Tom Shadyac Movies
A onetime actor/comedian long rumored to have been the youngest writer to ever work for comedy legend Bob Hope, producer and director Tom Shadyac got his start on the standup circuit before his directorial career was launched into the stratosphere with the 1994 Jim Carrey comedy Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. In the years that followed, Shadyac would establish himself as one of the most prolific comedy directors in Hollywood while working with some of the biggest names in the business.A Virginia native who made the journey westward in the early '80s and quickly earned a solid reputation as a joke writer, Shadyac tried his hand at acting while attending UCLA, with a small role in the 1987 sports comedy Jocks and a bit part on Magnum, P.I. serving as early career highlights. It wasn't long before the increasingly prolific funnyman was looking to expand his skills, and in 1991 it was time to try his hand at directing with the made-for-television comedy Frankenstein: The College Years. Though the film didn't necessarily receive rave reviews, it did provide the emerging director with the experience he would need to make his next film an unsubstantiated hit.
When Ace Ventura: Pet Detective hit the multiplexes in February 1994, audiences were introduced to the man who would become the comedy icon of a generation, and it was Shadyac who played a key part in making that happen. As director and co-screenwriter of the film, Shadyac established a long-running professional relationship with rubber-faced, former In Living Color star Carrey -- a relationship that would later continue to great success with such box-office hits as Liar Liar and Bruce Almighty. Having successfully launched Carrey's film career with Ace Ventura, Shadyac's would next turn one of Hollywood's most foul-mouthed comedians into an icon of family entertainment with the 1996 comedy The Nutty Professor. A detour into sentimentality with the 1998 comedy drama misfire Patch Adams proved an important milestone in Shadyac's career by providing the filmmaker with his first producer credit, and in the few years following the box-office bomb Dragonfly, the prolific filmmaker would continue to serve as producer on screens both big and small with work on 8 Simple Rules...for Dating My Teenage Daughter, Bruce Almighty, and Accepted. Despite his longtime friend Carrey's refusal to appear in the proposed sequel to Bruce Almighty, Shadyac would remain faithful to his 2003 hit by returning to the helm to direct Steve Carell in 2007's Evan Almighty. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
40-Year-Old Virgin star Steve Carell reprises his role as preening newscaster Evan Baxter in this heavenly sequel to the 2003 Jim Carrey comedy hit. Shortly after television anchorman-turned-U.S. congressman Evan Baxter (Carell) relocates his family from Buffalo to Northern Virginia, God (Morgan Freeman) reveals to him that a devastating flood is coming and the planet is about to be cleansed once again. Later, when Baxter accepts the responsibility of building a great ark and his rapidly changing physical appearance begins to draw media attention, his skeptical family attempts to discern if his actions are driven by delusion or divine intervention. John Goodman, Wanda Sykes, Jonah Hill, and Molly Shannon co-star in a divine comedy of truly epic proportions. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, (more)
- 2007
- PG13
- Add I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry to QueueAdd I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry to top of Queue
When two testosterone-fueled firemen attempt to register as domestic partners in order to bypass the bureaucratic red tape preventing one of them from naming his own two children as his life-insurance beneficiaries, their low-key ruse turns into headline news in this quirky matrimonial comedy starring Adam Sandler and Kevin James. Chuck Levine (Sandler) and Larry Valentine (James) are two New York City firefighters whose longtime friendship has endured many a five-alarm fire. All that widower Larry wants is to ensure that his two children will be taken care of if anything should happen to him on the job, and all that single blaze-battler Chuck wants is to carry on with his carefree life of noncommitment. Having once rescued Larry from certain death in a particularly fearsome inferno, beholden Chuck feels forever indebted to his brave friend and has vowed to repay the favor when the time is right. When Larry discovers that the only means of circumventing the civic red tape that could throw his children's futures into jeopardy is to take Chuck as his lawfully wedded husband, his obligated pal reluctantly agrees to step up to the alter with the understanding that the arrangement will be a well-kept secret between themselves and the justice of the peace. A potentially fatal flaw in their presumably foolproof plan is soon revealed, however, when an overzealous bureaucrat decides to question Chuck and Larry's partnership. Subsequently forced to embark on a mandatory honeymoon and pose as starry-eyed newlyweds, Chuck and Larry quickly discover just how important it can be to stick by a friend in his or her time of need. Jessica Biel, Steve Buscemi, Ving Rhames, and Dan Aykroyd co-star in a comedy from The Benchwarmers director Dennis Dugan. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adam Sandler, Kevin James, (more)
