Why'd it bomb in the US?
It's not any worse than any of the other millions of romcoms out there!
shareBecause americans are idiots.
"He had sex with my mamma, WHY?"
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good lord - did you really ask this question - i made the mistake of seeing this film last weekend and while i didn't think it would be good - i had no idea it would be unwatchable -
you brits have become increasingly provincial and arrogant - the fact that some uk book publisher paid a huge sum for pegg's memoirs because he appeals to americans is mind boggling - most americans don't even know who simon pegg is - shaun of the dead was a minor cult film over here - hot fuzz bombed big time - and spaced has only shown on bbc america a station that almost no one watches with the exception of expats from that rock you people call a country -
i like pegg myself - but jesus - get a clue and get over yourselves - no one over here gives a crap about your poorly made little films unless it involves old people taking their clothes off and embarrassing themselves with bad dance moves -
I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am.
Docudrama67 - there's no need to be like that. It was merely a question. I'm a Brit and I'm not in agreement that 'Americans are idiots', so please don't take the second posters comment as being the view of every British person because it just isn't.
shareWell "glass houses", it's just not very good. I'm a big fan of Simon Pegg and I was really disappointed. From the corny slapstick stuff to the very unnecessary nudity, it was not funny. I agree with the notion that maybe he's doing a bit of cashing in right now. Whatever the reason, I hope he finds better material in the future.
shareI have to admit that it was nowhere near as good as I was expecting it to actually be. But I didn't hate it. I think Pegg has enormous talent and to waste it is a shame. I live in hope that 'Star Trek' will be better. I'm mostly looking forward to 'Paul' though. He is always at his best with Nick Frost by his side.
shareThe fact that Young's memoirs are a devastating satire and critique of New York life/society is probably one reason Americans aren't enjoying this film. I loved the audiobook, but parts of it made me uncomfortable--and it was abridged!
I still look forward to seeing the movie.
I didn't feel the book was a devastating satire of New York life/society. I know that's what its billed as but it read more like the hurt finger-pointing by a man who was convinced he was talented and desirable and went to NYC only to recieve a brutal kick in the ego.
It seemed all of his failures are admitted through gritted teeth and the only thing he excels at is pointing out how horrible and pointless rich and successful people are behind closed doors.
Americans may well hate this film because it criticises NYC. Knock yourselves out.
Personally I hate Toby Young because he represents the pudgy, balding, impotent malaise of the British journalistic establishment.
I didn't feel the book was a devastating satire of New York life/society. I know that's what its billed as but it read more like the hurt finger-pointing by a man who was convinced he was talented and desirable and went to NYC only to receive a brutal kick in the ego.
It seemed all of his failures are admitted through gritted teeth and the only thing he excels at is pointing out how horrible and pointless rich and successful people are behind closed doors.
Yeah, or maybe he's right and New York life/society (as well as "society" everywhere) really is just a bunch of privileged, undeserving snotballs who are only there through family money, and maybe many rich and successful people really are horrible and pointless and deserve to have this fact about them pointed out not only behind closed doors but in public as well. But Heaven forbid that somebody talk bad about the "darling" celebrities and wealthy people who fill the pages of the glorious glossy gossip magazines that the general populace devour to make their boring, penniless lives more enjoyable, or disparage the "stars" of the abysmally disgusting and disgraceful reality shows that slime across their flat screen TVs nightly and anaesthetize their brains so they can face another day or drudgery.
You know? Maybe that.
I thought this movie was great - and it's the only thing I've ever liked Kirsten Dunst in and her performance in this has made me realize that she's a pretty good actress and quite nice-looking. She's certainly a better blonde than a redhead. share
Simon Pegg was fine, the movie was not. It was a mediocre copy of Devil Wears Prada (or at least it comes off that way).
Free speech
Bsg,
re: "...mediocre copy..."
Hm. You got me thinking. The similarities are definitely very strong. But I felt there was a depth to "Alienate" that "Prada" lacked. Two things I can think of: The writing is genuinely funnier--more acid; I like that--and the themes run deeper--consider the writing around Sydney's dad in "Alienate" vs. the dinner scene between Andy and her dad in "Prada". Also consider the way the leads' love interests are handled. A lot more depth and commitment and profound love in "Alienate", I felt anyway.
So: "Copy", yes. "Mediocre"...? Mmmmm. Not so sure.
I'm pretty sure the movie is based on the book which is a Toby Young piece, not a Simon Pegg one. Or are you kidding/ I'm mistaken?
shareI didn't like it, an i'm British.
I saw it yesterday, well, i snuck in and saw it yesterday lol.
