Movies:
Funny Bones
DVD Release
- Release Date: 2003
- Widescreen (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 televisions
- cc
- French language track
- Spanish subtitles
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
- Rating:
- Genre: Comedy Drama
- Movie Type: Slapstick, Family Drama
- Themes: Fathers and Sons, Eccentric Families, Circuses & Carnivals
- Director: Peter Chelsom
- Main Cast: Oliver Platt, Lee Evans, Richard Griffiths, Leslie Caron, Jerry Lewis
- Release Year: 1995
- Country: UK
- Run Time: 126 minutes
- MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Tommy Fawkes (Oliver Platt) is a struggling stand-up comedian who has tried for years to get out from under the shadow of his father, George Fawkes (Jerry Lewis), himself a famous humorist. Tommy finally scores a showcase spot at a major resort in Las Vegas, but when opening night rolls around, Tommy's act is an unqualified disaster, with the failure made even more painful by his father's presence in the audience. In search of a fresh start, Tommy heads to Blackpool, England, where he was born and raised, to look for a new act. Hoping to buy material from local performers, Tommy auditions a large number of acts, most of whom are utterly hopeless, until he sees a hilarious vaudeville team, the Parker Brothers. Their act seems more than a bit familiar, however, and Tommy soon realizes that they're doing his father's old material. But they have every right to be doing George's schtick -- it seems George stole his act from the Parkers ages ago. What's more, the younger and more eccentric of the Parker Boys, Jack (Lee Evans), is actually Tommy's half brother, the product of a fling with a Blackpool showgirl years ago. Veering between comedy and drama, Funny Bones has more than its share of effective moments on either side of the fence, and features fine supporting performances from Oliver Reed, Leslie Caron and Harold Nicholas. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie GuideReview
Peter Chelsom's follow-up to Hear My Song also deals with a show business quest. In his debut film, Chelsom charted the journey of a nightclub owner to come up with a famous but reclusive singer. Here, the search is a bit more difficult, as Tommy Fawkes (Oliver Platt) tries to resurrect his career as a comic and learn something about his family's roots in show business. Chelsom is clearly enthralled with the traditions of performance, as he allows a glimpse into the seaside resort of Blackpool, whose stages of the pre-television era launched hundreds of careers, none more distinguished than that of Tommy's father, George (Jerry Lewis). It may be a stretch to think of a character played by Jerry Lewis as a native Briton, but Lewis is so persuasive as a man steeped in the traditions of vaudeville that the gap is easily bridged. Lee Evans, as the rubber-limbed third of the Parker Boys act, almost walks away with the movie, no mean feat when the cast includes Lewis, Oliver Reed, and Leslie Caron, as the key figure in the Fawkes family past. Chelsom has a sideways method of telling his story that invites repeated viewings to pick up more nuances to his delightful story and characters. ~ Tom Wiener, All Movie GuideCast
- Oliver Platt - Tommy Fawkes
- Lee Evans - Jack Parker
- Richard Griffiths - Jim Minty
- Leslie Caron - Katie Parker
- Jerry Lewis - George Fawkes
Oliver Reed - Dolly Hopkins; Mickey Baker - Mayor; Francois Domange - Pirard; Ticky Holgado - Battiston; William Hootkins - Al; Jona Jones - Security Guard; Phil Kelly - Himself; Ruta Lee - Laura Fawkes; Ian McNeice - Stanley Sharkey; The Nicholas Brothers - Harold as Himself; Harold Nicholas - Himself; Andy Rashleigh - Reporter; Terence Rigby - Billy Man; Peter Martin - Skipper; Gavin Millar - Steve Campbell; Rusty Goffe - Bagpipe Playing Dwarf; Ruth Kettlewell - Camilla Powell; Peter Gunn - Nicky; Peter McNamara - Canavan; Mouss - Poquelin; George Carl - Thomas Parker; Freddie Davies - Bruno Parker; Olivier Py - Barre; Frank Cox - Cox Twin
