SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: WHO IS CLETIS TOUT?

"WHO IS CLETIS TOUT?"
(2002) (Christian Slater, Tim Allen) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Mild	Heavy	Extreme	Minor	Extreme

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Moderate	None	Mild	None	Extreme

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	Mild	Mild	Moderate	Extreme

QUICK TAKE:: Comedy: After escaping from prison and hoping to dig up some long buried, stolen diamonds, a convict assumes a dead man's identity only to learn that people still want him dead.

PLOT:

Trevor Finch (CHRISTIAN SLATER) is a convict who's escaped from prison only to find himself at the wrong end of a gun held by professional hitman Critical Jim (TIM ALLEN). That movie buff believes Trevor to be Cletis Tout, a seedy and opportunistic photojournalist who's public enemy number one to Mafioso Rowdy Virago (JOSEPH SCOREN). He's the heir apparent to a local mob operation but Tout captured his sexually lethal encounter with a hooker and is now trying to blackmail him.

Trevor states he's not Clout, but has an interesting story to tell nevertheless, a point that intrigues Jim due to its cinematic potential. Trevor then goes on to tell his tale about escaping from prison with Micah (RICHARD DREYFUSS), a former magician who decades ago pulled off a jewelry heist and then buried the stolen loot.

Now free, but needing new identities, Trevor contacts coroner Dr. Savian (BILLY CONNOLLY) to get them some, which is how he ends up posing as Trout, unaware of his new connection with the mob. The two then meet up with Micah's adult daughter, Tess Donnelly (PORTIA DE ROSSI) and prepare to unearth the hot diamonds.

After Trevor has a run-in with Tout's cross-dressing neighbor Ginger Markum (RUPAUL) and word gets out that Tout is apparently still alive, Rowdy orders mob hitmen Nimble (LOUIS DI BIANCO) and Fife (TONY NAPPO) to kill him, but they bungle that.

