Drillbit Taylor
Paramount Pictures | Release Date: March 21, 2008 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
41
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews
Positive:
3
Mixed:
21
Negative:
7
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
75
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
Even if this movie doesn't quite hit the highs of its predecessor, it's nice to know that there are still filmmakers ready to respect the eternal struggles of freaks and geeks. Read full review
63
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
There are winning scenes between Wilson and the three teens as they train in various martial arts (like Mexican Judo - "as in Ju-don't know who you're messing with!") and get tips from clips of "Fight Club" and "The Untouchables." Read full review
63
PremiereRyan Stewart
Presents nothing blindingly new for fans of Apatow- or Sandler-style humor and when watching it, one can hear the faint rustling of old scripts being yanked from drawers for a timely cash-in, but with his high-school memories now hopefully exhausted, maybe Rogen has a good college yarn to spin. Read full review
58
Christian Science MonitorPeter Rainer
This latest whiffle ball from Team Apatow is a mildly amusing comedy. Read full review
50
Dallas ObserverLuke Y. Thompson
Rare is the star vehicle that is as poorly matched to its star as Drillbit Taylor, which casts Owen Wilson as a homeless Army deserter and con man, able to fool people into believing he's both a substitute teacher and a master of hand-to-hand combat. Read full review
50
Chicago TribuneMichael Phillips
"Superbad” got a deserved R rating for its unmitigated and gleeful raunch. Drillbit Taylor is cleaner in mouth but far uglier in spirit. Wilson and Mann do what they can to tone it up, but their scenes belong to a different film, and a fresher one. Read full review
50
The A.V. ClubKeith Phipps
Wilson's funny. Mann's funny. But paired together here, nothing works. Read full review
50
TimeRichard Schickel
Better luck next time, Owen. Read full review
50
The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt
A relatively lame exercise that never achieves comic traction. Read full review
50
VarietyTodd McCarthy
A junior-league "Superbad" with an aftertaste of "The Pacifier," Drillbit Taylor is a just passable pubescent comedy with a modest laugh count by Apatow factory standards. Read full review
50
Washington PostAnn Hornaday
Owen Wilson phones it in with Drillbit Taylor, a by-the-numbers teen comedy. Read full review
50
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
A disappointing hodgepodge of rehashed clichés. Read full review
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Jason Anderson
Drillbit Taylor brings Seth Rogen's hot streak to a sudden halt. Read full review
50
USA TodayClaudia Puig
As clunky and humorless as its title. Read full review
50
New York PostKyle Smith
The last time I saw this much talent in a losing cause was Super Bowl XLII. Trying to mix farce with heart, Drillbit Taylor is instead as soulful as Kenny G and as wacky as public television. Read full review
50
Miami HeraldRene Rodriguez
The film emits a subtle yet distinct John Hughes vibe. Read full review
50
Portland OregonianM. E. Russell
Do yourself a favor. Rent "My Bodyguard" instead. Read full review
50
Los Angeles TimesKevin Crust
Wilson is as sincere as ever at being insincere, though the sweet minor notes of his trademark melancholia seem here to be in search of a more boisterous presence -- say a Vince Vaughn -- to riff with. Read full review
50
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
The "Apatow formula" is pretty simple: raunchy comedy, likeable characters, and a dash of sweetness (but nothing too sweet). Drillbit Taylor fulfills the third characteristic but falls short in the other two. Read full review
42
Seattle Post-IntelligencerTravis Nichols
This thing is a mess. Read full review
42
Baltimore SunChris Kaltenbach
If only it had some funny lines, a focused plot and an idea that stretched beyond the initial setup. Read full review
40
The New York TimesStaff (Not credited)
So ploddingly directed (by Steven Brill) and lazily written that it adds up to little more than a diffuse collection of second-hand gags and jokes, few of them funny. Read full review
40
SlateDana Stevens
Drillbit Taylor is slackly paced and rife with questionable logic. Read full review
40
EmpireHelen O'Hara
It just scrapes two stars on the strength of Wilson’s best efforts. But for God’s sake, someone give this man a sparring partner. Read full review
38
Charlotte ObserverLawrence Toppman
The script by Kristofor Brown and Seth Rogen and the direction by Steven Brill have a careless, never-gave-a-damn feel that's as insulting to viewers as the film is dull. Read full review
38
Boston GlobeWesley Morris
Drillbit Taylor sounds like a rediscovered blaxploitation movie or a name near the top of the NFL draft. Read full review
30
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
Much to my dismay this is not an unauthorized sequel to Abel Ferrara's 1979 East Village art-world freakout "Driller Killer." This is instead a dispiritingly mediocre tweener comedy from some very talented people who appear to be experiencing a delayed sophomore slump. Read full review
30
SalonStephanie Zacharek
Owen Wilson doesn't have a single good line in the dismal Drillbit Taylor. So how is it that almost everything he does is funny? Read full review
25
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
A failing-grade comedy about the wishful triumph of high school dorks over high school bullies. Read full review
25
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
Another dreadful, not-funny Owen Wilson movie, in which Wilson is the best thing. Read full review
20
Film ThreatPete Vonder Haar
There was a movie called “My Bodyguard” about the new kid in high school who hires the sullen loner to protect him from a bully. That was good. Drillbit Taylor is shit but, hey, I’m in Judd Apatow’s Hollywood. Read full review
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