Kleine Lügen auf Bewährung

This movie should have been good, but just fell flat. I can't put my finger on why exactly. From the first minute, it's boring. The acting is not good, even Sigourney Weaver is not good! The script is flat.

Nothing really happens. We watched this for about 45 minutes and just couldn't take it any longer.

The main character is released from prison and supposedly trying to restart his life. It doesn't make much sense. The grandmother supposedly believes he's been in France for three years rather than prison. The sister (Weaver) is domineering towards her husband but flakes when around her brother. Doesn't make sense. The parts that are supposed to be comedy (Allen's character daydreams about violently attacking various characters) - aren't funny in the slightest.

I felt like it SHOULD have been at least okay, but just wasn't!

This movie had some iconic actors but the acting was terrible! It was so bad that I felt embarrassed for them! Tim Allen seemed like he was reading from a script through the entire movie. Sigourney Weaver was the only one that was legit.

Part of Tim Allen's story is of course his time in prison as a young man. Knowing that I'm sure he used that time and his observed behavior of people inside and freshly on the outside for some good source material for Crazy On The Outside. It's a film about a man freshly released from committing a crime of video piracy for which he took the fall alone for his boss Ray Liotta. He was in for about 18 months.

Coming out Allen goes to live with his sister Sigourney Weaver and her less than thrilled husband J.K. Simmons and their family. He has a parole officer in Jeanne Tripplehorn and a longing for his old girlfriend Julie Bowen who has now hooked up with a rich auto dealer Kelsey Grammar.

As you can see Allen has quite the full life and a lot of life choices to make. I won't say more, but it does all work out. I will say though that Sigourney Weaver is quite the manipulator behind the scenes and moves both subtly and with the force of a sledgehammer at times.

The good ensemble cast gives director Allen a good show and star Allen good backup. More than fans of Tim Allen will appreciate crazy on the outside.

Tim Allen's directorial debut is very hit and miss...sadly, mostly miss. The movie needs a lot of editing and a completely different third act.

The film starts as an offbeat comedy...and even though there are no hardy belly laughs, there are a number of clever ideas and lines (many delivered by the under-appreciated JK Simmons). But with an all-star comic cast, you would think there would be more, ahem...comedy. Halfway through the film becomes more of a family drama. The humor totally disappears and the quirky oddball characters become normal. The third act is very cliché, generic and melodramatic. But all the performers give it their best---even players like Ray Liotta and Kelsey Grammar are playing parts that could have been done by anyone. And the film's one running gag is actually funny for a while, but it goes nowhere after the 100th mention.

For all the bad reviews it tells a relistic story of a man who got out of prison and faces the world.. and its a daunting task.. I think for a first director .Tim did well.. I think all his co stars played their parts well I don't know why everyone cant just enjoy it as a movie???