Magic vies with technology in this exuberant adventure comedy, which unfolds achronologically in a series of zany, effects-laden vignettes.
Comment
08/21/09
Shorts (2009)
45
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:86
Fresh:39
Rotten:47
Average Rating:5.3/10
Consensus: Shorts has imagination and energy, but most viewers beyond elementary school will likely tire of the kiddie humor and sensory overload.
Theatrical Release:Aug 21, 2009 Wide
Box Office: $20,797,067
Synopsis: Shorts is set in the suburb of Black Falls, where all the houses look the same and everyone works for BLACK BOX Unlimited Worldwide Industries Incorporated, whose Mr. Black’s BLACK BOX is the... [More]
Starring: Jon Cryer, William H. Macy, Leslie Mann, James Spader
Director: Robert Rodriguez
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Reviews for Shorts
If parents feel like they've seen much of Shorts before, its celebration of mayhem and restless, thrill-seeking vibe will absorb young viewers, especially as the boredom of late summer begins to set in.
08/21/09
Some family films strike just the right balance, engaging for viewers of any age. Shorts is not one of those movies.
08/21/09
So structurally complicated that it almost qualifies as an experimental film and if it fails — as it does — it would be uncharitable to condemn Rodriguez for that.
08/21/09
Akin to watching a home movie made by your neighbor's kids if they happened to be the offspring of a millionaire filmmaker.
08/21/09
You can’t fault the film’s exuberance, but it’s draggy in spots, with the grown-up cast outshone by Jolie Vanier’s little terror – nattily monikered Helvetica Black.
08/21/09
Parental Content Review
08/21/09
Think of Shorts as The Hangover for 10-year-olds -- or for anybody who truly appreciates booger humor.
08/21/09
Has fleeting moments of excitement and thrills, but too often veers into silliness, inanity and blandness while ultimately failing to entertain older and younger audiences simultaneously.
08/21/09
Gaudy, goofy and too busy for its own good. For every idea or sight gag that sticks, there’s 10 that don’t. Best for DVD, when you’ll be in control of the pause button.
08/21/09
At 89 minutes, even though the story is repetitive and the humour childish, there's no time to get bored. Five to ten year-olds will find it cool. Adults, less so.
08/21/09
Not only cheap looking and hard to follow, Shorts' big fault is that it's not funny - a major problem given it's meant to be a comedy.
08/21/09
It is saved by occasional moments of comedy and the special effects are outstanding. But they aren't enough to rescue this turkey.
08/21/09
Feels underwritten and overdressed.
08/21/09
Top CriticShorts is this summer's hip family flick.
08/21/09
Top CriticCan we wish for a fresher subplot than that of pleasure-deadened grown-ups who live their lives in a stupor of consumerism?
08/21/09
Top CriticFrom whirling mini-UFOs to giant animated nose bogeys, the screen is never still and the script never smart or engaging.
08/21/09
No denying his energy, but it's like the energy of a kid with attention deficit disorder: his stories can't settle on anything for more than a few minutes.
08/21/09
There’s more fun to be had from watching the various miracles on display than deciphering the story, or wondering why William H Macy and James Spader took bit parts in it.
08/21/09
Patchy but likeable children's fantasy adventure, thanks to a solid cast, an imaginative script and some nice ideas.
08/21/09
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