Movie 43 -- all those stars but no redeeming qualities

[Noodles_Fellicini]

I saw this movie while partially sedated yet did not find anything remotely funny about it. The listings blurb (which I didn’t read until afterward; the ticket girl had no idea what it was about) said it is “not for the easily offended.” Well, I fit that bill, having worked in law enforcement and counting Archer as one of my favorite shows, but apparently that wasn’t qualification enough as it was without a doubt THE WORST movie I have EVER seen.

I honestly cannot understand how the poster of this “film” could have ended up outside a theater with so many well-regarded film stars listed. Are any of them cringing about being in it (Halle Berry, seriously girl, what were you thinking?) or did I totally miss not only the boat but the dock on this?

[obfusciatrist]

I’m just grateful Halle Berry was in it so that I could see the commercials with her looking awesome to counteract the trailers for her other new movie where she looks awful (relatively speaking).

[kbear]

My two daughters just returned from having seen this and they said it was pretty bad.

[joebuck20]

What about the trailers made you think it would have any redeeming qualities?

[thelurkinghorror]

I am mystified by the whole thing. I know of movies that attempt to be good and so blow all their budget on stars, but end up failing miserably (Valentine’s Day/New Year’s Eve). I know of movies that don’t even try to be good and hire mostly cheap actors who are unknown or had their heyday in the 80s ([Blank] Movie). I see the trailer for this movie and just wonder who thought this was a good idea, and why these actors signed up for it. I was maybe thinking that the movie might’ve been done okay, but the trailer makers screwed it up. Guess not.

What the hell does the title mean? Is it like WD-40, there were 42 other scripts that were deemed shittier?

[Boyo_Jim]

I never heard of this movie until this thread, so I searched for reviews. The first two I pulled up agree – it is the worst film either of them has ever seen. That’s pretty remarkable.

And for a more complete list of actors who’ve apparently humiliated themselves by being in it:

Movie 43’s gigantic cast features two Oscar winners (Kate Winslet and Halle Berry) and two current nominees (Hugh Jackman and Naomi Watts), plus a host of other people who should have known better, and who should now fire their agents.

Take a deep breath for a roll call that also includes, amongst many others: Emma Stone, Chloë Grace Moretz, Gerard Butler, Elizabeth Banks, Kristen Bell, Anna Faris, Richard Gere, Josh Duhamel, Greg Kinnear, Uma Thurman, Seann William Scott, Liev Schreiber, Kate Bosworth, Jason Sudeikis, Terrence Howard, Jack McBrayer and Dennis Quaid.

Some other names I recognize from the IMDB listing:
Will Sasso, Seth MacFarlane, Kieran Culkin, Aasif Mandvi, John Hodgman,Tony Shalhoub

[Exapno_Mapcase]

How bad it is?

It made the front page of the New York Post as “The Worst Movie I’ve Ever Seen” minus 4 stars.

Slowest news day ever.

[Boyo_Jim]

Roger Ebert claims he tried to take a pill to wipe it from his brain, but the pill didn’t work, and calls it, “the Citizen Kane of awful.”

[Wendell_Wagner]

Note that although that review is on Ebert’s website, it’s by Richard Roeper, not by Ebert.

[Boyo_Jim]

@Wendell_Wagner

Note that although that review is on Ebert’s website, it’s by Richard Roeper, not by Ebert.

Thanks, I didn’t see that.

[gigi]

OP, can you post spoilers on the format? Is it a bunch of skits, or an ongoing movie…?

[Oedipus]

Isn’t Citizen Kane of awful already claimed by the Tommy Wisseau cinematic masterpiece simply titled “The Room”?

[Baker]

@thelurkinghorror

I see the trailer for this movie and just wonder who thought this was a good idea, and why these actors signed up for it.

Will the check clear? It did? That’s your answer.

[JKellyMap]

@Wendell_Wagner

Note that although that review is on Ebert’s website, it’s by Richard Roeper, not by Ebert.

Hilarious review. Among its highlights:

“… Farrelly would bring in a director, and they’d shoot a scene. Unfortunately, the shooting was never fatal.”

Thank you, Roeper, for suffering so the rest of us wouldn’t have to.

[Meltdown]

@Baker

Will the check clear? It did? That’s your answer.

Well, not exactly, if Peter Farrelly is to be believed:

All different writers, tons of different directors, and new guys who had never had a movie made. You should write a story about Charlie Wessler because he knows everybody. He was a PA on “The Empire Strikes Back.” He’s been around forever and he knows all of these people: Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry . . . Their managers and agents didn’t have a lot of interest in this because they weren’t getting paid. So Charlie just called everyone personally and said, “Hey, do you want to do this?” And they were all, like, “Sure, man.” They all like Charlie … Clooney told us to [expletive] off, but in a nicer way. Of course, there were tons of people who said no. Whenever you cast a movie, some people want to do it and some people don’t. It’s not for everybody. But, I must say, when we got Kate Winslet and Hugh Jackman to do the first one, suddenly people were thinking “Oh, they’re in it? Yeah, I’ll do this.”

Link

[Exapno_Mapcase]

@gigi

OP, can you post spoilers on the format? Is it a bunch of skits, or an ongoing movie…?

Just read the Roeper review linked above. It’s a bunch of skits, supposedly funny and raunchy.

[MovieMogul]

@Boyo_Jim

I never heard of this movie until this thread, so I searched for reviews. The first two I pulled up agree – it is the worst film either of them has ever seen. That’s pretty remarkable.

And for a more complete list of actors who’ve apparently humiliated themselves by being in it

That puts the grand total of Oscar nominees to 8

[gigi]

@Exapno_Mapcase

Just read the Roeper review linked above. It’s a bunch of skits, supposedly funny and raunchy.

Thanks – I avoid reviews because I want to know as little as possible. In this case it’s hard to tell even the basic purpose so I just wanted to know that, so thanks.

[bobot]

Unlike the OP, I am now forewarned that Seth McFarland (sp- who gives a fuck) touched this project. No wonder it sucks.

[Tom_Tildrum]

The Washington Post’s critic loved it. Seriously.