The Wendell Baker Story

You'll probably be able to squeeze some mild enjoyment out of The Wendell Baker Story, said Lou Lumenick in the New York Post. This 'œslight but consistently entertaining' project, conceived and executed by all three Wilson brothers (Luke, Owen, and Andrew), has been sitting around for several years awaiting U.S. distribution. It's as if this leisurely paced movie itself—not just the title character—were one of the charming slackers whom the Wilsons typically portray. Luke plays Wendell Baker, a lovable ex–con who wants to make good with a job at a retirement home but finds that the home's head nurse is stealing Medicare funds from poor seniors. It's a scenario that will ring familiar to fans of Wes Anderson, the genius who directed the Wilson brothers in Bottle Rocket, said John Anderson in Newsday. In that film, Anderson and the Wilsons struck a perfect balance of irony and sincerity, creating some legendary characters along the way. But this movie 'œtries too hard to replicate the squirreliness of an Anderson film, while declining to partake of its sadness.' The Wilsons manage only short bursts of comedy and insight, said Carina Chocano in the Los Angeles Times. 'œAs much as it looks like an enjoyable project to work on and a blast for all involved, the feeling you get from watching The Wendell Baker Story is that you probably had to be there.'

Rating: PG–13

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