User Reviews

"Homegrown" is a look at marijuana farming in northern California, and the often unpleasant things that go along with it. The cast is pretty funny, but the whole movie seems a little bit like they got together for the weekend to party and just filmed what happened. In a way, the movie seems a little bit more relevant nowadays, as political action committees challenge the government's "war on drugs". The best part is really the end scene; "Saving Grace" has a similar ending. Overall, it's an OK way to pass time. Starring Billy Bob Thornton, Ryan Phillippe, Hank Azaria, Kelly Lynch, John Lithgow, Judge Reinhold, Jamie Lee Curtis and Maggie Gyllenhaal.

The first half hour of "Homegrown" was rather boring and not absorbing, but as the film progressed, so did my interest in the characters and the plot. Several scenes are really scary and you fear for the main characters who you actually grow attached to. The story is about three hired hands on a hidden illegal marijuana farm in southern California. They witness the murder of the farm's owner, Malcolm (John Lithgow), and they take over the weed for their own. The three rather simple-minded farm hands soon get swept up into a scary world of mafia and local interest, while all of the time trying to convince everyone that Malcolm is still alive. While the movie had several faults and a slow beginning, it turned out to be worthwhile. 7/10 stars.

The tabloid fodder and poor film choices aside, it's still pretty clear why Billy Bob Thornton is considered a quirky actor of genuine merit. Here he heads up a strong cast of low-keyed eccentrics, and he's the best thing in the picture--a bona fide movie star for perhaps the first time. Director/co-writer Stephen Gyllenhaal is an odd filmmaker: the subjects he's drawn to and the crazy spin he puts on the situations can be fascinating, even while he takes his time mounting his story. "Homegrown", about three not-too-bright marijuana growers who try taking over their boss' business affairs after the guy is murdered, is a rather thin black comedy helped by a frazzled, funny last-act. For the first hour, however, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot happening, even though the actors hold interest. It's sadly too disconnected and too minor to make the grade. ** from ****

This is a pretty good movie heavily influenced by John Huston's "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" with Humphrey Bogart, but original in its content and conflict. It is not so much a comedy as a quirky drama, like Treasure, though its point is not as sharp at the end. You should see Treasure (again) before or after seeing this.

Not your ordinary movie, but a good one. Billy Bob is very funny in this movie, the way he talks, what he says etc. I was kind of surprised when i saw it, cause i just thought it was a normal comedy, but it was more than that. It had a very good story, great characters and a good balance.

Favorite part: Probably when Billy Bob is running around in his robe shooting at the rippers

I think Homegrown is a bit of a misnomer for this movie - more like "Plantation Grown" - but it doesn't have quite the same ring to it. My guide described it a comedy, but the pathetic travails of these hapless buffoons is not my idea of a belly laugh. More in the genre of the farcical thriller/drama. The characters developed well enough - an all-star cast made it oh-so promising, just a shame the plot was patently absurd. Ted Danson provided a fine cameo as did Jamie Lee Curtis in her walk-on part. Jon Bon Jovi has this amazing ability to measure THC content in the front seat of his car! I guess if you imbibe a few beforehand you should be able to sit through this one - not for the gun shy paranoid types though.

Though Stephen Gyllenhaal is a good TV director with a few good full-length to his credit, "Homegrown" is just a mess in its script and direction. Despite performances from Billy Bob Thorton, John Lithgow, Kelly Lynch, Jon Bon Jovi, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Ted Danson, a cast this good couldn't save the film.

Gyllenhaalics will know that Jake and Maggie are in the film but you don't see Jake very well and Maggie's only in it for 30 seconds as babysitter tipping off Lithgow's character about a bust. It's not even a lowbrow pot comedy as the film was intended to be. It just wasn't funny.

A nice little ensemble piece about the highs and lows of marijuana farming in California. Hank Azaria holds his own with Billy Bob as two of the three stooges trying to save their investment after the kingpin is killed. Vignettes by Judge Reinhold and Danson help carry the movie along. I got the impression that this was a friend made by a group of billy bobs friends...Not great- but a pleasant video addition to the drug cult movies...

So many films are now in a Genre described as "Comedy/Thriller", as was this one. A fine cast, interesting premise, but what an unpleasant film to watch. Into Hemp films? Then either "Saving Grace" or "Lock, Stock..." are far more enjoyable films. Rating: Just 2 out of 10 Roach Clips

A fun romp...a lot of good twists and turns! (and we were not even baked!)

Didn't know this movie even existed until watching the extra trailers on a Monty Python DVD...(oddly it was there along with The City of Lost Children, and The Adventures of Baron Munchauhsen)

The plot keeps you wondering throughout.

The acting was awesome...Hank Azaria shows his talent again, Bill Bob is Billy Bob...(wecis?)

Definitely worth watching.

This delightful movie tells the story of buds. And it's incredible. You'll laugh, and you'll smile, and you'll laugh. It's really all about the laughs. When Jon Bon Jovi is funny in a movie, it's a heck of a movie! 'nuff said. Now go watch it!

