User reviews

"100 Mile Rule" is a comedy about three Detroit salesmen on business travel who become embroiled in scheming and scamming in L.A. This journeyman little low budget B-flick is a nominal no brainer watch for anyone interested in the something to chill to. Just keep expectations low and don't expect any LOL's. Lightweight entertainment for the male sofa spud sans tit-illators. (C+)

OK, so it isn't a great movie. Who cares? It has Maria Bello and that's enough for a peek if you have nothing else to do. She plays a con artist who takes advantage of the saying, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." In this case, it's what happens 100 miles from home doesn't matter. Businessmen at a corporate training trip taking advantage and getting caught. The movie spends a lot of time filming the trainer. Time wasted that would have been better spent film Miss Bello. Our loss. Also stars Dawn of the Dead's Jake Weber, and The Ring's David Dorfman as father and son. There are a bunch of others in the movie, but hey, I'm watching because of Maria Bello so i really don't care about them.

"One Hundred Mile Rule" turned out to be better than I expected from the very brief and bland synopsis provided. As a Jake Weber fan, I decided to go ahead and watch it, anyway. The three primary men in this movie get embroiled in a mess and don't quite know how to clean it up. If you read the synopsis, you get the general idea, but this movie only really comes together and gets interesting when the guys try to take matters into their own hands, as you may imagine. Maria Bello is seen in an interesting light, much different from her character on ER. It's not a five-star movie, but it's worth checking out for a good laugh, especially for Jake Weber fans.

I saw this movie at a film festival (Fort Lauderdale) and what a waste of time and money. The only thing going for it is the presence of the beautiful and talented Maria Bello; however, the viewer wonders how someone of her talent got mixed up in a below-average effort like this one. The major problems are a deficient script that couldn't get a passing grade in Screenwriting 101 and what can only be described as amateurish directing.

This film played a couple of indy festivals -- and Cannes -- and then went straight to video. There's a reason no major studio picked it up. It's mind-numbingly slow to develop. To say nothing of clumsy and derivative. The actors seem either under-prepared or indifferent. Even the usually infallible Michael McKean. Maria Bello, authentically less than pure as the cocktail waitress in "The Cooler," essays a similar role here. But she struggles with this femme fatale turn in the Linda Fiorentino / Kathleen Turner mold. The film's pace picks up in the final half-hour. But the action is no less plausible. One of those movies you wish was better -- but it's not. Writer Huff and director Pillsbury are actors who either aimed low or missed a higher mark.

I picked this up because it had Jake Weber in it, who I love, and because I find Michael McKean hilarious. I didn't know what to expect, but I loved it. The comedy is quite clever and had me on the floor quite a few times. The acting is top-notch. Maria Bello is perfect as the femme fatale and makes sure not to go for the jugular in her scenes, brilliantly underplaying them to snare her game. Jake Weber has the dorky family man role down pat. Everything from the shifting of his glasses to his walk to his horrendous shirts. One of the funniest scenes involves him and his wife attempting phone sex.

Don't expect a mastepiece, it's just lightweight entertainment. But it's incredibly well-made, clever, funny, and well-acted.

9/10

This is one of those movies where the quality of the acting is far above the material itself. Michael McKean and David Thornton are joys to watch. Also, though the plot is derivative, it is very knowing about business trips and sales people, and if you've ever been on a business trip, you'll find yourself laughing and nodding at many points. The movie never seemed false or strained, just a little weak at the very end. Up to that point, it's an above average investigation of salesmen gone bad. It's a bit like "Very Bad Things" only played more for comedy than for dark drama. Jake Weber, though British, does a very good job playing an American, something that cannot be said of many of his countrymen.

I saw this movie on Cinemax and could not stop laughing. David Thornton was hilarious.The movie is so funny because it so realistic when it comes to the details of traveling salesmen. Unfortunately, this movie isn't getting the justice it deserves, but perhaps that is due to an audience that is tainted by our "contemporary" concepts of "comedy" that have nothing to do with reality. Anyone who appreciates comedy revolving around everyday mishaps and cheap pathetic traveling salesmen, will find that the day to day humor is undeniably hilarious. The plot is crafty, albeit it is a dark comedy but its subject matter still retains comedic value for most open-minded audiences. Michael McKean performs a perfect portrayal of a mid-level sales streetwise sales manager and perfectly complements Davis Thornton's cheap alcoholic character Jerry. I thought Maria Bello's performance was nothing much more than average, and definitely not nearly as realistic as McKean and Thornton.

