Funny Bones

( 1 )

Overview

Tommy Fawkes Oliver Platt is a struggling stand-up comedian who has tried for years to get out from under the shadow of his father, George Fawkes Jerry Lewis, himself a famous humorist. Tommy finally scores a showcase spot at a major resort in Las Vegas, but when opening night rolls around, Tommy's act is an unqualified disaster, with the failure made even more painful by his father's presence in the audience. In search of a fresh start, Tommy heads to Blackpool, England, where he was born and raised, to look for...
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More About This Product

Overview

Tommy Fawkes Oliver Platt is a struggling stand-up comedian who has tried for years to get out from under the shadow of his father, George Fawkes Jerry Lewis, himself a famous humorist. Tommy finally scores a showcase spot at a major resort in Las Vegas, but when opening night rolls around, Tommy's act is an unqualified disaster, with the failure made even more painful by his father's presence in the audience. In search of a fresh start, Tommy heads to Blackpool, England, where he was born and raised, to look for a new act. Hoping to buy material from local performers, Tommy auditions a large number of acts, most of whom are utterly hopeless, until he sees a hilarious vaudeville team, the Parker Brothers. Their act seems more than a bit familiar, however, and Tommy soon realizes that they're doing his father's old material. But they have every right to be doing George's schtick -- it seems George stole his act from the Parkers ages ago. What's more, the younger and more eccentric of the Parker Boys, Jack Lee Evans, is actually Tommy's half brother, the product of a fling with a Blackpool showgirl years ago. Veering between comedy and drama, Funny Bones has more than its share of effective moments on either side of the fence, and features fine supporting performances from Oliver Reed, Leslie Caron and Harold Nicholas.
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Tom Wiener
Peter Chelsom's follow-up to Hear My Song also deals with a show business quest. In his debut film, Chelsom charted the journey of a nightclub owner to come up with a famous but reclusive singer. Here, the search is a bit more difficult, as Tommy Fawkes (Oliver Platt) tries to resurrect his career as a comic and learn something about his family's roots in show business. Chelsom is clearly enthralled with the traditions of performance, as he allows a glimpse into the seaside resort of Blackpool, whose stages of the pre-television era launched hundreds of careers, none more distinguished than that of Tommy's father, George (Jerry Lewis). It may be a stretch to think of a character played by Jerry Lewis as a native Briton, but Lewis is so persuasive as a man steeped in the traditions of vaudeville that the gap is easily bridged. Lee Evans, as the rubber-limbed third of the Parker Boys act, almost walks away with the movie, no mean feat when the cast includes Lewis, Oliver Reed, and Leslie Caron, as the key figure in the Fawkes family past. Chelsom has a sideways method of telling his story that invites repeated viewings to pick up more nuances to his delightful story and characters.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 5/10/2011
  • UPC: 683904522535
  • Original Release: 1995
  • Source: Mill Creek Ent
  • Format: DVD
  • Sales rank: 34,300

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Oliver Platt Tommy Fawkes
Lee Evans Jack Parker
Richard Griffiths Jim Minty
Leslie Caron Katie Parker
Jerry Lewis George Fawkes
Oliver Reed Dolly Hopkins
Mickey Baker Mayor
George Carl Thomas Parker
Sadie Corré Poodle Lady
Frank Cox Cox Twin
Freddie Davies Bruno Parker
Francois Domange Pirard
Rusty Goffe Bagpipe Playing Dwarf
Peter Gunn Nicky
Ticky Holgado Battiston
William Hootkins Al
Jona Jones Security Guard
Phil Kelly Himself
Ruth Kettlewell Camilla Powell
Ruta Lee Laura Fawkes
Peter Martin Skipper
Peter McNamara Canavan
Ian McNeice Stanley Sharkey
Gavin Millar Steve Campbell
Mouss Poquelin
Harold Nicholas Himself
The Nicholas Brothers Harold as Himself
Olivier Py Barre
Andy Rashleigh Reporter
Terence Rigby Billy Man
Technical Credits
Peter Chelsom Director, Producer, Screenwriter
John Altman Score Composer
Lester Berman Associate Producer
Laurie Borg Co-producer
Bill Daly Musical Direction/Supervision
Simon Fields Producer
Peter Flannery Screenwriter
Nicholas Frye Executive Producer
Caroline Hanania Production Designer
Tom Harris Special Effects
Pat Hay Makeup
Lindy Hemming Costumes/Costume Designer
Andrew Munroe Art Director
Eduardo Serra Cinematographer
Martin Walsh Editor
Michael Zimbrich Asst. Director
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
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Sort by: Showing 1 Customer Review

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    A brilliant piece of work!

    I have been searching everywhere for this movie on DVD, ever since I happened to catch it on a cable channel a couple of yrs ago. Filmed mostly in Europe (& Las Vegas), it is such an original film, unlike any dramatic comedy I've ever seen. It has murder, heart wrenching scenes & comedy. It's elegantly filmed, sophisticated, provocative, and of course very funny. Highly recommended. Well worth every penny. The soundtrack is excellent too.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Sort by: Showing 1 Customer Review