Paul Weiland Movies
British director Paul Weiland graduated to directing and producing movies at home and in Hollywood, after making his mark with innovative and dynamic commercial work for such brands as Tesco (in a famous series of spots starring funnyman Dudley Moore) and Canon. Weiland made the crossover to Hollywood in the mid-'80s on the strength of his advertising genius; unfortunately, the first outing that he helmed -- the Bill Cosby spy spoof Leonard, Part 6 (1987) -- not only bombed, but went down in history as one of the most embarrassing films greenlit by a major studio. Weiland survived this debacle, however, and additional projects -- notably the Mr. Bean series in the U.K., with Rowan Atkinson (for which Weiland directed many segments) and the comedy City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold (1994) -- did much to redeem his reputation as a craftsman. In the meantime, he also took on work for the Jim Henson Company (filming an episode each for its Storyteller and Storyteller: Greek Myths series) and expanded the breadth and focus of his Paul Weiland independent production banner in the U.K.Subsequent efforts included the satirical black comedy For Roseanna (1997, starring Jean Reno and Mercedes Ruehl) and the romantic comedy Made of Honor (2008), a kind of masculine reworking of My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) with Patrick Dempsey as a male maid of honor helplessly in a state of unexpressed love for the bride. The offbeat 2006 comedy Sixty Six, a coming-of-ager about a young boy's bar mitzvah that is interrupted by a number of mitigating factors, was adapted from Weiland's real-life experiences growing up in the mid-'60s; he directed it and provided the screen story, but did not script. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
A handsome and successful bachelor is taken aback when his dream girl asks him to be the "maid" of honor in her upcoming wedding in this romantic comedy starring Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan. Tom (Dempsey) and Hannah (Monaghan) have been best friends for years. Though all the hard times, Hannah has been the one constant in Tom's life, and the one person he knows he can always rely on. When Hannah leaves for a six-week business trip in Scotland, Tom is surprised to realize how truly lonely he is without her. Life just isn't the same without Hannah around, so the moment she returns, Tom resolves to ask for her hand in marriage. But apparently Hannah's trip wasn't all business, because upon returning home Hannah announces that she has gotten engaged to a dashing Scotsman and will soon be starting a new life overseas. She's convinced that Tom will be thrilled for her, and wants him to play a crucial role in the wedding. His spirits crushed but his love for Hannah stronger than ever before, Tom reluctantly agrees to be the "maid" of honor so that he can prove his love in no uncertain terms and convince her to call off the wedding before true happiness slips through his fingers. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Dempsey, Michelle Monaghan, (more)
A 12-year-old Jewish boy teetering on the cusp of manhood finds his eagerly anticipated Bar Mitzvah threatened by a lethal combination of World Cup fever, the loss of the family business, and the shenanigans of a mischievous elder sibling in a coming-of-age comedy directed by Paul Weiland and starring Helena Bonham Carter, Stephen Rea, and Gregg Sulkin. The year is 1966, and Bernie Rubens (Sulkin) is about to become a man. As the date of his Bar Mitzvah draws nearer, however, it seems like the stars have aligned to prevent it from being the blow-out bash he has always dreamt of. Not only is his wayward older brother drawing away all the attention in the family, but his father's business is slowly going down the drain as well. To make matters worse, England has finally fought their way to the World Cup Final, and the big game is scheduled for the very same day as Bernie's Bar Mitzvah. Will Bernie's friends and family be able to resist World Cup fever and make it to the celebration he has gleefully anticipated his entire childhood, or will the mania that has overtaken all of England pull a red card on the day that was supposed to be a clean-shot goal? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gregg Sulkin, Helena Bonham Carter, (more)
Rowan Atkinson returns to the role of royal scoundrel Edmund Blackadder in this hilariously skewered romp through British history. On the eve of the New Millennium, the latest incarnations of Blackadder and his eternal flunkey Baldrick step into a time machine, purportedly based on a design by Leonardo da Vinci. On a dare, the boys agree to check out a few historical high points -- only to become totally lost in time and space, bouncing back and forth (hence the title) from the Jurassic Period, to the era of Robin Hood, to the reign of Queen Elizabeth, back again to 1999, and back again "forward into the past." Several of the regular performers from the previous Black Adder TV series are once again in attendance, including stars Atkinson and Tony Robinson, Miranda Richardson, Hugh Laurie, and Rik Mayall. Produced for exhibition at England's Millennium Dome on January 1, 2000, Black Adder V: Back and Forth was previewed on December 6, 1999, and subsequently telecast on the Sky TV satellite service. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, (more)