A movie consisting of excellent performances by Jake Weber and Maria Bello ("Auto-Focus", "The Cooler")and the irrepressible Michael McKean turning in a superb performance in a role that could have been a Jack Nicholson role. Also David Thornton, Cyndi Lauper's husband and a former alternative rock musician, in an unforgettable role as a wild-haired "unhelpful" fellow auto parts salesman to the lead character.

100 Mile Rule is well-directed by Brent Huff and features equal parts of humor, drama and suspense. The film, like Tin Men, captures perfectly the world that most of us live in: working dry jobs, eating crow from your boss, trying to "turn the corner" financially, juggling the family flamed batons of Kids, Sex and Finances but having to deal-day-to-day with less than savory co-workers. And, oh yes, the temptations of the flesh which make a playground upon our suburbia-addled minds. Male motive, in all its ugliness, is splayed open for our inspection here.

A thrilling ride and a mind-bender from start to finish, sit back and enjoy this film and the fine actors at work here.

This is a fantastic film that made me laugh out loud which isn't easy to do. I loved the characters, especially Jerry, whose hair should have its own credit. The film was well written and extremely well directed. I highly recommend 100 MILE RULE.

One of the funniest movies I've seen. Tell your friends about this gem. Why wasn't this film on the big screen? The acting, directing and writing is first rate. I loved Maria Bello. She was great in The Cooler but even better in 100 Mile Rule. The quirky music is a nice touch. The chemistry of the three salesman from Detroit works from beginning to end. You will laugh out loud. You can keep your 'Mission Impossible's' and 'XXX'. Give me 100 Mile Rule.

Keeping you going the whole way through, wishing, relentlessly, for more plot twists upon plot twists. Where did all the greatly developed movies go? They're right here. I love this movie simply because it gives you only what you need to go by, it doesn't tell you what anybody else needs to know, and solidly keeps you in your place; An onlooker to a classic plot.

very nice little film. naughty, dark, funny morality play. a real edge to it. well scored, lighted, shot and directed for a small budget job. hilarious salesman wardrobe details and referential humor. some laugh out loud scenes, too--thanks to strong supporting characters. I gave it a 9.

If you liked "Sideways" you will love 100 Mile Rule. Instead of two lovable loser's on a road trip, 100 Mile Rule gives you three. The difference is that in 100 Mile Rule the plot turns dark and sinister. This laugh out loud indie is well-crafted in every way. The performances, script and direction are all top notch. Unlike a lot of Hollywood movies, this film gives the narrative time to unfold. All the characters are developed, calibrated and well drawn. Even the actors with small roles are spot on. Kudo's for director Brent Huff finding the right tone for this dark comedy. What a treat to watch Maria Bello go head to head with Jake Weber, David Thornton and Michael McKean. You can see why Ms. Bello is fast becoming a major star. 100 Mile Rule is a film you could watch over and over and never get bored.

Though I suspect this was a low budget film, it comes off pretty big. Michael McKean is hilarious as is David Thornton. I loved the plot twists and Maria Bello as the dark comeditrix. The direction was excellent as well.

The thing that really hit me was the music. The music was such a relief from the typical and predictible scores of Zimmer and the rest of 'em. This composer is the contemporary answer to Henry Mancini. Retro caper meets dark comedy. Completely worth a viewing.

It has been a minute since I have seen this movie....However, it is still fresh and amazing. Everything about it from the Directing to the Acting to the Script is great!!! Maria Bello is stunning and a totally under rated as an actress...now getting some much deserved recognition from The Cooler. Brent Huff's direction is amazing...what may have been a low budget film comes across like a big budget Hollywood Movie. I highly recommend this film. You will find yourself intently thinking about the subject matter one minute and then rolling on the floor with laughter the next.

Best unknown dark comedy ever made. Wish more people would see it! Jake Weber, David Thornton and Michael McKean are fabulously funny and quirky. Maria Bello does a fantastic job of being the seductress. You never know what will happen when you are away from home with your drinking buddies on a business trip, but as the movie says, if you are more than 100 miles away, anything goes. The question is, will you regret the things that happen or will they be a fun memory? But when more than just you know about what happened, who do you trust? Twists and turns throughout, this movie will keep you on your toes and wanting more.