Once Upon a Time in Venice
Once Upon a Time in Venice

Movie spotlight

Once Upon a Time in Venice

2017
Movie
94 min
English

Steve Ford is a private detective in Venice Beach, Calif., who's good with the ladies, bad with the punches and wild about his dog Buddy. When local thugs steal Buddy, Ford turns to Spyder, their devious leader, and forges an unlikely alliance. With help from his best friend, Steve pulls out the big guns to retrieve Spyder's stolen cash and cocaine and save Buddy.

Insights

IMDb5.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes16%
Metacritic31/100
Google Users45%
Director: Mark Cullen, Robb CullenGenres: Comedy, Action, Crime

Plot Summary

Los Angeles private detective Steve Ford's life takes a chaotic turn when his dog, Buddy, is stolen by a local gang. In his desperate attempt to retrieve his beloved pet, Steve finds himself entangled in a web of dangerous situations, quirky characters, and escalating stakes. He must navigate the criminal underworld of Venice Beach, California, facing off against a volatile drug dealer and a relentless loan shark.

Critical Reception

Once Upon a Time in Venice received largely negative reviews from critics, who found its humor forced and its plot nonsensical. Audiences were similarly unimpressed, leading to a poor box office performance. The film struggled to find a cohesive tone, oscillating between slapstick comedy and gritty crime drama without significant success.

What Reviewers Say

  • The film's attempts at humor fall flat, often feeling juvenile and forced.

  • The plot is convoluted and lacks coherence, failing to engage the audience.

  • Despite a talented cast, the performances are largely wasted on weak material.

Google audience: Google users expressed disappointment with the movie, citing its lack of genuine humor and a poorly executed plot. Many felt the film was forgettable and did not live up to the potential of its cast.

Fun Fact

The film was co-written and directed by brothers Mark and Robb Cullen, who were inspired by their own experiences growing up in Venice Beach.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
Gimly

Gimly

A patently unfunny comedy, whose audience-gateway character is the most annoying of the bunch. Moderately uplifted by setting, the fact that Bruce Willis wasn't 100% phoning it in for once, John Goodman once again "going through some stuff"...