A man trying to honor the last wish of his beloved wife has to keep an entire city alive in this bittersweet romantic comedy. Marcello (Jean Reno) is the owner of a restaurant in a small village in Italy. His wife Roseanna (Mercedes Ruehl) has received some awful news: she has learned that her weak heart has gotten worse, and she has only a few weeks to live. Roseanna has given Marcello a final request: she wants to be buried next to her daughter, who died some years before. Marcello wants nothing more than to comply with her wishes, but there's a problem; the town's cemetery is quite small, and right now funeral plots are on a first-come, first-served basis. The spot next to Roseanna's daughter does happen to be open, but she'll only get it if no one else dies first. So Marcello suddenly becomes the village's watchdog of health and safety, trying to make sure no one needlessly dies, and even shuffles around a few bodies of people who do happen to pass on. Meanwhile, Roseanna is worried about both Marcello and her sister Cecilia (Polly Walker) and would like them to marry after her death so they won't have to be alone. However, Marcello and Cecilia don't always get along very well, and besides, Cecilia is in love with Antonio (Mark Frankel), whose father has prevented the town's cemetery from expanding. For Roseanna was filmed under the title Roseanna's Grave and was briefly publicized as For the Love of Roseanna. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Reno, Mercedes Ruehl, (more)
- 1994
- PG13
- Add City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold to QueueAdd City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold to top of Queue
Mitch Robbins (Billy Crystal) returns in this sequel to the original City Slickers that attempts to recapture the first film's warmth and character comedy. Despite feeling re-invigorated when we last left him, Mitch again faces a few personal dilemmas: his radio station job is going nowhere and his schlep of a brother (Jon Lovitz, replacing Bruno Kirby as the third of Mitch's cowboy threesome) has come to stay for a while. Things get really strange when Mitch is haunted by the ghost of cowboy Curly (Jack Palance), who died while leading Mitch and friends on their first cattle-herding adventure. Mitch unexpectedly finds a treasure map in the band of Curly's hat and, together with his brother and his friend Phil (Daniel Stern), heads back to the West to find Curly's lost gold mine. Along the way, they hitch up with Curly's twin brother, again played by Palance. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, (more)
This heart-warming made-for-television holiday comedy drama from Great Britain tells the tale of a recently unemployed art dealer whose every Christmas wish comes true after he finds a genie bottled up in a tarnished old lamp. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1992
Rowan Atkinson repeats his familiar role as the terminally stupid, disastrously clumsy Mr. Bean in this 30-minute BBC comedy special. This time around, the action is divided into three brief segments. In "Bus Stop," Bean tries his best to revive a heart attack victim before using an ambulance to jump-start his own mini-car; in "Letter," our hero loses his only stamp, but that doesn't stop him from posting an important missive; and in "Holiday,", Bean demonstrates a novel (if not entirely efficient) method of packing, disposes of a bothersome train passenger, and tries to entertain an airsick boy during a plane flight. "Mr. Bean Rides Again" first aired in Britain on February 17, 1992, and in America on May 6, 1992. The special has since been included in such video compilations as The Terrible Tales of Mr. Bean and The Complete Mr. Bean, Vol. 2. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rowan Atkinson, Roger Sloman, (more)
- 1992
First telecast in Britain on January 1, 1992, the 30-minute comedy special The Trouble With Bean once again stars Rowan Atkinson as the brainless, incredibly accident-prone title character. This time, Bean cuts a disastrous swath through three short, interrelated sketches. In the first, our hero, late for his dental appointment, tries to get dressed while driving his car. In the second, Bean ends up administering anesthetic to the hapless dentist (Richard Wilson). And in the final sketch, Bean returns to the park, where he tangles with a pesky fly and a remote-control toy boat. "The Trouble with Mr. Bean" made its American TV bow on April 30, 1992, and has since been released in such video compilations as The Terrible Tales of Mr. Bean and The Complete Mr. Bean, Vol. 1. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rowan Atkinson
- 1991
Once again, the magnificently maladroit and fabulously foolish Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson) bumbles his way through a collection of brief comic sketches. In "Television," Bean purchases his first TV, only to experience a spot of reception trouble. In "The Park," our hero tries out his new Polaroid camera, which is promptly stolen. This leads to "Identity Parade," wherein Bean does his best to identity the camera thief. In "Club Phut," Bean's night on the town spells disaster for a stage magician. And in "The Disco," Mr. Bean shows off his dancing skills -- we think. Originally telecast in Britain on October 15, 1991, the 30-minute comedy special Mr. Bean Goes to Town later aired in America on April 23, 1992, then was included in such video compilations as The Exciting Escapades of Mr. Bean and The Complete Mr. Bean, Vol. 2. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rowan Atkinson
- 1989
The stars of the British laughfest Alas Smith and Jones briefly abandoned their traditional sketch-comedy format in favor of brief "book" shows. The four 20-minute playlets offered herein included "The Whole Hog," "The Boat People," "Second Thoughts," and "The Waiting Room." Exercising their usual prerogative, Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones wrote most of their own material, which sometimes required the services of stunt coordinator Tom Delmar. Smith and Jones in Small Doses aired over BBC2 from October 19 to November 9, 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
CIA director Snyderburn (Joe Don Baker) talks former agent Leonard (Bill Cosby) into returning to the job in this failed Bond-style spy comedy. Leonard's mission is to stop the evil Medusa (Gloria Foster) from taking over the planet by controlling the behavior of the world's animals. The highlight of the film is when lobsters, fish, and frogs begin to attack the humans in a reversal of the food chain. Jane Fonda makes a brief appearance as she talks to Leonard while filming one of her exercise videos. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Cosby, Tom Courtenay, (more)
