It's not easy to make a movie that's funny and smart at the same time. But this one is.

Author: Mika Pykäläaho (bygis80@hotmail.com) from Järvenpää, Finland
16 June 2002

Have you ever wondered what Michael Douglas would look like if he would have exactly the same kind of a hairdo as his dear old daddy Kirk? If the answer is yes watch "One night at McCool's" and the secret finally reveals. Luckily it's not the only reason to see this film. "One night at McCool's" is surprisingly effective, successful and entertaining mixture of tongue-in-a-cheek crime film and wild comedy. Liv Tyler is divine, Matt Dillon's performance amusing and Paul Reiser and John Goodman are just as fantastic as always when they're really giving their best. Michael Douglas' supporting role is also one of the funniest details of the film and let's not forget Andrew Dice Clay's fabulous appearance as Utah. If you love good, black crime comedies like Guy Ritchie's films "Lock, stock and two smoking barrels" and "Snatch" or if you just worship Liv Tyler this nicely written, well-made and cleverly acted little treat can certainly be worth of your time.

La nana un peu furax quand même.Il n'y a qu'elle qui bosse,qui fait les courses,le ménage,la bouffe bref qui fait tout (ça vous évoque qq chose ?) pendant que le mec passe ses journées à regarder la télé en buvant des bières

Paul Reiser :Carl Harding

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Better than expected

Author: cofemug from Seattle, WA
11 May 2001

One Night at McCool's is a very funny movie that is more intelligent than what it should be. Its form is more sophisticated than what I expected, and its randomness was superb. The thoughts behind the movie (mysogeny, sadism, stupid men) are are infantile. That's what I have to say about this movie is that not only does it hate women, but it loathes men. It doesn't have any sympathy for any of the men, really. It seems that way because of the form, but the ending says it all. Nobody cares.

The form has the first 2/3 of the movie told in flashback by three characters: Dillon, the stupid bartender; Reiser, the mysogenistic stupid lawyer; and Goodman, the stupid, holier-than-thou cop. The story is therefore always perverted by their own self images and altered realities. Reiser's BBQ fantasy is a great touch. In the end, we never really know the truth, and nothing is what it seems. Dillon was never that innocent, etc.

Actually, the rest of the movie is funny too. From the randomness of the last 5 seconds of the movie to the overly-obviousness of Tyler's manipulations, the movie seems to have an energy all its own. Everything is just out of the blue, and nothing seems to make sense. Do we really care if it does? No. It is also a very dark comedy, but has a shallow presentation. Think Nurse Betty, or Jawbreaker. Very candy coated outside, dark chewy inside. If you like your movies random, dark, or just purely mean, see this movie. This one will satisfy your urges for the strangeness that is One Night at McCool's.-  8/10