Father of Invention (2011)
Average Rating: 3.8/10
Reviews Counted: 15
Fresh: 0 | Rotten: 15
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: 4.2/10
Critic Reviews: 7
Fresh: 0 | Rotten: 7
No consensus yet.
liked it
Average Rating: 2.8/5
User Ratings: 2,157
My Rating
Movie Info
Millionaire infomercial guru, Robert Axle (Kevin Spacey) loses everything when one of his inventions has a design flaw that accidentally chops off the fingers of thousands of customers. After serving eight years in prison, a disgraced Axle is released, and ready to redeem his name and rebuild his empire with a new innovation. However, Axle's ex-wife (Virginia Madsen) has spent all of his money and moved into his house with her new husband (Craig Robinson). Out of desperation, he finds a
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Cast
-
Kevin Spacey
Robert Axle -
Camilla Belle
Claire, Claire Axle, Li... -
Heather Graham
Fibbi, Phoebe -
Johnny Knoxville
Oswald, Troy Coangelo -
Anna Anissimova
Donna -
John Stamos
Steven Leslie -
Red West
Sam Bergman -
Michael Rosenbaum
Eddie the Ex -
Danny Comden
Matt James -
Jack McGee
Parole Officer -
Craig Robinson
Jerry King -
Virginia Madsen
Gummi, Lorraine -
Marc Macaulay
General Store Clerk -
Morgan Saylor
Young Claire (12) -
Karen Kaia Livers
Maria -
Zachary Foppe
Customer at Familymart -
George Cooper
Handball Kid -
Lara Grice
Mom in Park -
Suehyla El-Attar
Shop Girl -
Sofia Spadoni
Lily -
Julia LaShae
Lily's Mother -
Marel Medina
Stock Boy -
Jason Davis
Neil -
Kristen Shaw
Bank Teller -
Walt Elder
Harold -
Audra Marie
Business Man's Date -
Joe Nemmers
Business Man -
Rhoda Griffis
Penny Camp -
Brett Rice
Howard Camp -
Randy Austin
Security Guard -
Mary-Charles Jones
Young Claire (6) -
Tina Parker
Steak -
Sam Best
Mailbox Patron -
Mary Elizabeth Cobb
Sheila -
Leon Gisclair
Andre -
Carol Sutton
Bingo Caller -
Kim Holden
News Anchor -
Tiffany Morgan
Mother (Infomercial)
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All Critics (16) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (0) | Rotten (16) | DVD (2)
For all its eagerness to please, you'd think Father of Invention could come up with at least one sister of independence.
Highly predictable...
Like Graham and Madsen, Spacey too often gets lost in smaller projects that aren't worthy of his talents. He, and his costars, deserve a more inventive movie than this one.
Top CriticThe screenplay, by Mr. Cooper and Jonathan D. Krane, is so sketchy that it feels like a hastily executed first draft.
The film promises a nasty little satire for a while but finally goes soft and self-pitying.
Colorless exposition and a lack of imagination or wit stall Father of Invention at the starting gate.
Father of Invention is not without its comic moments. Unfortunately, they take place during the end credits.
Though it's got a few good ideas going for it, Father of Invention doesn't seem to know what kind of movie it wants to be.
Awful Kevin Spacey comedy has strong language, no laughs.
Kevin Spacey gives a typically soulful performance, but otherwise the film falls far short of being as inventive or confident as its main character.
A weird and fitfully fresh comedy with a name-heavy cast that almost methodically fumbles away a viewer's engagement, leaving them with thoughts of what could have been.
In trying to send audiences out of the theater uplifted, Father of Invention instead leaves us sadly shaking our heads about how much better the movie could have been.
A floundering comedy with banal messages about putting family first.
An effort drawn to mediocrity, ignoring wonderful comedic opportunities to make yet another relationship story between a humiliated father and his distrustful daughter.
Wears its convictions about deception, creativity, and the importance of being a really good daddy on its shopworn sleeves.
Audience Reviews for Father of Invention
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This is a star-studded dramedy, and it's pretty decent. It's got a lot of the same old same old in the broad strokes of the plot and themes, but it's definitely the cast and their performances who make it all worth it. Spacey is great as Axle, and it's fun seeing him with goofy facial hair and looking like a bum. Virginia Madsen is okay, but underused as his e. Craig Robinson is fun as her lover, Camilla Belle is okay, but probably the weakest link as Axle's daughter, and then we get an okay, but also underused John Stamos as the business rival, and delightful work from Johnny Knoxville as the boneheaded boss (and he really is solid. I'm serious.) and Heather Graham as the bitchy roommate.
Had the cast not been decent, then this wouldn't be as enjoyable or memorable. I did like it aside from then, but it really isn't all that original. It is fairly well played and decently shot though, so yeah, if you want a good redemption story as well as proof that Knoxville has a bit of chops, then give this a shot.