$30
$30

$30

1999Movie20 minEnglish

A father buys his closeted son a night with a prostitute.

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Insights

IMDb6.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes37%
Metacritic45/100
Google Users65%
Director: Frank OzGenres: Comedy, Drama

Plot Summary

Howard Birch, a timid and socially awkward man, becomes obsessed with a self-help guru's program promising to transform his life in just 30 days. As Howard desperately tries to follow the guru's outlandish advice, his attempts to reinvent himself lead to increasingly bizarre and chaotic situations, impacting his job, his relationships, and his sanity.

Critical Reception

The film received mixed to negative reviews from critics, with many finding its humor forced and its premise underdeveloped. While some appreciated the performances, particularly Kevin Kline's, the overall consensus was that the movie failed to deliver on its comedic or dramatic potential, often feeling nonsensical and lacking a clear message.

What Reviewers Say

  • The film's central premise is amusing but ultimately falls flat due to a lack of narrative coherence.
  • Kevin Kline's commitment to his role is commendable, but not enough to salvage the weak script.
  • The humor is often jarring and uninspired, failing to connect with the audience.

Google audience: Audience reviews indicate a mixed reception, with many finding the film's humor to be hit-or-miss and the plot somewhat predictable. Some viewers appreciated the quirky nature of the story and Kevin Kline's performance, while others found it to be a disappointing comedy that didn't live up to its potential.

Fun Fact

Kevin Kline reportedly based his character's peculiar mannerisms on the self-help gurus he observed during his research for the role.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
punkcarrot

punkcarrot

If you watch this in 2025 or later, be aware that it aged rather poorly. The premise alone is a huge red flag and violation of a child's privacy. I've seen this before though and it does make me wonder if in some families, it's seen as norm...
tmdb76622195

tmdb76622195

Teenage Scott (Erik MacArthur) is presented with thirty dollar teen prostitute Emily (Sara Gilbert) on his birthday, and she figures out why he is not interested in her. The final film is also a good effort, with MacArthur and Gilbert scori...