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      Americathon

      PG 1979 1h 26m Comedy List
      Reviews 34% 250+ Ratings Audience Score The president (John Ritter) tries to bail out the country with a telethon in 1998. Narrated by George Carlin. Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Premiered Jun 27 Buy Now

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      Americathon

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      Audience Reviews

      View All (13) audience reviews
      Steve D Only its dead on predictions are of any note. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 08/14/23 Full Review Audience Member This movie was so wretched it was pulled during first run even from drive ins. It nearly cost John Ritter his acting career. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member Not quite as bad as its reputation, but pretty damn bad. I laughed out loud a few times, but mostly I was bored. A great idea destroyed mostly by clumsy direction. A miss for sure. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Audience Member I watched this movie with so much expectations. Boy did this movie crush and mutilate those expectations. The Beach Boys song at the beginning I'll admit was pretty good, but the rest of the presentation is very high on camp. The characters are nothing too special. It tries to be a political satire, but the only thing I laughed at was how bad it turned out. I don't hate it, but it's overwhelmingly mediocre. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Audience Member Americathon, from 1979, starring John Ritter as President Chet Roosevelt. America's credit rating has been downgraded and the brilliant politicians decide to run a telethon to save the U.S. from foreclosure. Not a bad idea Congress, we could have Ryan Seacrest host and maybe get Jerry Seinfeld to do a little stand-up, etc. Text USA to 99999 to make your $25 donation and avert the debt crisis. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member America goes broke in 1998, and programming whiz kid Eric McMurkin (Peter Riegert) suggests throwing a thirty-day telethon to pay back the national debt. While the aspirations are noble - Director Isreal and his screenwriters want to skewer the touchy-feely 'Me Decade', television, world politics and Jerry Lewis - the execution (except for a couple visual asides, and an okay ending) falls far short. But this is probably the only film that you'll see Meat Loaf attack a car with a pickaxe. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Americathon

      Americathon (1979) Americathon (1979) View more photos

      Critics Reviews

      View All (1) Critics Reviews
      Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Americathon is a puerile exploitation of one very thin joke during 98 very long minutes. Rated: 0.5/4 Jun 19, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis The president (John Ritter) tries to bail out the country with a telethon in 1998. Narrated by George Carlin.
      Director
      Neal Israel
      Production Co
      Lorimar Productions, United Artists
      Rating
      PG
      Genre
      Comedy
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Jun 1, 2012
      Runtime
      1h 26m
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