The Wendell Baker Story (2005) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

USA, Germany 2005
Director: Andrew Wilson, Luke Wilson
Cast: Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Eva Mendes, Eddie Griffin, Kris Kristofferson, Harry Dean Stanton, Seymour Cassel, Will Ferrell
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: 11 March 2005
Running Time: 1 hour 39 minutes

The Movie Review

The Wendell Baker Story, mmm a title that probably uninteresting alongside a terrible tag line "Why not call him a hero?", however I'm sure if you're a fans of comedy genre after seeing its main actors, you would intrigued a little bit about it. Luke Wilson and Owen Wilson, brothers that are part of the Frat Pack (Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn among others), a group of successful comedians who have appeared in numerous each other movies. But this comedy movie is particularly historical for Luke Wilson as this comedy flick marks also his directorial debut.

Wendell Baker (Luke Wilson) is a slacker with a loving and understanding girlfriend Doreen (Eva Mendes). Wendell in his age still doesn’t have a proper job that


The WENDELL BAKER STORY
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could support them two, he instead works as person who makes false IDs for immigrants along with his friend Reyes. Eventually Baker got incarcerated, but for Baker being in a prison is a fun journey, until Doreen finally leaves him, that's the time when Baker starts being sober. Once he gets out, he works on Shady Grove retirement hotel, with a mean head nurse named Neil King (Owen Wilson) governs the place. In Shady Grove, Baker befriends several residents such as Skip (Harry Dean Stanton of Escape from New York (1981)), Boyd (Seymour Cassel), and Nasheer (Kris Kristofferson) that are often bullied by Neil and his second-in-command McTeague (Eddie Griffin). The kindhearted Baker and the residents become close friends since the residents teach him how to win Doreen back while Baker help them fight back Neil King.

TWBS's contents are simple, simple but effective. This is a feel-good comedy with only several laugh-out-loud moments in between, but what is so good about TWBS is that this movie is genuine and charming. TWBS doesn't try to be funny nor try to be great. The jokes are simple but nice, kinds that already rare nowadays. It is probably the chemistry among the actors that works out so well that everybody in this movie seem happy just to be in the movie.

TWBS is so different with several other Frat Pack movies that were raunchy, and quite surprising that Luke Wilson with his first movie doesn't fall to that category, but then again this is what the audience with a good sense of humour might probably need to watch. Plus although it's a comedy, the drama is well-developed between the old people and Wendell Baker, that's probably where TWBS tagline stands for.

TWBS is certainly not the best movie coming out of Frat Pack's circle of laugh, and you won't feel the pain in your stomach for laughing so hard either. But with nice camerawork, pastel colours and touching dialogues, I personally absolutely welcome this feel-good comedy with open arms. A comedy film, that without having to think dirty or going through tear-jerking moments, would make you feel warm and relaxed in your heart.