Owen, Luke, and Andrew Wilson combine their fraternal filmmaking talents to tell the character-driven tale of a small-time con man who gets a fortuitous shot at redemption while working in a run down retirement community. Wendell Baker (Luke Wilson) is a con man whose large heart betrays his criminal mind. Confident to a fault and consistently cool-headed, Baker is the kind of grifter who's always quick with a comeback and never lets the law get in the way of making a quick buck. When Wendell is
busted for selling counterfeit Texas driver's licenses to undocumented Mexican migrant workers, he coasts through his prison sentence with the same unflappable attitude that made him the perfect swindler in the outside world. In order to pass the time behind bars without causing waves, mellow convict Wendell buries his nose in books about hotel management checked out from the prison library. Upon release the optimistic ex-con is distraught to discover his girlfriend Dorren (Eva Mendes) has taken up with a quick-tempered grocer (Will Ferrell) and his former partner Reyes (Jacob Vargas) has been forced into retirement by his law-abiding wife. Looking to put his hotel management know-how to good use and determined to win Doreen back, Wendell soon takes a job at the Shady Grove retirement hotel. Little does Wendell realize that scheming Shady Grove head nurse Neil King (Owen Wilson) has been dabbling in fraudulent Medicare payments and forced labor, and has no qualms about pinning his crimes on the carefree ex-convict. Now, if benevolent knave Wendell has any hope of turning the tables on his unscrupulous nemesis and proving that nice guys don't always finish last, he'll have to enlist the aid of fed-up Shady Grove residents Boyd (Seymour Cassel), Skip (Harry Dean Stanton), and Nasher (Kris Kristofferson), who are all more than willing to strike back at their casually cruel caretaker. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Given Luke Wilson's affability, it's also irresistibly charming. You may not buy the film's plot, but you'll invest in him as a man whose heart is always in the right place.
Though the first Wilson brothers' effort, Bottle Rocket, is far superior, the trio of brothers working together creates a light and enjoyable comic romp.
Wendell Baker isn't perfect. The slacker humor grows cloying at times. Still, there's an undeniable charm to the Texas tale as it celebrates nonconformity and redemption.
Though the Wilsons are no threat to the Coens as filmmakers, The Wendell Baker Story is still a pleasingly human-scaled alternative to the big, soulless Hollywood blockbusters.
A shiny shell of a movie, TWBS is pretty to look at, and occasionally fun to watch. But ultimately, it's an exercise in futility -- for the participants, who can do so much more, and the audience, which deserves so much better.
The Wilson brothers are as charismatic as they come, but the film feels like they're TRYING to be charismatic. It's so self-consciously deadpan that it loses that deadpan charm.
There's a reason this film sat on the shelf for over two years, it's wildly uneven in spots, but there's also moments where you can see that there's a good idea and film trying to get out.
That they've assembled a first-rate cast made up of veteran character actors and contemporary comedy stars to pursue this agenda makes The Wendell Baker Story all the more effective.
Despite a terribly conceived coda, Luke and his brothers have mostly succeeded, thanks in large part to sharp dialogue, a solid vintage soundtrack and some great older actors from the heyday of American cinema.
No quotes approved yet for The Wendell Baker Story. Logged in users can submit quotes.
Submit a Quote from 'The Wendell Baker Story'
A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Please make your quotes accurate. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the RT staff.
Example:
Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try. Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.
Top Critic
