Good idea lost in the noise

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

...and I was an extra in it. I guess it works if you have a taste for the nonsensical, but to me they just didn't pull it off. Its original title was to be "Welcome to Buzzsaw". Anyway, the food for the extras was dynamite.

every time I've seen this movie since the first time I saw it in 1993 or so on television it has been missing about 10 minutes in running time. I just watched it again on Netflix and it has a run time listed of 1 hr 22 minutes which is 82 minutes instead of the total 93 it should have. I also own a copy on VHS which is missing a section. This missing scene is of Bill and Sally running from the bear and Skearns which is an extended chase scene which includes them being literally out on a limb of a large (redwood?) tree which breaks resulting them falling into either a river or pond. This is why in the next scene they are in- when they enter the Van Der Haven home- their clothes are wet. Also missing as I recall is a scene with the Siskel and Ebert schoolchildren giving Marci's storytelling a thumbs up/down.I don't know why this movie isn't more popular than it is- I keep expecting it to turn into a cult classic.

My wife and I watch this film whenever we want a good laugh. The plot, characters and cast combine to provide the most hilarious "good feeling" comedy we have ever seen (this is our favorite!). The whole story is built around the classroom recitation by a young girl about how she spent her summer. The bizarre chain of events she tells about are deliberated at intervals throughout the movie by her unbelieving classmates. During these brief interludes she is coaxed to go on with her intriguing story and the action takes off -- again! This movie is superbly acted and directed to avoid the pitfalls of becoming "slap stick." While the plot is a bit far fetched, it is plausible. If you want to see a movie that makes you feel good and is viewable by people of any age, this is a "must see."

I caught 'Out On A Limb' on TV late one night and expected to hate it. The plot is everywhere at once, there are so many characters only a competent director could give each their own traits and personality and the seen were Jeffrey Jones kills himself is so "B-Movie", one can't help but cringe.However it's these "negative factors" that make Veber's movie so watchable. Broderick, Jones, Kling and the young girl playing the narrator all give decent performances, however it is the then-unknown John C. Reilly and Michael Monks that steal the movie as the dim-witted, red necks Jim and Jim.Visually, the film seems to capture that small town middle America feel. And the two "temp" Deputy's are an utter delight to watch onscreen.I'd recommend this movie to anyone who wants to unwind with a plot that draws you in without becoming stressful.