Finch and Tess - who don't get along - then set out to find the diamonds, only to discover an unexpected complication. With police detectives Tripp (PETER MacNEILL), Delaney (BILL MacDONALD), Rafferty (ELIAS ZAROU) and Horst (RICHARD CHEVOLLEAU) working the case and Critical Jim hired to kill him, Trevor continues telling his story about trying to get the diamonds all while hoping that the mesmerized hitman won't kill him.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Unless they're into crime-capers or are fans of someone in the cast, it doesn't seem likely, particularly considering the low level of publicity the film is getting.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For language, some violence and sexuality.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: CHRISTIAN SLATER plays a forger who escapes from prison with Micah and then assumes another man's identity in hopes of finding and digging up some long-buried diamonds.
TIM ALLEN plays a professional hitman with a love of old movies and a trivia-based knowledge of them. He kills a few people and uses some brief strong profanity.
RICHARD DREYFUSS plays a magician and thief who stole and buried a bunch of diamonds and then organizes a prison break for himself and Finch.
PORTIA DE ROSSI plays Micah's adult daughter who reluctantly teams with Trevor to look for the long-buried diamonds.
BILLY CONNOLLY plays a coroner who helps Finch and Micah assume new identities.
PETER MacNEILL plays a detective working the case.
BILL MacDONALD plays a corrupt cop who conspires with and feeds info to the mob.
RUPAUL plays a male cross dresser and neighbor of the title character who uses some profanity and comes on to Finch.
JOSEPH SCOREN plays the heir apparent to a mafia organization who kills a hooker after having sex with her. He then orders that Tout be killed once word gets out about the blackmail attempt. He also smokes and uses strong profanity.
LOUIS DI BIANCO and TONY NAPPO play two inept mob hitmen who kill some people, use strong profanity, and occasionally smoke.; TIM ALLEN plays a professional hitman with a love of old movies and a trivia-based knowledge of them. He kills a few people and uses some brief strong profanity.
RICHARD DREYFUSS plays a magician and thief who stole and buried a bunch of diamonds and then organizes a prison break for himself and Finch.
PORTIA DE ROSSI plays Micah's adult daughter who reluctantly teams with Trevor to look for the long-buried diamonds.
BILLY CONNOLLY plays a coroner who helps Finch and Micah assume new identities.
PETER MacNEILL plays a detective working the case.
BILL MacDONALD plays a corrupt cop who conspires with and feeds info to the mob.
RUPAUL plays a male cross dresser and neighbor of the title character who uses some profanity and comes on to Finch.
JOSEPH SCOREN plays the heir apparent to a mafia organization who kills a hooker after having sex with her. He then orders that Tout be killed once word gets out about the blackmail attempt. He also smokes and uses strong profanity.
LOUIS DI BIANCO and TONY NAPPO play two inept mob hitmen who kill some people, use strong profanity, and occasionally smoke.; RICHARD DREYFUSS plays a magician and thief who stole and buried a bunch of diamonds and then organizes a prison break for himself and Finch.
PORTIA DE ROSSI plays Micah's adult daughter who reluctantly teams with Trevor to look for the long-buried diamonds.
BILLY CONNOLLY plays a coroner who helps Finch and Micah assume new identities.
PETER MacNEILL plays a detective working the case.
BILL MacDONALD plays a corrupt cop who conspires with and feeds info to the mob.
RUPAUL plays a male cross dresser and neighbor of the title character who uses some profanity and comes on to Finch.
JOSEPH SCOREN plays the heir apparent to a mafia organization who kills a hooker after having sex with her. He then orders that Tout be killed once word gets out about the blackmail attempt. He also smokes and uses strong profanity.
LOUIS DI BIANCO and TONY NAPPO play two inept mob hitmen who kill some people, use strong profanity, and occasionally smoke.; PORTIA DE ROSSI plays Micah's adult daughter who reluctantly teams with Trevor to look for the long-buried diamonds.
BILLY CONNOLLY plays a coroner who helps Finch and Micah assume new identities.
PETER MacNEILL plays a detective working the case.
BILL MacDONALD plays a corrupt cop who conspires with and feeds info to the mob.
RUPAUL plays a male cross dresser and neighbor of the title character who uses some profanity and comes on to Finch.
JOSEPH SCOREN plays the heir apparent to a mafia organization who kills a hooker after having sex with her. He then orders that Tout be killed once word gets out about the blackmail attempt. He also smokes and uses strong profanity.
LOUIS DI BIANCO and TONY NAPPO play two inept mob hitmen who kill some people, use strong profanity, and occasionally smoke.; BILLY CONNOLLY plays a coroner who helps Finch and Micah assume new identities.
PETER MacNEILL plays a detective working the case.
BILL MacDONALD plays a corrupt cop who conspires with and feeds info to the mob.
RUPAUL plays a male cross dresser and neighbor of the title character who uses some profanity and comes on to Finch.
JOSEPH SCOREN plays the heir apparent to a mafia organization who kills a hooker after having sex with her. He then orders that Tout be killed once word gets out about the blackmail attempt. He also smokes and uses strong profanity.
LOUIS DI BIANCO and TONY NAPPO play two inept mob hitmen who kill some people, use strong profanity, and occasionally smoke.; PETER MacNEILL plays a detective working the case.
BILL MacDONALD plays a corrupt cop who conspires with and feeds info to the mob.
RUPAUL plays a male cross dresser and neighbor of the title character who uses some profanity and comes on to Finch.
JOSEPH SCOREN plays the heir apparent to a mafia organization who kills a hooker after having sex with her. He then orders that Tout be killed once word gets out about the blackmail attempt. He also smokes and uses strong profanity.
LOUIS DI BIANCO and TONY NAPPO play two inept mob hitmen who kill some people, use strong profanity, and occasionally smoke.; BILL MacDONALD plays a corrupt cop who conspires with and feeds info to the mob.
RUPAUL plays a male cross dresser and neighbor of the title character who uses some profanity and comes on to Finch.
JOSEPH SCOREN plays the heir apparent to a mafia organization who kills a hooker after having sex with her. He then orders that Tout be killed once word gets out about the blackmail attempt. He also smokes and uses strong profanity.
LOUIS DI BIANCO and TONY NAPPO play two inept mob hitmen who kill some people, use strong profanity, and occasionally smoke.; RUPAUL plays a male cross dresser and neighbor of the title character who uses some profanity and comes on to Finch.
JOSEPH SCOREN plays the heir apparent to a mafia organization who kills a hooker after having sex with her. He then orders that Tout be killed once word gets out about the blackmail attempt. He also smokes and uses strong profanity.
LOUIS DI BIANCO and TONY NAPPO play two inept mob hitmen who kill some people, use strong profanity, and occasionally smoke.; JOSEPH SCOREN plays the heir apparent to a mafia organization who kills a hooker after having sex with her. He then orders that Tout be killed once word gets out about the blackmail attempt. He also smokes and uses strong profanity.
LOUIS DI BIANCO and TONY NAPPO play two inept mob hitmen who kill some people, use strong profanity, and occasionally smoke.; LOUIS DI BIANCO and TONY NAPPO play two inept mob hitmen who kill some people, use strong profanity, and occasionally smoke.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief look at the content found in this R-rated crime caper. Profanity consists of at least 19 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also spoken. Some sexually related dialogue is present, as is part of a rough sexual encounter (movement and sounds) between a mobster and a hooker that ends with him killing her (not seen to completion). The nude body of a dead woman is seen (bare breasts) on an autopsy table, while a male cross-dresser comes on to man.

