Winnebago Man

Released Jul 9, 2010

1h 27m

Documentary

Biography

Comedy

List

90%

62 Reviews

Tomatometer

80%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Filmmaker Ben Steinbauer interviews Jack Rebney, whose profanity-strewn outtakes from a 1988 industrial film about a line of recreational vehicles turned him into a cult hero.

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Critics Consensus

Though it doesn't quite answer all of the questions it raises, Winnebago Man is nevertheless a fascinating, hilarious, and surprisingly poignant look at a geniunely colorful internet celebrity.

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delysid d

History Lesson for the UTube Generation

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

07/18/19

Full Review

Audience Member

"Tony, do me a favour, will you please? Would you do me a kindness?" This is a genuine, montage of obscure, discarded footage of a foul-mouthed salesman filming a Winnebago ad. Why is this funny? It is so uniquely honest, it's fascinating to watch this man blurb so many obscenities about a family product. This is important as one of the 1st videos to have gone viral during the early Internet age of popularity and social media. So much so, the producers sought out this individual to consolidate the footage and his story. I believe 25 minutes could have been edited out of the latter half to make it more potent, but it is fine as is. Not for children's viewing. A must see!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Charming and poignant little documentary about a guy who attains fame and notoriety as a foul-mouthed Winnebago actor in a sales ad. Funny and interesting little vignette.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

johannes j

Jack Rebney: "I don't want any more bullshit anytime during the day, from anyone. That includes me!"

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This unconventional documentary is a testament to the angriest Winnebago salesman, Jack Rebney, who transcends the normal idea of a bootlegged '80s or '90s silly video being turned into an internet sensation years later. The reactions and interactions are some of the most real and down to Earth conversations you will ever see in a documentary, added together with beautiful rhythmic music and visuals. When viewing the video that made Jack Rebney famous, it is easy to see through the faded 1989 footage and see a frustrated and angry man, fed up with not only the torturous filming process but the world as a whole. Unable to release his fury in any other way, Rebney releases and creates something rarely ever seen: an imperfect commercial. In some ways it is sad that Jack has so much to offer the world, but most likely the world will only know him as The Winnebago Man, but perhaps there is still hope.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

There is only so much to know about people who aren't willing to share who they are, but Ben Steinbauer tried milking every bit of information he could about the reclusive, well-read curmudgeon Jack Rebney, who is reluctantly the star of his own Outtake reel on YouTube. The result is a film, very similar to Alan Berliner's classic "Nobody's Business". In that, a filmmaker tries to get through to a broken down man. Jack Rebney is about as broken down as an old Winnebago, minus the accoutrement. As evident in the clip online, and in this documentary, Rebney hates the 21st century, and stupid people, and Dick Cheney... but mostly Dick Cheney. Jack is an exceptional human being, despite his temperament, and about as wise any elder you know of. Against his will, perhaps, he unravels here with the help of introspective filmmaker. This is a hilarious, fascinating documentary.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

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Ben Steinbauer

Director

Ben Steinbauer

Actor

Jack Rebney

Actor

Nick Prueher

Actor

Mike Mitchell

Actor

Kent Osborne

Actor

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Greg Quill

Toronto Star

Perhaps the most disturbing issue raised in Ben Steinbauer's fascinating and often hilarious Winnebago Man has to do with the Internet's awesome ability to reduce complex and apparently dangerous behaviour to the level of banal spectacle.

Rated: 3/4

Dec 10, 2010

Full Review

Simon Abrams

The L Magazine

A surprisingly poignant and enduring film.

Dec 8, 2010

Full Review

Matt Singer

IFC.com

Absorbing and thought-provoking.

Dec 8, 2010

Full Review

Mattie Lucas

The Dispatch (Lexington, NC)

One of the funniest, most perceptive, humane and culturally relevant documentaries in ages.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jun 7, 2019

Full Review

Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Filmmaker Ben Steinbauer went searching for the man behind the rants. Against all odds, Rebney manages to emerge with his dignity intact.

Dec 10, 2010

Full Review

Steve Erickson

Nashville Scene

The director's true subject, however, is the great American love of subcultures.

Dec 8, 2010

Full Review

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Synopsis

Filmmaker Ben Steinbauer interviews Jack Rebney, whose profanity-strewn outtakes from a 1988 industrial film about a line of recreational vehicles turned him into a cult hero.

Director: Ben Steinbauer
Screenwriter: Malcolm Pullinger, Ben Steinbauer
Distributor: Kino International
Production Co: Do Me a Kindness
Genre: Documentary, Biography, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 9, 2010, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 17, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $178.2K
Runtime: 1h 27m

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