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Waking Up in Reno (2002) More at IMDbPro »

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39 reviews in total

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14 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
Grown up 'American Pie', 7 October 2004

Author: GraniteQuarry from UK

I found this film on satellite one night, hadn't heard of it so sat down to watch - and spent the next 90 mins laughing!! Great lines delivered deadpan by a great cast, never thought I'd hear such witty banter (definitely very crude at times!!) said by such a cast. I especially enjoyed the lines from Patrick Swayze, I haven't seen him in anything in years since the 'Roadhouse' days and he made me laugh bigtime, do more comedy Mr.Swayze!!

Not a brain teaser or Oscar winner by any means, but definitely worth a watch if you want some laughter.

My rating - 8/10.

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6 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
all said and done, I had a great time with Waking Up In Reno., 11 April 2003
Author: (billybrown41@hotmail.com) from Kimberling City, MO.

I waited on this one for a long time and now that I've finally seen it, I'm happy to say that it was worth the wait. While you may have to be from the South to fully appreciate the humor, I think it's enjoyable enough for just about anyone. I went in expecting light-hearted fun and I got just that. I loved all of the characters and found myself wishing that I was riding with them in that red SUV sipping a Pabst. Good to see Patrick Swayze again and Billy Bob really should do more comedies. Charlize Theron's accent was very convincing as was Natasha Richardson's. Well worth a watch (or six) and I will be buying the DVD.

"I was thinking about going down to the lobby and teasing that rattlesnake."-Lonnie Earl

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5 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Very funny and intelligent movie, 26 July 2003

Author: diver110 from Baltimore

I am amazed that the average reviews given by web site participants is not much higher. I thought this movie was very funny. It was a comedy with a lot of intelligence and underlying honesty, not your typical mindless shtick, and *very* worth watching. I gave it an 8.

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4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Underrated...B-, 12 January 2005

Author: petera2 from Boston, USA

Just caught this film on cable. I noticed the cable TV guide gave it one star. While certainly not a great film, giving it only one star is a bit harsh. Granted, I wouldn't have wanted to sit through two hours of such a movie, but it breezes by in a relatively enjoyable 90 minutes or so (if even that). I must say, as an American I kinda cringe to think of how "Waking in Reno" must satisfy every unflattering stereotype about Americans in the eyes of Europeans. The four characters are about as Red State as you can get (one of the Arkansas accents is done with remarkable aplomb by British actress Natasha Richardson). Richardson and Charleze Theron, the two female leads are none too tough on the eyes (which the men will appreciate). And Billy Bob Thornton give his usual interesting performance (without a doubt the most intriguing actor in America today). Swayze is just so-so, but not much is demanded of him. Not much is demanded of anyone or anything, for that matter, by this harmless, and quite funny, bit of fluff. Make a note to catch the wry commentary and numerous deadpan jokes about redneck culture (the script could have been written by Jeff Foxworthy). As it is, I believe one of the writers is a childhood friend of Billy Bob's from Arkansas (no doubt Thornton's presence in the film, as well as that of big time stars like Theron, was as a favor to the writer/childhood friend of Thornton). The movie reaches it climax at a Monster Truck show. That alone should be all you need to know about the setting and plot. I give it a recommendation to catch on cable/satellite if one of your movie stations is carrying it, though there are probably better things to spend your money on at the video shop.

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5 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Laughed out loud!, 6 November 2002

Author: Shawnee from California

Waking Up in Reno doesn't seem to have done too well at the box office, but since I always see Billy Bob Thornton's movies, I took a chance. I was very pleasantly surprised. As a lover of roadside Americana and having traveled Interstate 40 more times than I care to recall, the humor particularly hit home. I can't see how anyone wouldn't find the simple, white-trash humor funny. But it wasn't rednecky or dumb, there were a million good lines in the movie. Billy Bob, as usual, was flawless. The plot was simple enough, it was the nuances and details that made the movie so much fun. This is one I'll definitely add to my home library when it's available on DVD. I highly recommend it. It takes a LOT to make ME laugh out loud, but I laughed through the whole movie.

