A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

The Evaluation System Reviews by Title Reviews by Date

Reviews from Video Reviews of the Classics Personal Background

Title: Hoot

Date Viewed: 5/14/06

Details:

Logan Lerman (Roy Eberhardt)

Brie Larson (Beatrice)

Cody Linley (Mullet Fingers)

Luke Wilson

Robert Wagner

Screenplay and director: Wil Shriner

Original music (producer, and a bit role as science teacher): Jimmy Buffett

Score: 1/2

The Review: Is not quite a, but close...

Adaptation of a popular young adult novel by Carl Hiaasen, Hoot follows the trials and tribulations of Roy Eberhardt (Lerman), a teenager whose family has relocated much too frequently because of his Dad's occupation. This time, he ends up in southern Florida and falls into a quiet local controversy about the construction of a fast food emporium on land presently occupied by cute, endangered, ground-nesting owls. Amid the hassles of being the newest outsider at high school -- with all the stereotypes of class bully, ostracism, and befriending the "wrong" crowd -- he teams up with an odd brother (Linley) and sister (Larson) to try to derail the construction, legally or not. More than a bit of slapstick. Luke Wilson is an almost clueless police office who usually (though not often intentionally) manages to do the right thing. Buried in here somewhere, not very well concealed, is the message that individual actions can matter.

While occasional escapades into the coastal glades do provide some eye candy for the naturalists among us, far more interesting and spectacular scenery is shown under the opening and closing credits: the mountains and wildlands of Montana. Guess I'm never going to be a beach person!

(27-May-06)

Back to the chronological list of reviews