When the weight of rejection begins to set in after being denied entry to every college he has applied to, a high school burnout attempts to placate his mom and dad and win the heart of his dream girl by scheming with his friends to create a fake university in a hilarious comedy of artificial education directed by Steve Pink and starring Justin Long. Bartleby "B" Gaines (Long) is a high school senior whose street smarts just never seemed to translate into the classroom, and whose bad luck in love has left him pining for the unattainable Monica (Blake Lively). When Bartleby and his rebellious crew of outcasts find the frequent college rejection letters they have all been receiving bringing endless grief from their disappointed parents, they soon band together to create the fictional South Harmon Institute of Technology. After creating a believable façade in an abandoned psychiatric hospital, employing the talents of a close friend's brilliantly subversive uncle (Lewis Black) to pose as the dean, and creating a phony website in order to sell the school to their parents, Bartleby and friends soon realize that all of their hard work has paid off in ways than they never imagined. With a variety of college rejects attempting to enroll in classes at the ersatz university and the skepticism of some privileged students from a nearby college drawing unwanted attention to the South Harmon Institute of Technology, Bartleby and friends find their ruse becoming ever more difficult to maintain. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Justin Long, Jonah Hill, (more)
After a bad day at work, a man suddenly gets a new job -- as the world's new Heavenly Father -- in this comedy. Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) is a television reporter working in Buffalo, NY, who has been growing increasingly dissatisfied with his existence, and after an especially bad day, he flies into a rage and curses God for making his life miserable. To Bruce's great surprise, the Supreme Being Himself (Morgan Freeman) appears, and tries to convince Bruce of the enormity of his task. Bruce, however, isn't buying it, so God gives him a chance to find out what he's up against; God bestows all of his powers on Bruce for a week, to see how he'd handle things. At first, Bruce has a great time bending the world around him to his will, much to the puzzlement of his girlfriend, Grace (Jennifer Aniston), but after six days God stops by to remind Bruce he hasn't done much to make the Earth a better place. Disappointed, God presents Bruce with an ultimatum -- he has one day to improve the world in a concrete way, or God will toss the planet back into the void. Bruce Almighty was directed by Tom Shadyac, who previously teamed with Jim Carrey for Liar, Liar and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Carrey, Jennifer Aniston, (more)
In this supernatural thriller, Kevin Costner plays Joe Darrow, a physician mourning the death of his wife Emily (Susannah Thompson) in a bus accident in South America, where she was providing medical outreach. Wracked by grief, Joe works extra shifts at the hospital to take his mind off the tragedy, but the intense workload triggers his short temper and some careless mistakes. His officious boss (Joe Morton) forces Joe to take time off, but Joe feels obligated to check in on his wife's pediatric patients, fulfilling a promise he made before she left. Visiting the ward, Joe starts to believe that Emily is using the near-death experiences of her terminal patients to communicate with him, through images the children report seeing in their dreams, and symbols they are inexplicably compelled to draw. While the children see Joe as a kindred spirit, the hospital staff worries about how these interactions are agitating them. At home, Joe begins finding other ethereal evidence of his wife's attempt to contact him from beyond the grave, some of it featuring the image of a dragonfly, which was the shape of the birthmark on her shoulder. His friends and a caring neighbor (Kathy Bates) worry that Joe is losing his marbles, especially as his quest becomes more frantic, putting his job in jeopardy. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Costner, Kathy Bates, (more)
- 2002