And everyone was laughing and i was just sitting there, thinking wtf?!
Say it aint so.. I will not go.. Turn the lights off.. Carry me home..
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i know it is a toby young piece - but simon pegg is the lead in this movie - and the movie is quite removed from the book from what i understand - the whole rom-com male bridget jones thing wasn't in the book from what i've heard -
the fact is the channel four folks who made this film butchered it the same way hollywood often does - they tried to add a romantic comedy element to a project that shouldn't have had one - the filmmakers never settled on a tone for the movie - and it didn't have a sense of time or place -
the script was a sloppy mess - it was obviously rushed into production and it showed - its not just a bad movie - its darn near unwatchable - and simon pegg agreed to star in it - i don't always blame actors for the whole script but pegg who has shown talent as a writer must have known what a pile of steaming dung this one was and he agreed to do it anyway -
I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am.
Frankly I was shocked when I found out that it was down to only 1 show a day on it's second week at my local theater. Though I don’t consider that an indicator of if a movie is good or bad, only that there was no interest in it (and for that I don’t know why…you tell me Simon Pegg is in it and I’m there no matter what the story is). I went today with a friend and watched it and we we're both laughing hysterically in parts (so were other’s in the theater). True, for Simon’s part it wasn’t his usual kind of comedy, but I’m not going to fault him for trying to branch. And I thought he was just fine in the role.
Also I do agree that the romantic storyline felt a little forced, didn’t really get that part of it from the marketing. I don’t think the film is “un-watchable” as some people here have been saying, though I can see how it wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea (British pun not intended).
And I must say, in response to:
“and simon pegg agreed to star in it - i don't always blame actors for the whole script but pegg who has shown talent as a writer must have known what a pile of steaming dung this one was and he agreed to do it anyway”.
You really can’t know sometimes from a script alone. If you could a great deal of movies would never get made. And sometimes it’s not the script, but what gets edited out, or just edited in a weird way, or re-written during the filming (ok…technically I guess you could still call that last one script, but hopefully you get my point). Though I'm not saying that’s the case here necessarily.
That's a tad upsetting because I both loved the book and can find merit in Simon Pegg.
share[deleted]
you brits have become increasingly provincial and arrogant
"bbc america a station that almost no one watches with the exception
of expats from that rock you people call a country"
"no one over here gives a crap about your poorly made little films unless
it involves old people taking their clothes off
and embarrassing themselves with bad dance moves"
Nothing provincial or arrogant about those statements then!!!!!!!!!!
My god your a tw@t!
"provincial and arrogant" is what most of the world thinks about the US, no wonder most people east of the Urals cant stand you lot
What publisher paid for pegg's memoirs? If you mean this film it's about Toby Young.
shareYou're a *beep* docudrama
shareI am sorry, but Americans come up with ridiculous shows sometimes and that is - possibly - why Brits feel so arrogant. Sunset Tan anyone?
shareBut this guy just confirmed that Americans are idiots... WTF Do you overreact like that, it just goes to show that most Americans, like you, think you know best and what you say and like goes... Get a life.
The movie is good, but I'm afraid the humour might just be to much for some people to get... It has no fart jokes and no tits... So basically it will bomb in America.
I love how the statements of one person can confirm that an entire country are idiots. Are you kidding me? The guy got upset because of a really ignorant and simplistic second poster. Now he was obviously upset and reacted badly, but the picture that he painted wasn't too far from the truth, I can truthfully say the majority of people that reside in both places are a bunch of idiots. In fact, I have not lived any place on earth that I didn't dislike the majority of people. That's just kind of the way things go.
As for this movie, there was no excuse for how bad it was. A pretty solid cast that did a good job with what they were given, but both the script and the misleading promotion of this movie were what did it in.
jcsmit,
No tits? Was I hallucinating, then? Gotta stop drinking the hot chocolate here in Taiwan!
If this film gets a lackluster response in the U.S., I think it will be because of marketing issues. I can imagine most folks who go out for romantic comedies being pleasantly surprised by the artful narrative work; something you just don't get all that often in files of this genre marketed in America.
Did you watch the this? No fart jokes or tits? Pretty much all there is, and a prosthetic penis, too. This is nothing but low brow, not that there's anything wrong with that, but let's see this for what it is: a movie for 18 to 25 year olds.
This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.
who are you talking to?
You know what i am an Indian and i loved this movie and about it bombing in US as someone before said Americans ARE "IDIOTS" !!!!!!!!
AnnaSophia Robb i love u!!!!!
You amuse me!!
