Jake Kasdan Movies
Rather than make his name writing splashy blockbusters akin to his father Lawrence Kasdan's breakthrough script for The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Jake Kasdan earned his prodigy stripes with the sly, low-budget film Zero Effect (1998) and his astute direction on several acclaimed TV series. Born in Detroit, Kasdan was immersed in filmmaking since his early childhood. Growing up on his father's sets, Kasdan appeared onscreen in The Big Chill (1983), Silverado (1985), and The Accidental Tourist (1988), but he knew that he really wanted to direct. Becoming a playwright while still in high school, Kasdan also worked as a production assistant on his father's mid-life crisis drama Grand Canyon (1991) and penned a behind-the-scenes book about the Western epic Wyatt Earp (1994). Though the book was scrapped after Wyatt Earp tanked at the box office, Kasdan established a positive relationship with cast member Bill Pullman that would soon help Kasdan's nascent movie career. Dropping out of college to focus on his writing full-time, Kasdan subsequently started directing with a stage production of one of his works at the Hollywood Playhouse. Ready to write and direct his first film, and publicly noting that nepotism didn't guarantee him anything, Kasdan managed to sign Pullman to play the lead for his detective comedy Zero Effect. Featuring Pullman as brilliant, agoraphobic detective Daryl Zero and Ben Stiller as his edgy associate and public representative, Zero Effect's clever, offbeat humor and excellent performances boded well for the then-24-year-old Kasdan, although more than one critic noted that the pacing was too low-key for the film's good.Further honing his skills on TV, Kasdan's wry sensibility adroitly complemented the almost painfully funny, emotionally authentic youth series Freaks and Geeks (1991) and Undeclared (2001). Despite critical accolades, however, Freaks and Geeks lasted only one season and Undeclared foundered in the ratings. Kasdan also helped give an extra insider edge to the witty teen soap spoof Grosse Pointe (2000), but it too failed to last beyond one TV season. Kasdan's proven ability with smart, teen-based comedy, though, earned him the directing job for Orange County (2002). Starring Jack Black and Hollywood progeny Colin Hanks and Schuyler Fisk, and scripted by Chuck and Buck's (2001) unconventional Mike White, Orange County seemed like an ideal match for Kasdan. The released film, however, was a disappointingly watered-down version of White and Kasdan's comic strengths. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi
- 2011
Sweet but naive Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel) is crushed to catch her boyfriend cheating on her, and promptly sets out to find a new place to live. She meets three single guys who have an open room in their loft, and convinces them that she's the new roommate they're looking for. ~ Karen Kelty, Rovi
- 2008
A half-white, half-Pakistani actor searches for his own identity while attempting to save his parents' marriage and awaiting his Caucasian girlfriend's response to his own recent marriage proposal. Returning to his home one night, American-born Ray Rehman discovers his Pakistani father waiting on his doorstep. Thrown out by his Caucasian wife, Ray's father needs a place to stay. But his timing couldn't be worse, because Ray just proposed to his white girlfriend, who doesn't seem able to make a commitment. Later, when Ray meets a South Asian girl of mixed descent, he begins to question where his true identity lies. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Zachary Levi
- 2001
Described by the Fox Network as "Freaks and Geeks Goes to College" (both series were produced by Judd Apatow), the weekly half-hour sitcom Undeclared offered a glimpse into college dorm-room life, 21st century style. As the title indicated, the series focused on a group of nerdish freshmen who were not quite certain what their major would be, but were determined to have a lot of fun making that decision. For incoming student Steven Karp (Jay Baruchel), the dorm was not exactly a home away from home, inasmuch as his recently divorced father Hal (played by iconoclastic balladeer Loudon Wainwright III) insisted upon dropping in from time to time, just to be a "pal" to his son's new roommates. Among the regulars was Charlie Hunnam as Lloyd, an erstwhile theater arts major, and Carla Gallo as Steven's self-styled "soul mate," Lizzie. Undeclared debuted on September 25, 2001, hammocked between Fox's That '70s Show and Love Cruise: The Maiden Voyage. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jay Baruchel, Charlie Hunnam, (more)
Jennifer Westfeldt wrote, directed, and stars in the romantic comedy Friends With Kids. She plays Julie, a Manhattanite whose biological clock is about to run out, so she convinces her longtime platonic best friend, Jason (Adam Scott) to father a child with her. They seem to have a much easier time juggling the responsibilities of new parenthood without the complication of being in a relationship with each other, which is in contrast to the two couples they are closest to. As their friends' marriages implode, Julie and Jason's happy equilibrium topples over as well when he falls for a hot young artist (Megan Fox) and she begins dating a successful businessman (Edward Burns). Friends with Kids played at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Adam Scott, Jennifer Westfeldt, (more)
