IMDb >
The Darwin Awards (2006)
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsThe Darwin Awards (2006) More at IMDbPro »
| Photos (see all 25 | slideshow) | Videos (see all 6 NEW) |
          |
|
Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writer (WGA):
Finn Taylor (written by)
Release Date:
5 July 2006 (United Arab Emirates)
more
Plot:
A forensic detective (Fiennes) and an insurance claims investigator (Ryder) trek to investigate a potential Darwin Award winner. From www.darwinawards.com: "The Darwin Awards salute the improvement of the human genome by honoring those who accidentally kill themselves in really stupid ways." | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
NewsDesk:
(7 articles)
"There's No Story In The Book!" - Six Films Adapted From Non-Narrative Nonfiction
(From IFC. 5 February 2009, 7:22 AM, PST)
Sundance 2006: Wrap Up
(From ioncinema. 30 January 2006)
(From IFC. 5 February 2009, 7:22 AM, PST)
Sundance 2006: Wrap Up
(From ioncinema. 30 January 2006)
User Comments:
Comedy Not Fit to Survive
more (30 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | David Arquette | ... | Harvey |
 | Ty Burrell | ... | Emile |
 | Josh Charles | ... | Paramedic |
 | Kevin Dunn | ... | Insurance Exec |
 | Nora Dunn | ... | Mrs. Pearlman |
 | Joseph Fiennes | ... | Michael Burrows |
 | Judah Friedlander | ... | Simon |
 | Lukas Haas | ... | Farley |
 | Tom Hollander | ... | Henry |
 | Brad Hunt | ... | Stan |
 | Juliette Lewis | ... | Joleen |
 | Julianna Margulies | ... | Carla |
 | Tim Blake Nelson | ... | Perp |
 | Alessandro Nivola | ... | Ad Exec |
 | Chris Penn | ... | Tom |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated R for language, violent images, some sexuality and drug use.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
USA:94 min (DVD version)
Country:
Language:
Colour:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
USA:R |
Malaysia:(Banned) |
Finland:K-15 |
South Korea:18 |
Australia:M |
Japan:PG-12 |
New Zealand:M |
Australia:MA (TV rating)
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Metallica are performing their song "Sad but true" in the film. It was recorded at a regular live show in Salt Lake City on November 22, 2004. The show was interrupted during "Sad but True" but the song was only played once. To celebrate the premier of the movie at the Sundance Film Festival on Wednesday, January 25, 2006, the band played at a private party following the screening that day.
more
Goofs:
Continuity: During the shower harness scene, when Michael flips upside down, his foot knocks the shower head and its hose into the tangle of bungee cables. In following shots, the shower head is back on its holder until Siri sprays the cameraman.
more
Movie Connections:
References "Popeye the Sailor" (1960)
more
Soundtrack:
Mul Mantra
more
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (30 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Darwin Awards (2006) moreRecommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| The Stunt Man | Stealing Harvard | Vertigo | La hija del caníbal | A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Adventure section | IMDb USA section |
| Add this title to MyMovies |
This was a movie I was really looking forward to at Sundance. We're all familiar with the Darwin Awards, a website started by Stanford molecular biologist Wendy Northcutt to humorously recognize extremely stupid acts that lead to self-inflicted, accidental death. Northcutt's notion is that the human gene pool improves when these tragi-comic figures, who are presumably plagued by genetic stupidity, are removed from the population. Hence the Darwin Awards (www.darwinawards.com).
It sounds like a terrific premise for an outrageous comedy and like the rest of the audience I was licking my chops. Unfortunately, this movie was about as funny as Origin of the Species. Director Finn Taylor has made a couple of refreshingly oddball films (Dreams with the Fishes, Cherish) but The Darwin Awards fails on almost every level.
The concept was probably doomed from the outset by the decision to incorporate a bunch of award-winning events into a linear storyline, including madcap crime investigations and a little love interest. Casting Joseph Fiennes and Wynona Ryder as the leads was the second mistake, as neither of them was right for their parts (and despite their efforts, came off very flat). Follow that with writing that is simply not very clever and you have a disappointing movie.
The vignettes do include some great casting choices, including Chris Penn, Tim Blake Nelson, David Arquette and Metallica. But unfortunately, they are lost in the woeful script, and give us only the occasional funny moment.
As many have heard, actor Chris Penn was found dead at his Santa Monica home the day of the Sundance premiere. Finn Taylor had some nice words to say about Chris prior to the screening. And afterwards Winona Ryder, who had known Chris for 15 years, spoke at length about him. "He wasn't just Sean's younger brother," she said. It was a genuinely nice tribute.