Inspired by the essays of humorist W. Bruce Cameron, this ABC sitcom went through a number of title changes before settling on its unwieldy but all-encompassing cognomen. The basic gag here was that John Ritter and Katey Sagal, respectively the randy Jack Tripper on Three's Company and the slatternly Peg Bundy on Married With Children, were now cast against type as the intensely over-protective parents of three teenagers, two girls and a boy. When Cate Hennessy (Sagal) re-entered the workplace, her newspaper columnist husband Paul Hennessy (John Ritter) suddenly found himself in more or less full charge of his daughters, the man-hungry (and barely clothed) Bridget (Kaley Cuoco) and the wise-lipped Kerry (Amy Davidson, who was eerily reminiscent of Roseanne's Sara Gilbert). Agonizing over the girls' choice in beaux and their outrageous outfits (thong and bra jokes abounded on this series), the long-suffering Paul often found himself turning to his (comparatively) level-headed son Rory (Martin Spanjers) for advice (the kids on the series were named after the real-life children of series creator Tracy Gamble). And just for the record, those titular eight rules were as follows: "1: Use your hands on my daughter and you'll lose them after. 2: You make her cry, I make you cry. 3: Safe sex is a myth. Anything you try will be hazardous to your health. 4: Bring her home late, there's no next date. 5: Only delivery men honk. Dates ring the doorbell. Once. 6: No complaining while you're waiting for her. If you're bored, change my oil. 7: If your pants hang off your hips, I'll gladly secure them with my staple gun. 8: Dates must be in crowded public place. You want romance? Read a book." The series began its highly-publicized run on September 17, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
- PG13
- Add The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps to QueueAdd The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps to top of Queue
Overweight scientific genius Sherman Klump and his extended family are back in this sequel to the 1996 comedy smash The Nutty Professor. Sherman (played once again by Eddie Murphy) has come up with a discovery that ought to make him a multimillionaire: a youth serum that turns back the user's body clock. Sherman has also found time for a social life and has fallen in love with Denise Gains (Janet Jackson), a brilliant woman involved in DNA research. Sherman and Denise are engaged, but Sherman is still troubled by Buddy Love, the dark side of his personality that he wants to purge from his psyche forever. He persuades Denise to help him by splicing Buddy out of his DNA structure, but the experiment doesn't go as planned: instead of destroying Buddy, Sherman and Denise free him, and Buddy's first order of business is to get his hands on Sherman's youth serum, which Sherman has hidden at his family's house. In addition to Klump and Love, Murphy also plays Mama, Papa, Grandma, and nephew Ernie Klump, thanks to the makeup magic of Rick Baker. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Murphy, Janet Jackson, (more)
The fact-based story of an unconventional physician who attempted to heal patients with laughter, based on his own book and mixing equal doses of scatological humor and pathos. Robin Williams stars as Hunter Adams, a troubled young man who commits himself to a mental institution in the late 1960s. His experiences there convince Adams to become a doctor, and he enrolls in medical school, where he is appalled at the cold, clinical professionalism that alienates patients from their caregivers. Determined to provide emotional and spiritual relief as well as medicine, Adams clowns around for his patients, getting to know them personally. Although his efforts seem to work wonders and the hospital nursing staff is grateful for the levity Adams provides, his methods alienate his uptight roommate Mitch (Philip Seymour Hoffman) as well as the staff and faculty of his school. Adams perseveres, however, even starting his own low-cost rural clinic called the Gesundheit Institute, and wooing a pretty fellow student, Carin (Monica Potter). Tragedy strikes, and Adams' career is put in jeopardy, forcing him to defend his style and philosophy before a board of jurists determined to bar him from practicing medicine. Patch Adams (1998) was produced by former M*A*S*H (1972-83) star Mike Farrell, who met the real-life Adams when the offbeat doctor served as an advisor to the actor's popular TV series. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robin Williams, Daniel London, (more)
