Drillbit Taylor (2008)
Runtime: 1 hr 42 mins
Theatrical Release: Mar 21, 2008 Wide
Box Office: $32,853,640
Synopsis: DRILLBIT TAYLOR tells the story of three nerdy adolescents who, on their very first day of high school, find themselves the target of a merciless, near psychotic bully. The friends band together and pool their funds to hire a personal bodyguard, Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson). Taylor, a... DRILLBIT TAYLOR tells the story of three nerdy adolescents who, on their very first day of high school, find themselves the target of a merciless, near psychotic bully. The friends band together and pool their funds to hire a personal bodyguard, Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson). Taylor, a homeless beach bum and AWOL army soldier, plans to con the kids just long enough to pull together the money needed to amscray off to Canada. A momentary flash of a conscience and a growing crush on a teacher at the boys' high school, however, compels Drillbit to stick around, do the right thing, and ultimately save the day. The movie is fluff to the extreme, and because it's from the duo of Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow it's easy to long for more. There's a remarkably talented comic cast here, though, that includes, among others, Upright Citizens Brigade veteran Matt Walsh, former Daily Show correspondent Beth Littleford, and indie favorite Frank Whaley. And while it never reaches the near poetic heights of vulgarity to be found in SUPERBAD and KNOCKED UP, one can sense Rogen and Apatow's supreme wit poking around the edges of the film. Where DRILLBIT does succeed, however, is as a fun movie for pre- and early-adolescent boys. KNOCKED UP and 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN deal with some adult subject matter, meaning the plots are driven by issues that 13-year-olds most likely can not relate to, and SUPERBAD is raunchy to the point where parents might not want their kids to see it until they can at least drive. DRILLBIT, on the other hand, strikes a nice middle ground, as it deals with the age-old problem of the high school bully and throws in just enough raunch & roll to keep the sleepover rowdy until dawn. [More]
Genre: Comedies
Starring: Owen Wilson, Leslie Mann, Danny McBride, Josh Peck, Troy Gentile
Screenwriter: Kristofor Brown, Seth Rogen
Story: Edmond Dantes, Kristofor Brown, Seth Rogen
Producer: Judd Apatow, Susan Arnold, Donna Arkoff Roth
DVD Info
Release:
Jul 1, 2008
DVD Features:
- Region 1
- Keep Case
- Widescreen
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - English, French, Spanish
- Subtitles - English, French, Spanish - Optional
Additonal Release Material:
- Audio Commentary - 1.Steven Brill 2.Kristofor Brown 3.Troy Gentile 4.Nate Hartley 5.David Dorfman
- Deleted Scenes - (12)
Buy It On DVD
Reviews
Has enough heart and insight into the complexities of being a teenager today that you can overlook some of its other shortcomings - primarily in the tired act of the titular character.
A distaff version of Weird Science with a similar metaphysical disregard for logic
Wilson proves again that he's a quick-witted comedic treasure—he's the sort of actor who gets hired to make mediocre movies almost good by his sheer force of comic will. [Blu-Ray]
...silly, sentimental, sometimes cruel, often clumsy, mostly unfunny, and frustratingly inane.
What worked for me were the three kids, but every time Wilson shows up the movie comes to a complete halt.
Leaves its stain less on [Luke] Wilson than on the fellows who are trying to harness his smirk and his persona without the delicate touch that [Wes] Anderson and Wilson made look easy.
You can pretty much tell which parts were written by Seth Rogen. That was probably why 50% of the movie was actually funny.
Maybe it's because I had low expectations going in, but whatever the case may be I was unable to wipe the smile off my face throughout most of the film.
He (Wilson) has played every variation of the stoned surfer guy imaginable and here the act begins to wear thin
Wilson is perfectly cast as a beach bum who passes as a bodyguard for teens
The kids are generally good, and Frost makes a really convincing psycho, but the energy level is generally dragged down by Wilson, who gives a depressive edge to his zillionth version of this character.
Produced by Judd Apatow and co-written by Seth Rogen, Drillbit Taylor has a been there, done that quality reminiscent of Superbad if it were much tamer and less funnier.
Insufferably mean-spirited, "Drillbit Taylor" is, believe it or not, a movie about bullies aimed at young people.
It mixes big laughs with a lot of heart taking a premise built on a group of disparate losers and turning it into a hilarious winner in every way imaginable.
It's hard to imagine a bigger disappointment, or a more casual squandering of audience good will, than Drillbit Taylor.
...has nothing going for it but [Owen] Wilson's personal appeal...
This rag-tag bunch of losers combine to create some wonderful laugh-out-loud moments, the largest arriving in the final confrontation when Drillbit catches hold of a Samurai sword blade.
A mere shadow of the earlier movie with not enough decent jokes to paper over deep feelings of familiarity.
An engaging enough picture, if a lesser work, from the talented Apatow stable.
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