Welcome to Collinwood (2002)

[Vickie_M]

Title: Welcome to Collinwood

Tagline: Five guys. One safe. No brains.

Genre: Comedy, Crime

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Cast: William H. Macy, Isaiah Washington, Sam Rockwell, Michael Jeter, Luis Guzmán, John Buck Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Andy Davoli, Brett C. Leonard, Frank O'Donnell, Peter Veneziano, Bernard Canepari, Art Oughton, Ray Calabrese, George Clooney, Annie Kitral, Lissy Gulick, Dorothy Silver, Maryanne Nagel, David Warshofsky, Jennifer Esposito, Gabrielle Union, Don Kost, June Lang, Basil Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot, Wayne S. Turney, Rohn Thomas, Ann Russo, Blaine Pate, Danny Lentz

Release: 2002-05-24

Runtime: 86

Plot: Five hapless inner-city low-lifes attempt to burgle a pawnbroker's safe, but end up being plagued by bad luck.

I went to see Lovely & Amazing tonight and saw a preview for Welcome to Collinwood. Although the name was vaguely familiar (maybe I was thinking of Dark Shadows), it came at me pretty much out of the blue.
This looks HILARIOUS! The plot looks to be a "buncha colorful losers get together to plan a heist that goes awry" scenario. The tagline is "Five guys. One safe. No brains."
The cast is great, with 4 of my current favorites: William H. Macy, Luis Guzmán, Sam Rockwell ("Guy" from Galaxy Quest - "I'm the guy in the episode who dies to prove how serious the situation is!!") and George Clooney (though I believe his is a very small part).
I haven't heard of the writers/directors, another brother(?) team, Anthony Russo and Joe Russo. Their other credits are Pieces (1997) and The Kiss (2001). I haven't heard of either one.
Link Removed, from someone who saw it at Cannes. I watched and read some things from this year's Cannes, and don't remember anyone else talking about it. (I did do a Search in this forum but didn't find anything). The comment is more of a review, but I didn't read it past the first few lines:
"I saw this gem of a film at Cannes where it was part of the directors fortnight. Welcome to Collinwood is nothing short of superb. Great fun throughout, with all members of a strong cast acting their socks off."
Even if it was written by a publicist, that and the preview is enough for me to know I want to see it! I'm glad this is on my radar now. It opens October 4 in the US.
Btw, Lovely & Amazing was very good!

 

[Jack Briggs]

The fact you were so enthusiastic about the trailer you saw that you logged on to HTF late on a Saturday night to tell everybody is in itself compelling! Thanks for the heads up. Your description does make this movie sound funny.

 

[Matt Stone]

You're enthusiasm is enough to make me go watch Bottle Rocket

 

[Paul_D]

Did anyone see this? And by anyone, I mean anyone in the world!

 

[Robert Crawford]

I just received the dvd yesterday and I will try to watch it this week.

 

[Doug D]

I saw it in the theater. It was horribly disappointing, nowhere near as good as it seems like it should have been. The directors just never nailed the tone, and it veers wildly between cartoonish and sentimental.

I liked Guzman and Clooney in it, though.

 

[Phil Florian]

Saw it. It was cute. Saw it in Cleveland where it was shot so we knew some actors in it and some of the locations. That made it a bit more fun for us than most viewers, I would assume. Considering the pedigree that went into making it, I expected more.


Phil

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

I too saw it here in Cleveland- having several friends who worked on the local crew when the film shot here in NE Ohio. Thought it was and expensive version of mediocre failms i see my friends make.
-Vince

 

[Francois_T]

Welcome to Collinwood was inherently dissapointing because of all the big names in it. It was funny, sure : not that funny. According to Ebert, not as funny as the original either. Anyway, I give it 2.5/5.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

I wonder if Vickie got to see it yet...
I'm a big fan of the 'ensemble comedy' so (despite several less than enthusiastic reviews) I'm still looking forward to seeing this one.
Not exactly on the top of my list tho...

 

[Mark Pfeiffer]

The original, Big Deal on Madonna Street, is exponentially better. I saw it when it opened in one theater here because I enjoyed the Italian film on which this was based, but Collinwood went over like the proverbial lead zeppellin. Not funny.

 

[Karl F]

I agree with Mark. Big Deal is hilarious and suspenseful, while Collinwood -- despite good source material and a great cast -- is neither. I was really disappointed.

Your mileage, of course, may vary, especially if you haven't seen Big Deal (in which case I'd recommend that you do so!).

--K

 

[Vickie_M]

I wonder if Vickie got to see it yet...

Nope, I missed it at the theater. The "must see!" wind was taken out of my sails when the reviews were generally negative. What I realized too late (after it left town) was that those reviews were generally from people who were judging it by the "original" movie. I HATE WHEN THAT HAPPENS! I've since been trying to completely ignore people who dislike it (or are disappointed by it) because it's a remake. I haven't seen the original, and I won't judge it that way. Teach me to read reviews and threads before seeing a movie. I should know better.

 

[BarryS]

Did anyone see this? And by anyone, I mean anyone in the world!

I saw it. It was amusing, and had some pretty funny scenes, but it was hardly a laugh riot. It's short, and straight to the point. It not even 90 minutes long. The cast is the most enjoyable aspect of the movie. Sam Rockwell is great, William H. Macy, Michael Jeter, George Clooney, Luis Guzman, all enjoyable. Watching the actors is really more fun than watching the movie in this case.

 

[Mark Pfeiffer]

Vickie, judged versus the original or not, Welcome to Collinwood just isn't all that funny. (I enjoyed the original, but it doesn't hold some cherished place in my heart.) There's a good reason Warner Bros. essentially dumped it and barely released it. Take a look at it if you get a chance, but on its own merits, it isn't very good.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Well this one's GOTTA be better than that second remake of Big Deal on Madonna Street...
(Who can name it?)

 

[Scott Weinberg]

OK, it was Crackers.
Anyway, I just watched Collinwod and I actually kinda liked it. Sure it ain't brilliant and the laughs are spaced fairly far apart but I still had a good time with it.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Clooney's few scenes were priceless. Macy was funny, as was Jeter. Rockwell nails a few great moments and it's nice to see Patricia Clarkson playing 'moll sexy' instead of '50s Mommy' for a change. Esposito and Union make for lovely window dressing, Isaiah Washington loosens up a little, and Luis Guzman had me rolling at least twice.
Slight but fun. Me likey.