Other violence includes several people being shot to death (some on camera, some off) and threatened with or fired upon by guns. Some of those deaths have bloody results, while a charred fire victim is also seen. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, while some drink and/or smoke.

Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: We see a candle in a wine bottle.
A cross dresser tells Finch to stop in for a drink sometime.
Some people in a bar drink.
The above cross dresser comes over to an apartment with some champagne.
Nimble and Fife have wine with their meal.

BLOOD/GORE: We see a man with some blood on his head after Nimble and Fife have shot him dead. Later, after his car is engulfed in flames, we several views of the blackened/charred remains in two different scenes.
We see a dead woman's nude body in a morgue. It's discolored, sports some bruises and rough stitching down and across her chest.
Finch has some blood on his hand that he has over a bullet wound to another person's body.
We see a body in a morgue with a dried gash in the forehead (as well as the above dead and discolored woman).
We see small bullet hole wounds in some men's foreheads.
We see two more men with slightly bloody bullet hole wounds in their heads after they've been shot dead (we don't see the act).

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: All of those involved in the mob obviously have both types of attitudes for killing and other criminal wrongdoing.
A guy refers to a character in a movie as retarded.
In a flashback, Micah pulls off an elaborate jewelry heist and later he, Tess and Finch plot to retrieve those diamonds for themselves.
Another prisoner has both types of attitudes toward Finch.
Rowdy kills a hooker he had sex with and then tries to cover it up, while the real Tout then tried to blackmail the mob over that (since he caught the act on camera).
Savian provides Finch and Micah with equipment and info to forge some new identities, and we hear that Finch didn't rat him out for some past criminal doing (that would have resulted in him going to prison as well).
We see that a cop is working with the mob and supplying them with information.
We see some men spray painting graffiti inside a subway station. When Critical Jim confronts them, they get into his face and act menacingly toward him (until he pulls out his guns and holds them on them).
An otherwise good cop lets an escaped felon go (due to his presence jeopardizing a bigger case).

FRIGHTENING SCENES: It's possible that scenes listed under "Violence" could be tense or suspenseful to some viewers, but most are played in a light comedy caper fashion.
We see some men spray painting graffiti inside a subway station. When Critical Jim confronts them, they get into his face and act menacingly toward him (until he pulls out his guns and holds them on them).
Some mafia hitmen are at the door and Critical Jim wants Finch to kill them or else he'll kill him.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Handguns/Rifles/Shiv/Machine guns: Carried and/or used to threaten, shoot at or kill others.
During the opening animated credits, we see some cartoon drawings of guns and hear various forms of gunfire.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "Shut the f*ck up," "F*ck it," "Who the f*ck's Helen Keller?" "Guess what f*ckos?" "What the f*ck's wrong with you?" "You little f*ckers," "I'll kill that sh*t and f*ck his whole family," "Get the f*ck out of here," "Hello, dip and sh*t," "That sh*t ain't right," "Bullsh*t," "Retarded," "Fist up my ass," "Pissed somebody off," "Poor bastard," "Putzo," "All you two can do is blow so much smoke up my ass it's a miracle I ain't dying of rectal cancer," "Dame" (woman), "Shut your pie hole," "Jiggins" (what Tess says to Finch when he does something stupid), "What the hell is all this crap?" "Freak," "Kiss my rosy red puckered crack," "Bitch" (for a man) and "Screwed that up."
We see that a prisoner has put a nail into a vehicle's gas tank so that guards can't pursue some escaping cons.
Micah and Finch jump from a bridge down onto a quickly moving train below them.
Finch jumps from a window in hopes of escaping detection.
We see some men with tattoos spray painting graffiti inside a subway station.
A man loudly belches.

