Too much of everything

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

What do you do when the color suddenly leaves your already beige life? When your girlfriend dumps you because you are dull and boring? When your boss offers a promotion to Art Director because you are a Team Player and work By The Book and, as there is no "I" in Team, there is also no "I" in Peter Rooker? When the only friend you have to hear your tale of woe is your sister?If you are Peter Rooker (Marcus Thomas) you audition (awfully) for a part in the local Community Theater's production of Cyrano.And, against all odds, land the lead!As Peter embarks on his Quest for self-improvement he picks up a cast of quirky actors, directors, techies and fans who ignore his whining, push him to overcome his horrible acting skills, teach him about life, friendship, fun, betrayal, loyalty.....They help him find the "I in Me".The cast features an Indie-quality smorgasboard of wonderfully talented actors, including John Corbett, Amy Smart, Patty Duke, Sean Astin, Clare Higgins, Allan Cordliner; hilariously painful and heartwarming direction both on-screen and off; a powerful soundtrack....A truly intellectual romantic comedy, refreshingly unique, heartwarmingly painful at times....this movie held my attention from the first scene to the ending credits. All 23 times I've watched it. Definitely a "10" all the way around.

While discussing this earnestly contrived comedic melodrama that he scripts and in part produces, Michigan playwright Rodney Vaccaro states that the scenario results from a reaction to the "9-11" occurrences, and that his intention here is to create a romantic detailing of events that will provide a storyline antithetical to the violence that marbles our lives, while including his fondness for community based non-professional theatre as apt background for the narrative. Peter Rucker (Marcus Thomas), a graphic designer with a marked personality deficit, is attempting to reconstitute his life after his girl friend has left him, doing so primarily through reading of self-help books, but is additionally attracted by a community theatre near to his place of employment that is advertising its auditions for Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac, and since Peter's freshly imposed solitude has resulted in a surfeit of free time during his evenings, he determines to try out for a small part in the classic play. Although totally lacking stage experience, or even middling innate Thespic ability, the play's director has "seen something" in him and Peter is unaccountably selected, not simply as a member of the cast, but as Cyrano, the lead! Another member of the cast, Mike Degan (John Corbett), a very much experienced player, designates himself as Peter's mentor both during and between rehearsals; however, when Rucker begins to dally with Degan's former lover Grace (Amy Smart), the play's Roxanne, partly due to Mike's urging, the latter begins to resent his protégé, weakening their bond, and this, in addition to unforeseen difficulties in mounting the production, must be rectified before the looming opening night performance. Unfortunately, the film itself has troubles as well, and they are but seldom solved. First-time director Al Corley permits the action to meander, with fifth-billed Thomas, fresh-faced but largely unskilled, a less than engaging Peter Rucker who is, near the film's end, abruptly replaced by first-billed Corbett as linchpin of the story, ratified by his ongoing connections with all of the other principals. Although Peter is found to be completely inadequate as the featured performer, he quaintly is called upon to save the production after a newly appointed Cyrano becomes unavailable, an unconvincing gambit for one who, in reality, is only suitable for tech support or as a supernumerary. In spite of these factors that weaken the piece's credibility it, ostensibly shot in Portland, Oregon, provides a pleasing quality of fellowship evidenced within its small community theatre group, and it treats of many standard stage related elements, both technical and non. The film's most striking sequence is a splendidly realised ending that obviously was in the van of Vaccaro's creative impulses here, its preceding scenes for the most part subsequently crafted. Originally named CAUGHT IN THE ACT, the production had to relinquish that title as it had been allocated elsewhere. Although its box office take was low, a genuine affection for theatre is communicated throughout, and there is some rewarding conceptualization within Vaccaro's often literate screenplay, such as when the play's director, played by Clare Higgins, insists upon eschewing the work's customary emphasis upon Cyrano's proboscis in favour of an examination of his marrow. Even though Corbett is given a misguided rant in one scene against the plays of Shakespeare, he handily wins acting honours. Other meritable turns are to be enjoyed from the perfectly cast Higgins and her countryman Allan Corduner, who is given free rein. Patty Duke enjoys herself in a dual role, and Smart, who as an actress is an attractive young blonde, also enjoys herself. In sum, then, this is a blemished but yet pleasing tribute to all community theatre associations that, in words from Rostand, "work without one thought of gain or fame."

I am almost the nerd guy in his movie. Even though I am a scientist, while in graduate school in the 1960s virtually fell into a student stage production, all 28 performances that ran for 4 weeks. Later, as a young parent, I watched my children in summer community theater productions of such musicals as Wizard of Oz and Sound of Music, while I played trumpet with the stage band in the pit. Community theater in many ways changed my life, opened up a new way of looking at the world. It does that to you.Marcus Thomas, from Belgium, plays Peter Rooker, living and working in Portland, Oregon. By appearances a very boring life. He is a type of 'mister cellophane'. But he notices a poster on his way to work, tryouts for "Cyrano". On a whim he goes, with absolutely no concept of what he was doing (I remember my own such first tryout experience!). He predictably does very poorly, he knows it, everyone else there knows it, but the director saw something, and unreasonably casts him as Cyrano! This sets the stage for all the developments that follow. Any person with a community theater interest surely will enjoy this movie, as will many others who don't share that interest.Others include John Corbett as Michael Degan, experienced actor who gets the part of Christian. Amy Smart as Grace Hargrove, who gets the part of Roxanne. Sean Astin who plays demanding actor Ken Zorbell. And his real life mother Patty Duke who plays dual role of twins, Mrs. Keene and Earlene.SPOILERS FOLLOW. Peter continues to be bad, even though everyone works with him. He just cannot get "into" the role. As opening night nears, reluctantly the director asks Zorbell to be Cyrano, it is the key role in the play. But, in a humorous turn of events Zorbell, having been very difficult, is locked out, Peter makes a last minute entrance as Cyrano, and in full costume transforms himself, he does a great job, and gets many cheers at the curtain call. As the DVD container says, "There are moments in your life that are bigger than you think." Perhaps bigger than the sky.

I will say that I am easily entertained as far as movies go but I know a total crap film when I see one and this film was far from it! I picked this film up on a whim one rainy night in July 2005 because I really liked the actors on the cover--Amy Smart and John Corbett. When I brought it home, my boyfriend and I were delighted to see that the setting was in Portland, OR as we have been fantasizing about moving there. It was a little slow in the beginning but we were pleasantly surprised to see many familiar faces, we really liked the storyline and we both found it moving. By the end of the movie both my bf and I were a bit teary (don't tell him that I mentioned that part)! :) I think that this film is very much worth seeing and I like the fact that it wasn't like every other slick Hollywood film in that it had a lot of character. I highly recommend this film and have already done so to several close friends.