Without has all the freshness of moldering Playboys stashed under a mattress, but it evokes what few boys-will-be-boys larks can: chumminess.
Without A Paddle (2004)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:30
Fresh:6
Rotten:24
Average Rating:4.3/10
Consensus: Without a Paddle has a few laughs, but not enough to sustain its running time.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for drug content, sexual material, language, crude humor and some violence
Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release:Aug 20, 2004 Wide
Box Office: $58,156,435
Synopsis: In Steven Brill's WITHOUT A PADDLE, three friends embark on a hilariously dangerous adventure through the woods of the Pacific Northwest. When their childhood friend Billy dies, 30-year-old buddies... In Steven Brill's WITHOUT A PADDLE, three friends embark on a hilariously dangerous adventure through the woods of the Pacific Northwest. When their childhood friend Billy dies, 30-year-old buddies Dan (Seth Green), Tom (Dax Shepard), and Jerry (Matthew Lillard) return home to pay their respects. While there, they unearth a map that Billy left behind, which may or may not lead to a hidden treasure. Dan is a germ-phobic doctor who would rather spend his time anywhere but in the wilderness, but the recently dumped Jerry and down-on-his-luck Tom are intent on fulfilling their friend's lifelong dream; and so begins the trio's journey. It isn't long before things begin to spiral out of control. Starting with a gigantic bear that mistakes Dan for one of its own, the guys are also on the run from two pot-growing maniacs (Ethan Suplee, Abraham Benrubi) who are looking for revenge after their marijuana farm is burned to a crisp. Of course, what would a wilderness expedition be without raging rapids, a towering waterfall, beautiful (but hairy) hippy chicks, and an encounter with a menacing mountain man (Burt Reynolds). Brill's madcap adventure gleefully references DELIVERANCE and 1980s pop culture, and features spot-on performances from Green, Lillard, and Shepard. [More]
Starring: Seth Green, Matthew Lillard, Dax Shepard, Burt Reynolds
Starring: Seth Green, Matthew Lillard, Dax Shepard, Burt Reynolds, Ethan Suplee, Rachel Blanchard, Abraham Benrubi
Director: Steven Brill
Director: Steven Brill
Screenwriter: Harris Goldberg, Mitch Rouse, Jay Leggett
Story: Fred Wolf, Tom Nursall
Producer: Donald De Line
Composer: Christophe Beck
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Get This Movie
Reviews for Without A Paddle
How do you siphon the laffs from a surefire gut-busting premise like city slickers stuck in the sticks? ... you assemble a cut-rate Three Stooges, inject tired '80s nostalgia and some moralistic goo about carpe-ing the diem.
Think Road Trip meets City Slickers. Then dial the humor down a few notches, and you're left Without a Paddle.
Forget being up a raging creek without a paddle, these poor losers are lost in a wilderness that permits no comedy.
The first half of the film is enjoyable but hit and miss. After that, it's just miss.
Some tales center on man vs. nature, others on man vs. man. Without a Paddle falls within a third category: man vs. poorly conceived script.
There are a few gross-out laughs, but Without a Paddle's gang-written script doesn't know what it wants to be.
Inoffensive to a fault, Without a Paddle goes by without a memorable ripple.
Without a Paddle can proudly take its place in the pantheon of perfectly likable stupid movies.
A consistently amusing, often hilarious outing with surprising heart.
What promises to be a comic take on the 1972 thriller Deliverance, is actually closer to Dude, Where's My Car? as it drifts aimlessly from one dopey situation to another.
Without a Paddle never sinks. It just drifts along amiably until it reaches a predictable shore.
You can say of Without a Paddle that at least it cares enough to steal from the very best. Unfortunately, that's about all it cares about.
The homosexual panic instilled by Deliverance fuels the running joke driving the uneasy laughs evoked by this loathsome comedy.
The cheesy, unconvincing moments centered on the characters' serious discussions of life and friendship really seem unnatural and ruin the flow of the physical comedy.
You can lose money and regain it, says a character in Without a Paddle, but not so lost time. Perhaps this is a subliminal message to moviegoers.
Latest News for Without A Paddle
August 20, 2008:
Paramount Preps Direct-to-DVD Sequel Onslaught ![]()
Tired of watching all the other studios have fun with direct-to-DVD sequels, Paramount is rolling out its Famous Productions brand, which will release home-market sequels to... More...
February 10, 2006:
Dane Cook Comedy Hires a Few New Employees
Coming soon is the Dane Cook / Jessica Simpson comedy "Employee of the Month," and it seems that three new applicants have joined the mix: Dax Shepard ("Without a... More...
October 04, 2005:
Dax & "Job" Sell Their Own Starring Vehicle to Paramount
The Hollywood Reporter indicates that actors Will Arnett (TV's "Arrested Development") and Dax Shepard ("Without a Paddle") have sold a comedy pitch to... More...
July 01, 2005:
Colorful Cast Announced for Uwe Boll's Next Opus
After putting the finishing touches on his upcoming "BloodRayne," controversial German director Uwe Boll ("House of the Dead," "Alone in the Dark")... More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- Without A Paddle at Rotten Tomatoes
- Without A Paddle at IGN
- Without A Paddle at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

TECHLAND gives us a first look at the extras, including Leonard Nimoy's last day on set!

AV Club looks at a beloved cult classic, Sam Raimi's Army of Darkness.

TIME offers us a closer look at the characters from the latest Twilight film.

Moviefone lists their choices for the least attractive men in Hollywood.
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic


