The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard
Release Date:
August 14, 2009
Limited release
On the Big Board |
| Position |
Staff |
In Brief |
| 53/82 |
Kelly Metz |
Ed Helms in a boy band was the only really funny part. Piven was okay - supporting cast was horrible - I wish Kathryn Hahn would just stop acting. |
| 140/169 |
Max Braden |
This is an unfortunate letdown for a Piven movie. But Kathryn Hahn adds some awkward funny. |
Of all the major studios, the last one you’d expect to release The Goods: The Don Ready Story is Paramount Vantage. This is the same studio behind such highbrow, award-winning films as There Will Be Blood and Babel. It seems odd they’d also release an irreverent comedy about a used car salesman. That’s not to say The Goods can’t be “good,” but the studio will probably not be pushing for it come the 2009 Oscar race.
With that said, the talent behind The Goods, along with its peculiar premise, should interest fans of the genre. And who knows, maybe having the Paramount Vantage logo at the head of the first reel will give the movie a touch of class.
The Goods stars Jeremy Piven (of TV’s Entourage) as Don Ready, who’s asked to liquefy the stock of a failing car dealership to save the owner from bankruptcy. Ready and his troops storm the quaint little town of Temecula and work to sell as many cars as possible, which will no doubt come in between moments of depravity. The film co-stars Ving Rhames, David Koechner and Kathryn Hahn.
With a cast that’s recognizable but hardly considered box office clout (most are supporting actors who have never carried a film on their own), Paramount Vantage will take full advantage of the names behind the camera to help sell it, namely Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, who produced the movie through their newly formed Gary Sanchez Productions. Don’t be surprised if the trailers, TV spots and posters constantly mention, "From the guys who brought you Talladega Nights and Step Brothers.” You may also expect Ferrell to make an appearance of his own, especially because this is his brand of humor, with lewd, drunken behavior, nudity and stabs at popular culture. What’s promising is that Ferrell tends to bring a certain level of quality, the kind director Neal Brennan can hopefully capitalize on after working on the critically (and audience) acclaimed The Chappelle Show.
Like Talladega Nights from three years ago, Goods has a preliminary release date of August, but unlike the popular Ricky Bobby adventure, Goods arrives in late August, which could suggest the studio doesn’t have much faith in it. It’s too early to judge its box office potential, but I’m sure the studio wants a run more similar to Talladega than Semi-Pro. Only time will tell if Don Ready can guarantee the "goods" or if he's just selling a lemon. (Matthew Huntley/BOP)
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