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This reviewer is not a David Spade fan, but this reviewer found Spade's latest film, Dickie Roberts, to be filled with enough Hollywood insight and planned gags to be a winner. Spade emotes in some sections of the plot, and though can't resist the lure of doing a Jim Carrey or Robin Williams-overboard, it is kept in control--for example, imitating all the animals on a child's game. Too long.

The plot of Dickie Roberts begins when Spade's character--a former child star--is now doing valet parking in hopes of hitting it big again. His agent (Jon Lovitz) is inept but loans David his car for auditions. In Spade's life are also former stars including Leif Garrett, Barry Williams and Corey Feldman, who meet weekly for a poker game. Enter Rob Reiner, as himself, with a new film to cast, and Dickie seems to be right for the part. However, Rob thinks he isn't mature. Dickie decides to sell his memoirs (quite a hilarious bit) for money to rent a family for a month and redo childhood. Thus, he meets the Finney family (Craig Bierko, Mary McCormack, Jenny Boyd and Scott Terra) and comes to live with them. As expected, there are adjustments such as a waterbed, bad language (at first), and a bad attitude ("I NEED COFFEE!"). Eventually, Dickie begins to mellow and settle into family life, picking up traits of normalcy while the Finney's experience something akin to Hollywood 101.

As with Uptown Girls, this film could have been toned down. There is a reference to motherhood that I object to. Dickie Roberts, prior to mellowing, is rude and bad-mouthed, indeed. Plus, there is an objectionable way to find an address that people just may try someday

Some of the gags are hilarious, particularly one concerning a dead rabbit ("We are living in a Stephen King house!"), Dickie "borrowing" Rob Reiner's car and then getting involved in a sassy road incident, Jon Lovitz volunteering to donate something for an exclusive interview, Dickie meeting school bullies and Dickie learning to ride a bike. Spade does physical comedy well, and his pratfalls are something out of cartoon-land. If any kid had as many accidents with a bike as Dickie, there would be no more kid, but Dickie bounces back for more.

Along with the sight gags are the number of actors who do cameo appearances. I counted Doris Roberts (as Dickie's Mom), Brendan Fraser, Dick Van Patten, Emmanuel Lewis, Tom Arnold and Edie McClurg to name a few. The rest of the Dickie Roberts cast works well as a unit. Alyssa Milano (television's Charmed) is Dickie's girlfriend who always comes back to him. Mary McCormack is the consummate "Mom," giving June Cleaver a run for her money, until Mary discovers her backbone. Scott Terra plays the budding teenager as a good guy who is shy with girls, while Jenna Boyd is not shy, but has to compete with the prettiest girl in class for cheerleading try-outs. Craig Bierko does the oily father bit quite well and one would have liked to see him try to ride a bicycle.

All in all, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star is a froth of physical comedy, a look at what makes a family, how early fame could be emotionally harmful and the façade of Hollywood where men and women do just about anything for an interview or audition. People handle fame (or former fame) in various ways. There is a tweak of redemption here. Oh, and be sure to watch the end of the film through the credits. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Copyright 2003 Marie Asner
Submitted 9/10/03

Fame can often be a fickle and fleeting creature as well as both a blessing and a curse. Those who have fame are often unable to cope with it, and those who seek fame often find it to be an addictive drug that can be maddening.

Hollywood is filled with stories of entertainers who became famous only to burn out from the pressures and perks of fame, often with tragic results. Child stars are often sad examples of the fleeting nature of fame, as many rise at a young age only to plummet from their lofty perch when they become older and are no longer cute and precocious. In the film Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, we meet Dickie (David Spade), the biggest child star of his time who lost everything (including his shallow show biz mom) after his hit show was canceled.

Desperate to return to the limelight, Dickie, now 35, resorts to celebrity boxing matches and other menial appearances in order to break away from his life as a valet parking attendant and rocket back to stardom. Dickie's only real means of support comes in the form of a weekly poker game he plays with former child stars where he and his cronies talk about the good old days.

Hope arrives when Dickie manages to audition for a new Rob Reiner film. Dickie is convinced that the part is what he needs to get back on top but is dashed to learn that due to his unusual upbringing, he can not handle the part. Desperate to prove himself, Dickie sells his life story with the help of his agent (Jon Lovits) and uses a portion of the money to hire a family to take him in and show him what he missed growing up.

Naturally, certain members of the family are against this idea, and Dickie is tasked with winning them over and getting the role to end all roles and return to stardom. The film does have a couple of laughs, but they are few and far between and do not allow the audience to attain the most interesting premise of the film. Spade has an easy going manner as Dickie but shows that he works best when part of an ensemble--as since the tragic death of Chris Farley, he has not had a supporting player who allows his talents to shine. The film also only pays lip service to the effects of losing fame, as some of the more serious issues are not explored, causing much of the film to lack direction.

Spade wrote the script with veteran Saturday Night Live writer Fred Wolf as much of the film unfolds like a sketch that continues to go on well past the point of being funny and comes across as an idea good enough for a few sketches but not for a feature film. My advice is to save this film for a rainy day movie rental.

Gareth Von Kallenbach   September 10, 2003