In efforts to make a somewhat comedic yet serious movie about the art of growing marijuana, Stephen Gyllenhaal (director) fell a few bong rips short of a good movie. While the cast is nothing short of amazing, this movie is extremely hard to sit through. The acting of Billy Bob Thornton, Ryan Phillipe, Jon Bon Jovi, Hank Azaria, and Kelly Lynch couldn't even save this movie from failure. It would be wiser to flush three single dollar bills down the toilet then to check this movie out at the local video store.

This film was marketed as a comedy but anyone who went into it expecting "Half Baked" was probably dissapointed. Instead of a mindless stoner-comedy, we get a good solid film that is equal parts drama/comedy/thriller. It's the story of a group of pot farmers who, after seeing their boss murdered, decide to cash in the crop for a cool 3 million. Needless to say, things turn out to be a bit more complicated than expected and getting the money takes a back seat to getting themselves out of this bind that they have done such a good job of getting themselves into.

The three central characters, Jack (Billy Bob Thornton), Carter (Hank Azaria) and Harlan (Ryan Phillipe) are working for Malcomn (John Lithgow), manning the pot farm, when Malcom is killed by his own helicopter pilot. Thinking they know way more than they actually do, they decide to take charge of the situation and finish out the job. Jack poses as Malcomn (none of Malcomn's customers have ever actually seen what he looks like) and becomes the natural leader while Carter and Harlan bumble around doing the grunt work.

Things go a little over Jack's head when mob boss "Gionni the wop" (played hilariously by Ted Danson) enters the picture. Pretty soon it's paranoia time for the three stooges and their mutual girlfriend Lucy (Kelly Lynch), fighting off rippers, avoiding hitmen, and trying to find a buyer, all without getting caught by the feds (all the local cops are paid off).

There are many plot twists in Homegrown and the acting is great from a huge ensemble cast. Hybrids like this rarely work completely and Homegrown does sputter occassionally. There are a few scenes that leave you wondering if they are supposed to be funny. One thing that is highly overlooked and misunerstood about this film is how it makes you feel just like the characters. It totally succeeds in putting you in the same boat with them and making you feel the same things that they are feeling.

All in all, I give this movie a 9/10 and I highly reccomend it. It DOES NOT glorify the use and distribution of marijuana (many would like to argue that point) but merely uses it as a backdrop for what is going on. Give it a run. I especially reccommend this one to Billy Bob Thornton fans. He is so perfect in his role that you can almost smell the weed on him.

This movie isn't comedy, this is drama. Drama about people who are trying to sell drugs. I admit that there are some funny scenes but they are here only because of the whole image of this film about drugs. Maybe the ending perfectly says what every man should do with drugs. It is a small movie, like independent one but what is really good about it are actors. Very good performance from Billy Bob Thornton and Hank Azaria. Also Jon Bon Jovi has a role in this one. I'm fan of Bon Jovi and I watched this movie to see how he'll fit in acting world. It turns out very good. There are small roles of John Lithgow, Jamie Lee Curtis and Ted Danson in this movie. All in all good, small movie worth watching because of Thornton's and Azaria's performance.

After seeing the trailer it was an easy decision not to see this film. I mean, I don't care for stupid "stoner comedies." I'm sure it was also an easy choice for a lot of people to get together, smoke a bowl and go check out this flick with the guy from The Simpsons and some guy named "Billy Bob." Should have been a good time, but the film's just not that funny--too bad somebody had to go and bum their high.

Unfortunately, I found out that the trailer was misleading after it had already left the theaters, so I had to wait for the video. I really enjoyed it. Nice locations, quality production and excellent performances from the entire cast. Looking back at it, the plot twists weren't totally unexpected, but I didn't find it cumbersome because the premise was so engaging.

So why was this absorbing drama marketed as a comedy? Did something happen to the producer, leaving the associate producers to do the marketing by themselves?

Pot farmer John Lithgow gets killed. His farhands, Ryan Phillippe, Billy Bob Thornton, and Hank Azaria, along with pilot Kelly Lynch, figure they can do the job themselves and split millions of dollars. Cops, competitors, and even John Lithgow disagree.

Director Stephen Gyllenhaal knows that a good way to direct a comedy is to take everything absolutely seriously, and that is what he has done here. Unfortunately, except for the set-up, there isn't that much in the situations that seem funny, and the performers show uncanny abilities to, say, perform well in a running gun battle, that seem outside the wheelhouses of their stoner characters. There are some bright points here, mostly in the casting of smaller roles. This includes Jake and Maddie Gyllenhaal, Jon Bon Jovi, Jamie Lee Curtis, Judge Reinhold, and Ted Danson, but that doesn't make this more than a pleasant time waster, suitable for watching stoned. Or so I would imagine.

This movie was good. I can't say it was one of the best, but it still was good. The only reason that I watched it was because of Ryan Phillippe. He is soo hot! (Don't get mad Reese). But I think that it was sort of funny- not a laugh your head out kinda thing, but still O.K.

horrible! All i can say is that is movie was horrible. I came to watch this movie half expecting some good acting. All i got was a horrible movie. This movie deserved to stay on the cutting room floor. I do not recommend this movie to anybody. I have seen better porformances by the actors.

Billy Bob Thornton, Hank Azaria, and Ryan Phillippe play Jack, Carter, and Harlan, three hired hands working for master pot dealer Malcolm (John Lithgow). When Malcolm is betrayed & murdered by his own pilot (Jon Tenney), the three goofballs try running the operation by themselves. Jack pretends to be Malcolm, which is possible since none of Malcolms' customers seem to know what he looks like. In a farcical fashion, our protagonists quickly get in over their head, dragging along compatriot Lucy (Kelly Lynch) with them.

A character-driven, rather offbeat drama (rather than a true comedy), "Homegrown" is an interesting if not all that successful film. Right from the start, it's hard to care that much about this group of characters, or the others that circle around them. Granted, it's reasonably amusing to watch as things in this story (scripted by Nicholas Kazan & director Stephen Gyllenhaal) keep going from bad to worse. It's fairly seedy, violent stuff, that gets by mostly due to a very engaging cast. Gyllenhaal and company originally planned on using unknowns, but as the script made the rounds, more and more big names got attracted to the project. Some of them appear only briefly, but they keep the thing watchable. Popping up over this 102 minute run time are performers such as Jon Bon Jovi, Judge Reinhold, Jamie Lee Curtis, and top character actor Matt Clark. Gyllenhaal's acting offspring, Jake and Maggie G., have small parts. Ted Danson, admittedly, makes for an unlikely Italian-American mobster, but he looks like he's enjoying himself as he attempts to intimidate & terrorize Thornton. Azaria is a standout.

While not altogether satisfying, at least the film wasn't overly predictable. The ending is a hoot.

Six out of 10.

After their drug-dealing boss is shot dead, three pot-smoking employees decide to continue growing and selling the marijuana. The all-star cast's main players are super-cool leader Billy Bob Thornton (as Jack Marsden), muscular ex-hippie Hank Azaria (as Carter) and photogenic young hunk Ryan Phillippe (as Harlan Dykstra). The three California men encounter danger, sexual partners and a bunch of cameo-appearing guest stars. Hanging around most often is attractive blonde Kelly Lynch (as Lucy). She likes well-built men...

"Homegrown" is directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal. Not coincidently, a couple of cameos originate from the Gyllenhaal home. The director gets a fine crew, including photographer Greg Gardiner, to work with. It may look tousled, but Mr. Phillippe's hair is amazingly well-kept, for a stoner. Trouble with this film is you don't laugh at the comedy and aren't intrigued by the dramatic turns. Most likely, it's intended to be primarily a comedy. Having to look that up indicates a problem. The abduction sequence is the film's highlight.

**** Homegrown (4/17/98) Stephen Gyllenhaal ~ Billy Bob Thornton, Hank Azaria, Ryan Phillippe, Kelly Lynch

Homegrown is one of those movies which sort of fell through the cracks, but deserves better. When I first saw it, I had a luke-warm reaction. But, over time, it's really grown on me--no pun intended ;-). The more I see it, the more I appreciate it. The writing is top-notch, as is the acting. Throw in a few surprising cameos and good direction, and you end up with a great little film.

It's also good to finally see Hank Azaria get a chance to shine in a starring role. And Thornton delivers his usual quality performance. Even relative newcomer Ryan Phillippe delivers, playing a friendly innocent with wit and subtlety.

On a side note, Homegrown is simply a "must see" if you're a Billy Bob Thornton fan. It appears Stephen Gyllenhaal was influenced by earlier Thornton projects like One False Move and Sling Blade (though Homegrown is certainly a lot more tongue-in-cheek than either). And Thornton's role as a character who is both sophisticated and down-to-earth is a perfect match for the actor.

I usually don't consider turning a movie off unless it's REALLY bad. Homegrown is a movie I wish I hadn't even turned on. The plot is interesting but the acting and writing are too low key. I didn't care about the characters. Any movie that has drug use and gratuitous nudity as its highlights is not worthy of praise. The characters spent their time getting high and believe me, that's the only way to sit through this movie.

Homegrown is a very nice and inspirational film about three farmboy dope growers and their "community" of likeminded folk. After their boss Malcolm (John Lithgow) is assassinated, the hapless and frequently high trio have to try and improvise to get paid.

Homegrown is also a strongly feminist movie, in the best sense of the word, in that all the women are in fact the real actors behind the events as they unfold. What do our three hapless heroes do when they get in trouble and need a place to crash? Lucy (Kelly Lynch) is the first port of call, and she isn't afraid to use sex to get any info she needs. Who is really taking care of business when the community is threatened to be invaded by mafiosi?

All in all, this is a very inspirational movie. It makes you feel you want to go out and grow some of your own herb. I can see how a lot of people got nervous about a movie where the main characters are pot growers. However, if you take into account that pot is just another plant, it's hard to see what the trouble is about. The producers tried to sell this as a "comedy", and there are plenty of laughs, but don't wait for canned laughter or any other cues.

There are several marijuana inspired songs, Bob Marley's "Smoke Two Joints" and Musical Youth's "Pass The Dutchie", just to name two.

It is more of a caper/suspense/comedy movie.