Other Titles • Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star • Dickie Roberts:
Synopses for Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003)
1.
"Insanely funny!" - Shawn Edwards, Fox-TV
In the 1970's, Dickie Roberts (David Spade) held the keys to success as a child star with a hit TV series. Now the only keys Dickie holds are the ones that start the customer's cars that he parks as a valet attendant for a Hollywood restaurant.
Desperate to revive his acting career, Dickie tries to audition for a role in Rob Reiner's new movie but the director doesn't believe Dickie is normal enough to play the part. Determined to get his role, Dickie hires a "typical" family to give him the real-life upbringing he never had. But once Dickie moves in, the family's life becomes anything but normal, as Dickie unleashes his wild inner child... and learns in the process some unforgettable lessons about fame, fortune and true family values.
Co-starring Mary McCormack, Jon Lovitz, Alyssa Milano, and many former child stars including Danny Bonaduce, Barry Williams and Leif Garrett.
(13 votes)
2.
IN THEATRES: SEPTEMBER 5, 2003
In the reverse rags-to-riches story of DICKIE ROBERTS: FORMER CHILD STAR, writer/actor David Spade's string of infectious laughs turn into waves of compassion. Former child star Dickie Roberts (Spade) has wound up working as a valet, dodging insults and lamely making attempts to regain his former glory with the help of his equally down-and-out agent, Sidney Wernick (Jon Lovitz). His buddy, the real-life recovering child star Leif Garrett, tells Dickie about a role in a Rob Reiner film that could revive Dickie's acting career. But Reiner is not convinced Dickie, whose mother and father left him at an early age, knows enough about normal life to nail the role. Dickie shows his commitment to the craft by moving in with a hired surrogate family to replicate the idea of childhood, but does not win points with his new Mom (Mary McCormack) when he introduces her kids to repugnant table manners, irreverent behavior, and foul language. As he absorbs the true meaning of tenderness and family, Dickie finally proves that he has something to offer each one of them.
Colleagues David Spade and Executive Producer Adam Sandler find classic comedy in this retro theme, which includes appearances from former child stars like Danny Bonaduce (Danny in THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY) and Barry Williams (Greg from THE BRADY BUNCH). As with JOE DIRT (2001), Spade also shows a tender side, which is surprising coming from the king of deadpan one-liners and brutal sarcasm.
(15 votes)
3.
Back in the '70x, little Dickie Roberts could do no wrong. The beloved child star of the hugely popular TV sitcom "The glimmer Gang" was adored by millions of viewers who were captivated by his quirky charm..and then he turned six.
Suddenly the ratings slipped, his show was cancelled and the Dickie Roberts phenomenon ended for everyone - except for Dickie Roberts. Desperate to rise from the obscurity he plunged into after puberty, Dickie (David Spade), now a 35-year-old valet, is willing to do anything - from celebrity boxing matches to cosmetic surgery - in order to get his career back on track.
Convinced his star will rise again if only he can ace an audition for director Rob Reiner (portraying himself), Dickie is stunned when Reiner explains to him that because of his former life in the spotlight, he missed out on his childhood, and now isn't "normal" enough for the part.
Can someone who has missed out on a normal upbringing simply "reboot" himself like a human computer? Dickie Roberts is about to find out, once he pluts his plan - "operation redo childhood" - into full swing"
(14 votes)
4.
David Spade embodies Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star with the snide, glib, and bored attitude for which he is loved by his fans. Dickie, whose mother abandoned him in his youth when his TV show was canceled, yearns to regain the spotlight. But he can't get a promising role because the director believes that Dickie isn't a real person; so, to find his real self, Dickie hires a family to give him the childhood he never had. Dickie Roberts has some scattered laughs, but the writers have no better grasp of reality than Dickie himself; the "normal family" Dickie hires is as warm and glossy as any TV clan. A busload of real former child stars play exaggerated versions of themselves, but the result is more uncomfortable than satirical. However, if you want to see David Spade imitate a jet-ski, this is your movie. --Bret Fetzer
(12 votes)
Mooviees.com is not the official site for this film.
All editorial views and opinions expressed here are for entertainment purposes only.
<>
Movie Database
In Theaters