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6 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
An Evening of Entertainment and Relaxation, 21 July 2004

Author: rubears from Pennsylvania

I think this movie is very entertaining and funny. I think Patrick Swayze is very good in this film. Of course I think he is awesome in any film. Lonnie Earl, Darlene and Candy do their share to make the film very entertaining. To me movies are entertaining and are usually not true to life. Of course, what happened to these two couples could happen in today's world. Anything can happen in today's world. I have watched this movie more than once, and each time I watch it, I just relax and enjoy it. I enjoy watching Lonnie Earl eating his steak and Roy eating his "viagara". There is no violence and of course it is not a family-type movies, I still think it is a movie to watch and relax for an evening and forget your troubles for awhile.

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7 out of 10 people found the following review useful:
enjoyable movie, 11 July 2003
Author: jimakros

I enjoyed this movie.The chevy suburban is nice and you wish you were taking the trip with the cast.All four leads are very natural and believable.Swayze is very likable in this role.Charlize Theron is drop-dead gorgeous and sexy in this,and for any of her fans this is absolute must.The script is okay and funny enough,with some good taste satire of the characters.The flavour of roadside america is attractive without turning into a travel guide.All in all,a well done movie for what it is, doesnt pretend to be anything more.

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3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
A Lucky Find, an Absolute Surprise, 28 June 2006

Author: de-111 from United States

Waking Up in Reno was an absolute surprise. I saw a new (lighter) side of Billy Bob Thornton, the leader of the pack on this road trip (or so he envisioned.) More please! The oh-so-likable Mr. Swayze has amazing instincts selecting roles, and offers just the right performance. Here each character is played for real and to perfection. Between the four of them, I couldn't stop laughing; it literally brought tears to my eyes. This movie is well-written; the comedy, the drama, have an authentic feel. The Director, to be sure, a skilled observer with a comedic eye. I haven't felt so entertained in a long time. I didn't have lofty expectations or preconceived notions, I'm happy I went along for the ride. As far as I'm concerned it's good material presented by the best in the business. A lucky find. See it!

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3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Loved it!!!, 21 July 2004

Author: theoriginalsin

I've noticed all the other not-so-rave reviews on this piece & just had to put my two cents in! I loved this movie because it showed four people living life as it really is. The production team pegged those individual personalities with great accuracy! Every multi-dimensional character was portrayed effortlessly by each actor. Billy Bob did a great job with Lonnie Earl. He showed us his naturally snide demeanor, while still being able to convey his vulnerable sincerity in scenes with his wife, Darlene. Natasha portrays Darlene (who narrates the opening & closing scenes)with utmost grace. Oh, & the fact that she's English is totally hidden by a well sculpted southern accent. Her transformation was very beautifully reminiscent of a fairy tale, yet still astoundingly believable. Patrick shows us a very sensitive & sweet Roy, while still being a good southern boy mused by the monster truck jam & plenty of Pabst beer. He is everything a gentleman should be, and Patrick showed us how raw a man in his position can truly become. Honestly, I would love to have seen Darlene & Roy hook up, but in the end, I'm glad that what happened in Reno, stayed in Reno. Now, Charlize gave us a very interesting piece of eye-Candy ;) She once again proved that her acting is unsurmountable to any badly feux-pased script. Sure, Candy made a couple of bad decisions & seems a bit confused, but through all of the trips travesties, she pulls off an amazing comeout. Charlize managed to bring to life this very down to earth, redneck vixen with ease. She put so much emotion into her roles that she literally consumes them into herself. I've never seen heartbreak on any other actor's face the way I've seen it on hers. The realizations & character growth for each person i believe are all in great thanks to the actors who became those people. The storyline would have been sufferingly basic if it weren't for a cast of geniuses. While it did contain some clever dialogue, Waking Up In Reno was obviously carried by the greats who headline in this redneck love-comedy.

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2 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
Pleasant Surprise, 6 November 2003

Author: Linda from Indiana

We rented this movie not knowing what to expect. I like all the stars and that is what made me pick this movie off the shelf. It was highly entertaining. We laughed through the entire move. We even watched it twice.

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