We had a few laughs watching this, because we needed to. But on another day we might have kicked in the screen. The theme is touchy-feelie guys' get-together-and-let-your-hair-down weekends, except it takes two reels of lightweight "Carry On" slapstick to get the guys into a huddle round a campfire in the forest depths, and once there the revelations hold no surprises. All four characters are one-dimensional and they have few, if any, really good gag-lines. At the end the scroll reveals that it is a movie with a message, as the producers remind us that it's still not illegal to trade in grizzly bear parts in North America. Don't get me wrong, I fully support such a sentiment, but this preachy message at the end of the picture came across lamely, as if they were trying to make an otherwise ineffectual production seem worthwhile. Furthermore, the picture makes a particularly transparent effort to appear American, branding Vancouver in the first few frames as Seattle. Both sides of the border are belittled by this unconvincing charade. I can think of a long list of other themes and situations that would merit spending money and wit to dramatise. You have to engage in a "friends and family" suspense of ridicule to extract a few chuckles from this one. I'd say thumbs down to all the film subsidy bodies for such a mediocre effort.
7 Reviews
A very insulting example of Canadian film....
kelvinator-113 November 2004
I work in the film industry in Vancouver and I just returned from the premier of "The Wild Guys", and this is my opinion. From the out of focus opening shot (focus is a problem throughout) & the sloppy steady-cam moves to the constant peppering of cheesy film clichés and embarrassing dialogue, this film has succeeded in setting the bar for Canadian film well below grade. It's infuriating that many federal and provincial film organizations actually contributed to this mess with public dollars while so many talented local filmmakers and writers can't find the resources to make worthwhile films and maybe create a real industry in this country. I hope that the rest of the world will overlook this mistake and continue to support quality Canadian films.
Terrible, terrible, terrible
kuantanboy5 October 2005
Upfront, I must admit that I watched only the first 30 minutes of this film. Only because I couldn't bear to waste another hour or more on it. I don't have a problem with the hackneyed premise--many good films have come from bog-standard scenarios before, but the characters are no more than clownish caricatures, the dialogue painfully unfunny, and the acting is hammy and highly overperfomed (perhaps in a vain effort to make the dialogue funnier.) Not being familiar with the actors, who may very well have been brilliant in everything else they've ever been in, this may well be the director's fault. "The Wild Guys" may have been a very successful and funny stage play, but this movie fails on every level. Zero stars.
Amusing film with good actors
se7en18714 June 2005
I saw this film at the Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck, Michigan. It was an entertaining film, adapted from a hit play. I expected it to be just comedy, but it's more than that. I don't really like comparing it to other films, but I guess you could call it a City Slickers in the forest.
Directed by William Gereghy, it's about four guys that go on a fishing trip at a cabin in the woods, basically just a weekend with the guys. But unfortunately they get lost and soon enough bad goes to worse. Throughout the film they buddies do a lot of talking around the campfire at night, sometimes really funny, sometimes insightful, maybe getting lost was for the best.
I enjoyed the film, again, I wasn't expecting a film about a bunch of guys trying to find out what they're doing in their life, but it works. And since it was based from a play, I guess you can expect a dialogue driven film. The four leads do a great job, I like that each character has their own personality and charm. If a DVD is in the future I'd like to hear a commentary by the four leads, it would be fun to hear some of their stories.
Directed by William Gereghy, it's about four guys that go on a fishing trip at a cabin in the woods, basically just a weekend with the guys. But unfortunately they get lost and soon enough bad goes to worse. Throughout the film they buddies do a lot of talking around the campfire at night, sometimes really funny, sometimes insightful, maybe getting lost was for the best.
I enjoyed the film, again, I wasn't expecting a film about a bunch of guys trying to find out what they're doing in their life, but it works. And since it was based from a play, I guess you can expect a dialogue driven film. The four leads do a great job, I like that each character has their own personality and charm. If a DVD is in the future I'd like to hear a commentary by the four leads, it would be fun to hear some of their stories.
Utterly Charming
bob_bundens20 April 2005
An absolute Gem! This movie is charming from beginning to end. On the surface, it's the story of 4 men's journey into the woods. But on a much deeper level, it's really about examining the journey each man has taken in their lives. By the end of their camping trip, each man knows more about each other, and themselves, than they would have been able to learn in 20 years living next to each other. If you don't love these guys by the end of the movie, then you don't deserve to be loved yourself. It's got all the right elements and in just the right proportions. Kudos to those players behind the scenes who figure out how to mix the ingredients just right. And "The Wildguys" has a dynamite ending to boot.
This is a comedy with a brain. And a heart.
This is a comedy with a brain. And a heart.
A very good movie on life!
stevepinch29 August 2003
(French-Canadian. Forgive me for the mistakes!)
I've just seen the movie at the Festival des Films du Monde of Montréal and I just fell in love with the movie! The movie is the story of 4 guys who are lost in the woods. From this point, they begin to think about their life. It might look a normal story but the movie is so well directed and played that you can't go out of the movie theater without a smile in the face!
"You want beer? I do!"
I've just seen the movie at the Festival des Films du Monde of Montréal and I just fell in love with the movie! The movie is the story of 4 guys who are lost in the woods. From this point, they begin to think about their life. It might look a normal story but the movie is so well directed and played that you can't go out of the movie theater without a smile in the face!
"You want beer? I do!"
An enjoyable pretty faithful adaption of the play
rdelgrande-124 September 2005
The play was very funny. It was great to see it put into a film which was also well done.
The story is about 4 very different guys on a weekend away in the bush and what happens as circumstances develop (they get lost, have no food and have a few close encounters with a grizzly)and they start to interact at a more 'meaningful' level.
Not too deep but makes a few good points. A bit slow to start as it sets the scene and characters but culminate well with a few poignant bits.
The ending is nicely done (not in the play (as are a few other bits)) but rounds the characters and story off in a more satisfying way.
The story is about 4 very different guys on a weekend away in the bush and what happens as circumstances develop (they get lost, have no food and have a few close encounters with a grizzly)and they start to interact at a more 'meaningful' level.
Not too deep but makes a few good points. A bit slow to start as it sets the scene and characters but culminate well with a few poignant bits.
The ending is nicely done (not in the play (as are a few other bits)) but rounds the characters and story off in a more satisfying way.
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