December 1998

The Man Who Knew Too Little
Reviewed by Doug Schneider
DVD Format

Overall Enjoyment:
Picture Quality:
Sound Quality:
Packaged Extras:

Starring Bill Murray, Peter Gallagher, Joanne Whalley-Kilmer

Directed by Jon Amiel

Theatrical Release: 1997
DVD Release: 1998
Dolby Digital 5.1
Widescreen/Full Screen

The Man Who Knew Too Little should have been titled The Director Who Knew Too Little. Contained throughout the DVD extras, including within Director's Jon Amiel’s commentary, are constant references to how much Bill Murray likes to ad lib and how you just have to let him go. Presumably one can interpret this to mean that director Amiel liked to give Murray freedom in his work and hoped for the best. While this may be true, the likeable Murray cannot carry the entire movie, particularly when it is devoid of a script or any type of comic timing. If the director simply did let him go, maybe he should credit Murray as the real director -- or perhaps he wouldn't even want his name on this mess.

The Man Who Knew Too Little centers on an American tourist named Wallace (Murray), a likeable schmuck who is visiting his brother in England (Peter Gallagher). His brother tells people that Wallace is in the film industry. He actually works at Blockbuster Video. Get it? That's a joke, and that's about as funny as this film gets -- "huh, huh…huh, huh, huh." That's so funny. On his England vacation, Murray thinks he is taking part in a TV show where real people get to pretend they are spies and actors around them play out parts for the viewing audience. Of course, mishaps occur and Murray ends up in a real-life spy scenario facing life-and-death decisions with people who Murray thinks are really actors.

The humor is supposed to revolve the idea that Murray is pretending while everyone else around is not -- "huh, huh…huh, huh, huh." Haven't we seen that before? There is not much original that goes on here, and maybe the brain trust was grasping at straws when they let Murray go. Perhaps a decent script would be a better idea. Perhaps the director should not have just laid the camera on Murray amidst a film set with the hope that he would do something funny and interesting. Perhaps he should have placed him in scenes with real purpose.

The delectable Joanne Whalley (rent Scandal to see her in a much better film) plays opposite Murray as a real spy and, predictably, becomes his love interest. Why? We're not exactly sure, but movies like this always use this ploy. Studios must figure that they need to throw in a little sex for good measure so the audience doesn't feel completely robbed. But don't get too excited -- the movie is set England, so we don't get anything much sexier than trench coats and wool socks.

The DVD extras are nothing more than a real joke. There is the theatrical trailer (what DVD doesn't have this?), as well as some of the most stunningly dull director's commentary from Jon Amiel (does he know what laughing is?). Then there’s the self-mocking gem that I love -- a complete list of all cast and crew, including producers, with hot-links to all their past films. I think this is supposed to be some sort of online résumé to say, "Hey look, this is bad, really bad, but look what I have done. Please hire me again." On the bright side, the picture quality and sound are both good.

The makers of The Man Who Knew Too Little should have watched Kingpin first. It is a comedy with laughs, and yes, they let Bill Murray go, but in well-written scenes where they also direct his talent. Here you have no excuse about knowing too little -- you know too much. Don’t rent or buy this movie. If you do, use it as a coaster or a mini-frisbee. You've been warned.

GO TO
[ Current Video Online Issue ] [ Video Review Archives ]