An attorney who tells the truth for 24 hours straight? This has got to be the movies! Fletcher Reede (Jim Carrey) is a lawyer obsessed with his career, and he's devoted his life to bending the truth to his advantage. This habit has broken up his marriage to Audrey (Maura Tierney) and isn't doing much good for his relationship with his young son Max (Justin Cooper). Fletcher repeatedly promised Max that he'll be there for Max's eighth birthday party, but when an important assignment comes up at work, Fletcher calls Audrey and makes an excuse so flimsy that even Max can see through it. When it comes time to blow out the candles on his cake, Max makes a wish: that his Dad could go just one day without telling a lie. Suddenly, Max finds himself physically incapable of saying anything that isn't true -- which, given the divorce settlement case he's just been handed, is going to make his next day in court very interesting indeed. While designed to show off a warmer and more likable side of Jim Carrey's personality, Liar Liar still revels in the broad physical comedy that made Carrey a star in Ace Ventura, Pet Detective -- which makes sense, since both were directed by Tom Shadyac. Both Carrey's fans and foes will get a chuckle out of Swoosie Kurtz's tongue-in-cheek insult to the film's star in the blooper reel that runs under the final credits. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Carrey, Maura Tierney, (more)
Eddie Murphy gives one of Jerry Lewis' best-remembered vehicles a 1990s overhaul in this hit comedy. Sherman Klump (Murphy) is a college professor and respected biochemistry researcher who is kind, considerate, and a genuinely nice guy. Sherman is also appallingly overweight; coupled with the fact that he's painfully shy and a bit clumsy, his romantic prospects are rather bleak. When Sherman finds himself working with a pretty graduate student, Carla Purty (Jada Pinkett), he falls in love and is eager to impress her, but at an upscale nightclub, his weight attracts the attention of an insult comic (Dave Chappelle) and his bumbling spoils the evening. Sherman's latest project is a genetic weight loss formula, and despondent over his failure to win Carla's heart, he subjects himself to a massive dose. Suddenly, Sherman is transformed into the slim, trim, and handsome Buddy Love; however, the drug also boosts his testosterone level, turning the likable Sherman into the arrogant, skirt-chasing Buddy. In addition to playing Sherman and Buddy, Eddie Murphy also plays four other members of the porcine Klump family, as well as eccentric exercise guru Lance Perkins. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Murphy, Jada Pinkett Smith, (more)
- 1994
- PG13
When your dog, bird, or water-dwelling mammal disappears, who do you call? Ace Ventura (Jim Carrey) is a low-rent private eye who specializes in recovering lost animals, so when Snowflake, the Miami Dolphins' aquatic mascot, is kidnapped, team representative Melissa Robinson (Courtney Cox) puts Ace on the case. However, Snowflake isn't the only Miami Dolphin who has gone missing; several key members of the team also disappear, including quarterback Dan Marino (who plays himself), who is spirited away while filming a TV commercial. With the Super Bowl only two weeks away, will Ace be able to find Snowflake and the missing athletes in time to salvage the big game? Ace Ventura: Pet Detective was a surprise box office smash and catapulted manic comedian Jim Carrey to stardom. The supporting cast includes Sean Young as ill-tempered Lois Einhorn, Udo Kier as the sinister Ronald Camp, and rapper Tone Loc as Ace's detective pal Emilio (Loc also wrote and performed a song for the closing credits). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Carrey, Courteney Cox Arquette, (more)
- 1991
This is about as loosely based on the original Mary Shelley novel as you could ever get. A college experiment goes on to become REALLY Big Man on Campus--amazing the student body on the dance floor and on the football field. Get real! ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Ragsdale, Christopher Daniel Barnes, (more)
Richard Roundtree stars as tennis-coach Chip Williams in this uneven adolescent comedy. Coach Williams must whip his players into shape for the big tournament in Las Vegas. The Kid (Scott Strader) and his cohorts run wild in Vegas on and off the court as the coach tries to keep the star players out of trouble before the match. Christopher Lee and R. G. Armstrong appear in character roles and Jane Mansfield's daughter Mariska Hargitay is the heroine Nicole. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Strader, Perry Lang, (more)
- 1984
While teaching a college investigation class, Magnum (Tom Selleck) tries to stem the alarming dropout rate by agreeing to take a case from one of his students on a pro-bono basis. At first, it appears that all Magnum has to do is locate the student's missing fiancee--but as the plot thickens, our hero becomes enmeshed in an entirely different mystery(or is it?) Guest star Tom Shadyac is better known for his latter-day accomplishments as a writer, director and producer on such Jim Carrey projects as Ace Ventura, Pet Detective, Liar Liar and Bruce Almighty. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
