Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star Review
by Bob Bloom (bobbloom AT iquest DOT net)September 6th, 2003
DICKIE ROBERTS, FORMER CHILD STAR (2003) 2 stars out of 4. Starring David Spade, Mary McCormack, Jon Lovitz, Craig Bierko, Alyssa Milano, Rob Reiner, Scott Terra and Jenna Boyd. Written by Fred Wolf and David Spade. Directed by Sam Weisman. Rated PG-13. Running time: 99 minutes.
Ironically, the weakest link in Dickie Roberts, Former Child Star, is the movie's lead, David Spade.
Surprisingly, Dickie Roberts is better than you'd expect, but it could have risen to another level with a comic actor in the starring role instead of a sketch comedian.
Spade lacks the stamina for this kind of marathon. A sprint is more his métier. Spade has a few such moments when he does show his chops, but he cannot sustain a character for a full-length feature without faltering.
In the context of the movie, which deals with a forgotten child star trying to make a comeback, we get comedic jabs at reality TV, old sitcoms, eBay, former child stars and the public's fickle love affair with stars.
The film's premise revolves around the now grown and washed up Roberts trying to win the lead in a new Rob Reiner movie, but to do so he has to learn what it is like to have been a kid.
So, Dickie rents a family for a month, complete with mom, dad, son and daughter, to learn what it means to have a normal childhood.
And the idea would have worked better with an actor who could have done more with the material. Spade is very good at smarmy, but this character is spoiled and pampered, so much so that he is grating and fails to garner much sympathy. A comic performer probably could have found a way to elicit some empathy from the audience.
To understand the movie's level of comedy, consider that the catch-phrase that propelled young Dickie to stardom on his TV sitcom was Nuckin' Futz, which is uttered over and over by all who meet and greet the former celebrity.
The best parts of the film are those sidebars that have nothing to do with the main plot, such as the weekly poker game with Dickie and his former child star pals, including Corey Feldman, Barry Williams of Brady Bunch fame, Danny Bonaduce of The Partridge Family and Leif Garrett, among others.
Saving Spade's bacon is a decent support cast, including two youngsters, Scott Terra and Jenna Boyd, as Sam and Sally, Dickie's new brother and sister. They appear genuine, especially compared to Spade's semi-obnoxious antics.
Also adding able assistance are Jon Lovitz as Dickie's loyal agent and Rob Reiner as himself.
Dickie Roberts, Former Child Star, offers several laughs but they are unevenly spaced. The movie cannot find a consistent tone, which hurts its impact.
However, the movie, directed by Sam Weisman, saves the best for last. I will not give anything away, except to recommend you remain through the end credits.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, IN. He can be reached by e-mail at bbloom@journalandcourier.com or at bobbloom@iquest.net. Other reviews by Bloom can be found at www.jconline.com by clicking on movies.
Bloom's reviews also appear on the Web at the Rottentomatoes Web site, www.rottentomatoes.com and at the Internet Movie Database:
http://www.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Bob+Bloom
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