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): A mild amount of such music plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: At least 19 "f" words (1 used with "mother"), 5 "s" words, 2 slang terms for sex ("bang" and "hump"), 2 slang terms using male genitals ("d*ck" and "man meat"), 2 slang terms for breasts ("t*t"), 3 asses, 3 craps, 1 hell, 2 uses of "Jesus" and 1 use each of "G-damn," "Christ," "God," "My God" and "Oh God" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY: Nimble and Fife talk about the Burt Reynolds movie "Deliverance" and comment on a character's sexuality coming into question. One then postulates about a man deciding to go over to the other side (homosexuality), comment about someone who would "want yourself some man meat" and then wonders why you wouldn't wait for Burt Reynolds to come down the river. We later see this same scene again, where the other guy says, "Who says to themself, hey, I want to bang that fat guy?" One then adds, "You hump the one with the limp."
We see Rowdy pick up a scantily clad street hooker (sports bra-like top, very small bottom). Later at a party, we see this woman working on his belt in front of others. He then kisses her and walks off with her legs up around him. We then see him putting her down and slapping her (and we hear and see that she likes this). We then see some quickly edited shots of them having sex (him standing between her legs with some movement and related sounds) and him having his hand around her throat (he apparently kills her, but we don't see the actual murder).
We see a side view of a woman's completely nude body in the morgue and then see her bare breasts after her breast implants have been removed. Dr. Savian then states that he found four different types of spermicidal jelly on the body (adding that they're the kinds used in condoms). He then adds that she was either sampling rubbers or is a hooker.
A male cross dresser (or something akin to that) shows up and somewhat aggressively comes on to Finch who isn't quite sure what to make of him/her.
Finch and Tess passionately kiss.

SMOKING: Rowdy smokes several times as do several other people including some hitmen and various miscellaneous characters in several scenes.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: An adult daughter sees her father die (but that's not portrayed in any sort of emotional realism).
Tess states that her mom died when the woman was just six (and that she lived with foster families and thought her dad had forgotten about her while in prison).

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Trying to get away with crime.
The mob.
Trying to blackmail others.
A male cross dresser (or something akin to that) shows up and somewhat aggressively comes on to Finch who isn't quite sure what to make of him/her.
An otherwise good cop lets an escaped felon go (due to his presence jeopardizing a bigger case).

VIOLENCE: Critical Jim holds a gun to Finch's head. We later see this scene again.
In a flashback, Micah pulls off an elaborate jewelry heist and breaks through a bathroom wall during it.
A prisoner grabs Finch by the head in anger but stops when prison guards tell him to.
Micah steals a truck while doing prison road work, knocks over some tables and slams the open door into a mean prisoner. Prison guards then open fire on the truck, but the two escape unscathed.
Rowdy slaps a woman while sexually involved with her (she likes this) and we then see him with his hands around her throat during sex (he then kills her, but we don't see the actual act).
We see a man with some blood on his head after Nimble and Fife have shot him dead with a machine gun (we don't see the act). They then inadvertently set the man's car on fire and it's soon engulfed in flames.
Nimble and Fife open fire on a pottery shop at night with machine gun fire, riddling the place with bullets and hitting one person, mortally wounding them (we don't see the impact and the person dies in a later scene).
Tess smacks Finch.
Finch accidentally falls from a fire escape ladder into a trash dumpster.
Critical Jim kicks open a door.
We see some men spray painting graffiti inside a subway station. When Critical Jim confronts them, they get into his face and act menacingly toward him (until he pulls out his guns and holds them on them).
To create the impression that people want to kill Finch, Tess opens fire in his general direction with a machine gun and blows out some windows (but doesn't hit anyone).
Some mafia hitmen are at the door and Critical Jim wants Finch to kill them or else he'll kill him. Finch can't and so Jim shoots the two men dead.
We see men with slightly bloody bullet hole wounds in their heads after they've been shot dead (we don't see the act).

Reviewed July 29, 2002 / Posted August 2, 2002

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