Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

What ever happened to child TV stars of the ’70s and ’80s like Danny Bonaduce and Emmanuel Lewis? Well, according to director Sam Weisman, they are a bad poker player with Brad Pitt envy and a ruthless boxer with a crushing body slam. Seeing which long-lost face will make the next cameo and guffawing over how Weisman depicts their washed-up lives is the best thing about this film. David Spade is the worst thing. Unfortunately, he co-wrote and stars as a fictitious former child star with a knack for belching and a fashion sense stuck in a time vacuum. He hires a family for $20,000 to re-live his childhood so he can beat Sean Penn in a lead role for the next Rob Reiner film. Although this film has a decent premise, Spade ruins it with his nasally voice, obnoxious presence and unfunny jokes.