
41% of users liked it
(20,531 ratings)

Yet another recurring character from Saturday Night Live makes the jump to the big screen in this comedy. Leon Phelps (Tim Meadows) is the host of a radio call-in show in which he dispenses advice on the fine art of seduction, for which he seems to have quite a talent -- rather surprising, seeing… More Yet another recurring character from Saturday Night Live makes the jump to the big screen in this comedy. Leon Phelps (Tim Meadows) is the host of a radio call-in show in which he dispenses advice on the fine art of seduction, for which he seems to have quite a talent -- rather surprising, seeing that he's usually broke, nearly everything he says sounds crass and obvious, and he possesses a fashion sense that would have been gauche in the mid-1970s but seems just plain freakish today. After finally going too far during a broadcast, Leon is fired, but he receives a note from one of his former flames who wants him to come back to her -- and is willing to support him in high style. This sounds just fine with Leon, except she hasn't signed her name, and now Leon has to backtrack through his numerous conquests of the past and figure out who wants him to work his love magic. Meanwhile, a group of husbands who've been cuckolded by Leon, led by Barney (Lee Evans) and Lance (Will Ferrell), are hot on his trail, eager to get revenge. The Ladies' Man also stars Tiffani Thiessen and Karyn Parsons as two of the ladies in Leon's life and Billy Dee Williams as the ultra-smooth proprietor of Lester's Straight-Up Lounge. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 24 min.
Directed By: Reginald Hudlin
Written By: Tim Meadows, Dennis McNicholas, Andrew Steele
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Oct 13, 2000 Wide
On DVD: Apr 17, 2001
Studio: Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

Lawrence Terenzi, Mr. Showbiz
80 minutes of comic mistiming and missed opportunities.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Desperately unfunny.
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
One more case of a winning SNL character tamed by the wan, fizzled farce around him.
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter
Only ... fans of Meadows' anachronistic Ladies Man caricature are likely to have any interest in this slapped-together, unfunny movie.
Tom Keogh, Film.com
A waste of space.
Vladimir V. Zelevinsky, Boston Globe
The movie overstays its welcome merely by a factor of approximately eight.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Dumb -- SNL skits don't work as movies.
Mark Halverson, Sacramento News & Review
Another Saturday Night Live sketch character tries, futilely, to stretch to feature-length proportion...
Christopher Smith, Bangor Daily News (Maine)
The director wants his film to be as smooth and as infectious as the funkadelic music he highlights throughout, but a string of bad decisions prevents that from happening.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
Just when you thought they couldn't get worse, Saturday Night Live-based movies hit a new low.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
After I swallowed my disbelief and gave my critical faculties a break, yeah, I was tickled every 40 minutes or so.
Chris Gore, Film Threat
Lorne Michæls has crapped out another one that is only worth catching when it finally makes its way to cable.
Susannah Breslin, Film Threat
The Ladies Man is a total dud.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
A putrid mess...simultaneously vulgar and boring.
John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online
...Hampered as much by the film's third-rate script as Meadows's own weakness as an actor.
Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
Used to be Halloween was the scariest event each October. Recently, the most horrifying thing is the release of another comedy based on a Saturday Night Live sketch.
Wade Major, Boxoffice Magazine
Any criticism of a film like The Ladies Man is essentially moot.
Mike Miliard, Boston Phoenix
The Ladies Man is pointless and should never have been made. But check your brain at the door and it almost stacks up to a snifter of Courvoisier and a handful of butt.
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile
Not just ordinarily unfunny, The Ladies Man is ghastly almost beyond belief.
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
It just seems to go on and on, never arriving at either a point or a satisfying conclusion.

Read all 23 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jeff "

The Ladies is not an excellent comedy by any means, but it definitely isn't the worst. I think the film is a bit underrated, and though I agree it's not an excellent comedy, it still is a fun, entertaining mindless film that has a few good laughs throughout the film. This is… More
The Ladies is not an excellent comedy by any means, but it definitely isn't the worst. I think the film is a bit underrated, and though I agree it's not an excellent comedy, it still is a fun, entertaining mindless film that has a few good laughs throughout the film. This is not a perfect film, but it has its moments. If you're looking for mindless comic relief, then The Ladies Man is that film. The jokes are comical, nothing ever too hilarious, but it will manage to get a few chuckles out of you. The cast is decent, nothing ever good. I thought some parts of the film were weak, but for the most part the film was a lot of fun to watch. This is one of those comedies that you have to shut your mind off in order to enjoy. Sure the film is crude and all, but there's just something about the film that makes it a fun viewing experience. I've seen worst comedies than this, and The Ladies Man isn't one of them. This a funny film that is quite underrated, though some jokes were stale; for the part I laughed and I enjoyed myself watching it. The people that stand out in the film is of course Tim Meadows as the Ladies Man/Leon Phelps, and he brings a funny, quirky style to the role. Another who stands out is Will Ferrell, he really is funny here, and he is perfect for the character he plays. The Ladies Man is mindless fun, if you're looking for a good little film, then this is a worthy viewing. Fun and dumb, the perfect film to watch with friends.
danny d

one of the 2 or 3 funniest movies ever made, but just too crude to justify
Lafe F

This movie was a lot of fun. I liked Tim Meadows' "Ladies Man" character.
Jason S

It's sad that I thought this was funny.
Joseph E

I watched it and enjoyed most fo it, but the parts I didn't like where stupid, annoying, and downright dumb. I think that is why I really disliked the film, but nor for what it was, but for what it could of been.