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      Cecil B. Demented

      R Now Playing 1h 28m Comedy Drama List
      52% 82 Reviews Tomatometer 67% 5,000+ Ratings Audience Score An insane action-comedy about a young lunatic director and his devoted cult of cinema terrorists who kidnap a movie goddess and force her to star in their underground movie. Vowing to punish the crass sins of commercial cinema, fueled by revolutionary zeal and their self-imposed sexual frustration, Cecil B. DeMented and his guerrilla production crew invade the streets of Baltimore to shoot their no-budget epic. When Cecil says "Action," he means action! Nothing is going to stand in his way. Read More Read Less Now in Theaters Now Playing Buy Tickets

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      Cecil B. Demented

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      Critics Consensus

      The idea behind John Waters' latest has much potential, but the movie ends up being too sloppy and underdeveloped in terms of script and direction. Also, by today's standards, it fails to shock.

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      Audience Reviews

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      Kevin P This should be one of my favorite films based on its plot. The first 30 minutes or so are excellent. Then, out of nowhere, the film takes a hard turn into the toilet and never recovers. So frustrating! Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/31/24 Full Review S S Probably one of the best underrated movies about the process ever John Waters Melody Griffith Stephen Dorff amazing cast this movie is a cult classic Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/19/22 Full Review andrew k Some movies go so far around the blend that they come back again. And in this case that's the point. Maybe the only film to exist that satirizes the entire film industry. From big budget studio movies to no budget indie auteur films. A film that only John Waters could make. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member I think this movie got bad reviews because many critics did not realize it was supposed to be stupid, ridiculous, and satirical. "We are all horny but the film comes first!". Waters, now 75, is an outsider that has pushed the limits of cinema throughout his career; however, he does so not simply as an attempt to be shocking. He made a career of outraging conservatives but, actually, poking fun at the hypocrisy of rigid liberalism. This film, like Burton's Ed Wood, honors the art of filmmaking by making fun of hubris of the people and the process. It is dumb, but a really good time. The ensemble cast, some that went onto much greater success, is terrific. They all get it. They are all in on the joke. Never a big fan of Melanie Griffith, but she is so bad in this that she is good. I can't help but feeling a thread of Lloyd Kaufman throughout the film. This one aged well. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Grasped the cult-driven satire towards Hollywood, but it was disgustingly and abysmally executed with unlikable characterization favoring injustice satisfaction which is where Stockholm syndrome resides within. (C-) Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Audience Member Cecil B. Demented is my least favorite John Waters film but it's still a really interesting movie worth checking out. Melanie Griffith plays a famous Hollywood actress that gets kidnapped by a group of young underground terrorist filmmakers and is forced to be the star of their new film. Everyone in the cast is pretty great and committed to the ridiculousness the movie requires from them. We get some appearances from Michael Shannon and Maggie Gyllenhaal very early in their careers, giving very fun comedic performances. As wacky as the movie may sound it's unfortunately somewhat tame compared to John Waters other work and the film never really managed to shock me the way his other films have but all the interesting social commentary is still here. If you're a John Waters fan give Cecil B. Demented a shot, it's a interesting movie. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Critics Reviews

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      Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness Mildly scabrous. Rated: B May 3, 2005 Full Review Globe and Mail Rated: 3/4 Apr 25, 2003 Full Review Peter Travers Rolling Stone Rated: 4/5 May 10, 2001 Full Review Jan Stuart The Advocate John Waters all too often dresses up colorful characters only to give them no place to go. His lopsided Cecil B. Demented is a prime example. Apr 5, 2022 Full Review A.S. Hamrah The Baffler Kevin Nealon, in his greatest role, plays himself as the star of Forrest Gump II. Impossible dreams abound... Sep 16, 2020 Full Review Stuart Klawans The Nation Does this picture leap off the screen, or what? Yes, it leaps -- thanks to Melanie Griffith's eager participation in this act of revenge, Stephen Dorff's unbuttoned nuttiness...and Waters's knowing, caring intelligence about movie culture and its decline. Jul 13, 2015 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis An insane action-comedy about a young lunatic director and his devoted cult of cinema terrorists who kidnap a movie goddess and force her to star in their underground movie. Vowing to punish the crass sins of commercial cinema, fueled by revolutionary zeal and their self-imposed sexual frustration, Cecil B. DeMented and his guerrilla production crew invade the streets of Baltimore to shoot their no-budget epic. When Cecil says "Action," he means action! Nothing is going to stand in his way.
      Director
      John Waters
      Producer
      Fred Bernstein, Anthony DeLorenzo
      Screenwriter
      John Waters
      Distributor
      Artisan Entertainment
      Production Co
      Le Studio Canal +, Artic Productions LLC, Polar Entertainment Corporation, Ice Cap Production
      Rating
      R (Language|Drug Use|Sexual Content|Violence)
      Genre
      Comedy, Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      May 17, 2000, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Jun 21, 2009
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $1.3M
      Runtime
      1h 28m
      Sound Mix
      Surround, Dolby Digital
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