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Just goes to show that americans have horrible taste
shareHere, here!
shareYou (Docudrama67), sir, are a moron.
It bombed because most Americans are like yourself, stupid, slow and arrogant. Most Yanks don't like Brits, full stop.
Also get your facts right about something if you are going to comment upon something; based on Toby Young's memoirs, NOT Simon Pegg's.
"Hot Fuzz" actually did quite well in the US, while "Shaun of the Dead" made No8 on the US box Office listing despite only having something like a 500 screens accolation or something else around that number. Most films in the top 10 that week had over 1,000.
sharecalm down love
shareDocudrama67 - "You brits". Good work on lumping 58 million people together. Insulting an entire country based on a childish belief that you know everyone there based on a silly stereotype? Bet your mother's proud of you.
stevie77 - When you say "Most Americans" I'm assuming you back this up by having met a large proportion of the population of America. Otherwise you'd be insulting millions of people based solely on what you've heard about the so called 'typical American' on tv and other media. That would of course make you an idiot and I'm sure that couldn't be true.
It's funny that these posts are about a film called 'How to Lose Friends & ALIENATE People'.
docudrama, the film is about Toby Youngs` memoirs, not Simon Peggs! simon pegg is an A-C-T-O-R. The film wan`t great by any means, but it gives you no reason to slag off the britain and its film industry. I don`t know wether you`ve noticed, but the world doesn`t give much of a crap for you americans, either. To quote yourself, jesus - get a clue and get over yourself.
I got it,I got it,I got it...I ain`t got it
the fact that some uk book publisher paid a huge sum for pegg's memoirs because he appeals to americans is mind bogglingDude, what the hell are you talking about?
Also, wasn't this an American production?
“Friends! Help! A guinea pig tricked me!” share
Hot Fuzz bombed? Are you retarded?
It *exceeded* its box office expectations in North America.
I agree w/ "'docudrama""......and I dont care for most British films b/c I cant understand them & need subtitles
shareWow, talk about the "arrogant American" stereotype. Thanks for living up to it docudrama67! :)
share"you brits have become increasingly provincial and arrogant"
Although the film was below par, this statement sums up just how dumb you seem. You come over as a bit of an idiot. Making the sort of crass generalisations prejudiced idiots make all the time. Educated, intelligent people would shy away from identifying alleged character traits of am entire nation, but then you appear to be neither. If your too stupid to see you're wrong then you are a limited prejudiced tool. Think before you spew out such nonsense.
docudrama67 you sound like you should get over yourself. I am american born and raised and LOVE British TV shows and Movies. My entire family does. We don't have cable so we get our BBC fix via Netflix. and that is 97% of what we watch through it. I thought this movie was good not GREAT no but still really liked it. HUGE fan of Simons.
share*beep* you and *beep* your whole disgusting country you clueless, deluded *beep*
sharestated perfectly on all accounts dd
shareHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahh
americans have taste !!!! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaah
I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not!
You didn't get it. It's about Hubris (Simon Pegg).
shareNot all of us are idiots, ya' idiot!
No, just the people who voted for George W. Bush (once or TWICE, same difference) and voted for McCain because of Sarah Palin.
"This are Nice shoes! Couldn't you afford some real Nike?"
Memories said: "No, just the people who voted for George W. Bush (once or TWICE, same difference) and voted for McCain because of Sarah Palin."
Ouch! Touche! Now BACK OFF, woodja?
"Because americans are idiots. "
again a TRUE remark...i already feel "alienate".......so if you wanna waste time....
its better than living in europe...
sharei need to give your mom's panties back, they are starting to stink up my room.
shareWhy group all Americans and label them as idiots? There is clearly a fine line between a successful Pegg movie and a horrible Pegg movie. This doesn't match Hot Fuzz or Shaun of the Dead at all in a comedic perspective. I think it's because he didn't have as much creative input. I respect Pegg and his ability to make fine films, but I also have the ability to point out a setback such as this. If perhaps your reason for loving it is that it is just a Pegg movie, as he is very British, and the fact that actors from the United Kingdom aren't as prevalent in numbers as the ones from the USA, you are very confused and your judgment is clouded by patriotism and devotion. All in all, if it looks like sh!t and smells like sh!t, it must be sh!t.
shareHey, I'm British but the Americans got this movie right - it was bloody awful and almost painful to watch at times. Not in a good way like 'The Office' (UK version) but just in bad, this is embarrassingly crap way
"It's because of movies like this that illegal downloading exists and you can be bored for free..."
Nah, it's just not very funny, interesting or original.
This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.