Main Cast: David Spade, Mary McCormack, Jon Lovitz, Craig Bierko, Jenna Boyd
Release Year: 2003
Country: US
Run Time: 99 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
In keeping with his background in television sitcoms, Sam Weisman directs the cameo-filled comedy Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star. Dickie Roberts (David Spade) was a child actor on the hit TV show "The Glimmer Gang" and remains remembered for a particular catch phrase. Now in his thirties, he finds work as a parking valet and spends time with other nominal child stars (enter cameos by Danny Bonaduce, Corey Feldman, and the like). Wanting to make a comeback, he manages to get an audition with director Rob Reiner. When the role requires him to be normal, he decides to hire a normal family in order to relive the childhood he missed out on. He ends up with sleazy salesman George Finney (Craig Bierko) and his loving wife, Grace (Mary McCormack). Dickie shares a room with their two kids: sunny daughter Sally (Jenna Boyd) and impressionable son Sam (Scott Tessa). Former child star Alyssa Milano appears as Dickie's girlfriend, Cyndi. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Marc Dabe - Art Director, Tom McNulty - Associate Producer, John Papsidera - Casting, Blair Breard - Co-producer, Lisa Jensen - Costume Designer, Marty Eli Schwartz - First Assistant Director, Sam Weisman - Director, Roger Bondelli - Editor, Fred Wolf - Executive Producer, Christophe Beck - Composer (Music Score), Waddy Wachtel - Composer (Music Score), Michael Dilbeck - Musical Direction/Supervision, Dina Lipton - Production Designer, Thomas E. Ackerman - Cinematographer, Adam Sandler - Producer, Jack Giarraputo - Producer, K.C. Fox - Set Designer, David Kelson - Sound/Sound Designer, David Spade - Screenwriter, Fred Wolf - Screenwriter
Dickie Roberts is a former child star who shot to fame on an eponymous TV sitcom with his catchphrase "This is Nuckin' Futs!". Since his heyday, he has been reduced to parking cars at Morton's and going on Celebrity Boxing, where he is beaten up by a heavily-tattooedEmmanuel Lewis. From the public's point of view, Dickie is a walking joke or "the washed up actor freak".
Dickie is absolutely convinced that a new Rob Reiner movie in the works, Mr. Blake's Backyard, will be his comeback vehicle. Even after his agent does not land him an audition, Dickie persists. He pesters Tom Arnold at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting to hook him up with Reiner. After he is kicked out because he's not an alcoholic, Dickie fakes being wasted and crashes what turns out to be a Lamaze class. However, Brendan Fraser (in an uncredited cameo appearance) is in the class and he agrees to call Reiner for Dickie.
Reiner bluntly tells Dickie that the part is not within his abilities because it requires knowing how a regular person lives. Unfortunately, Dickie never had a real childhood: he grew up in the limelight, and then his mother abandoned him when his show was canceled. Desperate to prove to Reiner that he's right for the part, Dickie sells his raunchy autobiography to raise $30,000. With the money, he pays a family to "adopt" him for a month. As expected, once Dickie hires his "family," things do not go well as he tries to fit into the household.
Dickie learns much about himself and life in general, and finally lands the part. Along the way, he helps the family's son score a date with his dream girl and helps the daughter join the pep squad. The main lesson he learns is from Blake's Backyard itself: sometimes the things you want are in your own backyard. When his gold-digger girlfriend runs off with the self-centered father of his fake family, Dickie gives up the part to be with the family he has come to love.
The movie ends with a faux E! True Hollywood Story report on Dickie, who now turns his real story into a new sitcom that uses all of his old friends, as well as his new family (including the mother, whom he has married). The Closing Credits are a take-off on Relief albums listed as "To help former child stars". The lyrics include such treats as The Brady Bunch's Maureen McCormick singing "please don't call me "Marcia" or I'll bust your fucking head" and many in-jokes for fans of old TV sitcoms.
Paramount Pictures was sued for trademark infringement and dilution after this film was released. Paramount had not requested permission from Wham-O for using the Slip 'n Slide in this movie.[1] The lawsuit claimed that the movie, which portrayed unsafe use of a Slip 'n Slide, might encourage others to use it in an unsafe manner.[2] However the lawsuit was dismissed by a California court.[3]