A booze-swilling, pot-smoking, hard-swearing seventh-grade teacher rallies to get out of the classroom for good by wrangling a rich substitute teacher into marriage in this comedy from director Jake Kasdan (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story). Cynical teacher Elizabeth (Cameron Diaz) hates her job. She can't wait for the day she finds a man who makes enough cash to let her walk away from her life of middle-school misery, and when her fiancé cancels their wedding plans, her frantic search intensifies. Just when it starts to look like Elizabeth will have to muscle her way through another semester of skull-crushing hangovers, however, handsome substitute Scott Delacorte (Justin Timberlake) shows up at school sporting a fancy wristwatch and the promise of a care-free future. But in order to earn her meal ticket, Elizabeth will have to out-cute perky fellow teacher Amy (Lucy Punch). And it won't be easy, because Scott is crushing on Amy hard. Now, if Elizabeth can just motivate her students to study so that she can win a state contest to earn enough cash for some new breast implants, perhaps she can finally find a means of diverting Scott's gaze. Meanwhile, much to Elizabeth's chagrin, wisecracking, self-effacing gym teacher Russell (Jason Segel) refuses to admit defeat despite being turned down for a date by his gold-digging colleague time and again. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, (more)
- 2007
- R
- Add Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story to Queue Add Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story to top of Queue
Judd Apatow and Jake Kasdan team up to take the swagger out of the traditional music biopic with this look at the troubled life of fictional music legend Dewey Cox (John C. Reilly). Apatow and Kasdan both write and produce, while Freaks and Geeks and Orange County director Kasdan steps into the director's chair. Dewey Cox is a rock & roll legend whose songs have the power to shake a nation. Despite the fact that Cox's career has been something of a roller coaster ride, the fact remains that he never went out of style in the eyes of his many adoring fans. He's rubbed elbows with everyone from Elvis Presley to the Beatles, ingested every drug known to man (often in doses large enough to kill a healthy horse), starred in his own television show, and slept with hundreds of women, yet somehow he still finds the time to write some of the best-known songs ever to hit the airwaves. Now, after being married multiple times and fathering enough offspring to populate a small island nation, this musical icon continues to turn out the hits while attempting to win the heart of his beautiful backup singer Darlene (Jenna Fischer). While no one doubts that Dewey Cox will continue to dominate the airwaves, does this larger-than-life superstar really have what it takes to avoid the temptations of the rock & roll lifestyle and finally settle down with one woman? ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, (more)
Writer/director Jake Kasdan's showbiz comedy The TV Set stars David Duchovny as Mike Klein, a television producer who in the beginning of the film successfully sells a network on a story idea. The film follows Klein as he must actually put the show together, navigate the corporate minefield of the network, and figure out what aspects of his show he is willing to compromise. Sigourney Weaver plays the demanding president of the network, Justine Bateman plays Klein's wife, and Judy Greer plays his manager. The TV Set had its world premiere at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Duchovny, Sigourney Weaver, (more)
Jake Kasdan made his feature film directorial debut with this oblique thriller about eccentric private detective Daryl Zero (Bill Pullman) and his sardonic front man partner Steve Arlo (Ben Stiller). After the two are hired by blackmail victim Gregory Stark (Ryan O'Neal), Zero sets up a sting operation and soon focuses on his suspect, Gloria Sullivan (Kim Dickens), a woman he met at a health club. Thinking Zero is an accountant, she asks him to look over her tax return. Clues form a trail to hitman Kragan Vincent (Matt O'Toole), who could be Gloria's father. Amid the romance and revenge, Zero manages to write a few songs (actually written by Pullman and Kasdan). ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bill Pullman, Ben Stiller, (more)
Some cast and crew from NBC's highly acclaimed, little-seen series Freaks and Geeks reunite for this teen comedy that also marks the first starring role for Tom Hanks' son, Colin. The younger Hanks plays Shaun Brumder, a high schooler eager to propel himself out of the land of surf bums and ranch homes to which the film's title refers. He's had his sights set on Stanford ever since he read the works of professor Marcus Skinner (Kevin Kline), and his transcript is stellar enough to gain him admission. Shaun is understandably furious, then, when he receives a rejection letter in the mail; after some detective work on his part, he realizes that his flaky counselor (Lily Tomlin) mistakenly sent the university the wrong papers. It's up to him to get to Stanford within 24 hours to set the record straight -- literally -- and he enlists the help of his slacker brother Lance (Jack Black) to do so. Orange County co-stars Catharine O'Hara and John Lithgow as Shaun and Lance's slightly unhinged parents; the film was directed by Jake Kasdan and written by Mike White, both of whom contributed to several episodes of Freaks and Geeks. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi
- Starring:
- Colin Hanks, Jack Black, (more)
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