Duets is a 2000 American road trip film co-produced and directed by Bruce Paltrow and written by John Byrum. The motion picture features an ensemble cast co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Giamatti, Maria Bello, Andre Braugher, Huey Lewis and Angie Dickinson, among others. [1] The movie "revolves around the little known world of karaoke competitions and the wayward characters who inhabit it."

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Plot

Ricky Dean (Huey Lewis) is a hustler on the karaoke circuit who travels from town to town. We meet up with him in Tulsa on his way to a big competition in Omaha with a $5,000 first prize.

He is detoured by a phone call and travels to Las Vegas for the funeral of an old friend. While there, he meets up with long-lost daughter Liv (Gwyneth Paltrow), who decides she wants to join him on the road.

Meanwhile, stressed out salesman Todd Woods (Paul Giamatti) realizes he's so burned out from being on the road that he doesn't even know what city he's in.

When he gets home, his wife Candy (Kiersten Warren) and two kids are too self-absorbed to even say hello. Todd goes out for a pack of cigarettes, gets sidetracked and discovers karaoke. In the process he makes a new friend, hitchhiker Reggie Kane (Andre Braugher), a convict on the lam. Woods tells Reggie what he feels is wrong:

We also meet Billy (Scott Speedman), a young man who drives a cab and finds himself involved with sexy Suzi Loomis (Maria Bello). She's on her way to California in a hurry. At first, Billy does not want to help, but Suzi says:

Ultimately, karaoke becomes the vehicle through which this eclectic bunch begin to discover just what it is they're looking for. All roads lead to Omaha, site of a national karaoke competition where this motley group of singers come together -- along with the police -- for a blow-out sing-off.

The characters use both music and the people they meet in the karaoke bars as a way to alleviate the pressures of life and in the process connect with one another. Each displays unique talents while performing many well-known cover songs throughout the film.

Background

This was the only time Gwyneth Paltrow and her producer/director father Bruce Paltrow worked together on a film project and it was also Bruce Paltrow's last production before his death.

Brad Pitt was first cast in Speedman's role, but, after he and Gwyneth Paltrow announced the end of their off-camera romance, Pitt decided not to take the role.

Film locations

The film locations include: Las Vegas, Nevada, British Columbia, Canada, and Omaha, Nebraska.

Cast

• Maria Bello as Suzi Loomis
• Andre Braugher as Reggie Kane
• Paul Giamatti as Todd Woods
• Huey Lewis as Ricky Dean
• Gwyneth Paltrow as Liv
• Scott Speedman as Billy Hannan
• Lochlyn Munro as Ronny Jackson
• John Pinette as Finals singer
• Angie Dickinson as Blair
• Maya Rudolph as Omaha Hostess
• Kiersten Warren as Candy Woods
• Marian Seldes as Harriet Gahagan
• Keegan Connor Tracy as Sheila
• Aaron Pearl as Buddy

Critical reception

Even though film critics Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper gave the film a thumbs up on their television program, Ebert wrote in his newspaper review, "Duets has little islands of humor and even perfection, floating in a sea of missed marks and murky intentions." ^[2] Kenneth Turan, film critic for the Los Angeles Times, described the film: "six characters in search of a movie. Any movie will do..." ^[3]

Critic Bob Graham, writing for the San Francisco Chronicle , liked the spirit of the film and the acting, and he wrote, "Cut 'Duets' some slack. This is an appealing, and ultimately moving, ensemble comedy/drama about ordinary folks whose one chance at anything resembling stardom is a karaoke contest...The fable style is a fragile one. The Ally McBeal test probably applies here. Fans of that show are likely to give themselves over to Duets, too." ^[4]

Overall, a lot of critics echoed Stephanie Zacharek's review in Salon.com . She wrote, "Its three interlocking stories don't find the right rhythmic balance, and some of the dialogue is stiff and mannered." Zacharek did praise the acting and the film's message. She added, "In that respect, the way Duets treats its characters is refreshing. There are brief moments when it reminds us that plenty of people enjoy karaoke at the expense of their audience (during one scene an Asian businessman warbles tunelessly in the background), but Duets isn't out to make anyone look ridiculous." ^[5]

Distribution

The producers marketed the film using the following tagline:

Six lost souls in search of a little harmony.

The film was first presented at the Toronto Film Festival on September 9, 2000. When released, Duets suffered at the box-office. The first week's gross sales at the box-office was $2,002,588 (581 screens) and the total receipts for the run were $4,734,235.

In its widest release the film was featured in 583 theaters and the film was in circulation seven weeks. ^[6] The production budget was $16,000,000.

Release dates

• United States: September 15, 2000 (limited basis)
• United Kingdom: December 1, 2000
• New Zealand: January 18, 2001
• Australia: February 8, 2001

DVD

A DVD of the film was released on May 8, 2001 by Walt Disney Video. The DVD contained additional features: a commentary track by director Bruce Paltrow and producer Kevin Jones, additional scenes, conversations with director Bruce Paltrow, and a multi-angle music video of "Cruisin'."

Soundtrack

An original motion picture soundtrack CD was released on September 12 2000 by Hollywood Records. The CD contained twelve tracks including the original music composed for the film by Randy Newman.

The actors who sang their own tunes in the film, and included in the CD, are: Huey Lewis, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Giamatti, and Maria Bello. Arnold McCuller sings all of Andre Braugher's songs including Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird," performed a cappella.

The soundtrack spawned two hit singles in Australia, with Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis' "Cruisin'" spending two weeks at #1 on the Australian singles chart, and Paltrow's "Bette Davis Eyes" peaking at #3.

The Canadian crooner Michael Bublé has a cameo singing "Strangers in the Night," but it is not included in the soundtrack.

# "Feeling Alright" - Huey Lewis # "Bette Davis Eyes" - Gwyneth Paltrow # "Cruisin'" - Huey Lewis, Gwyneth Paltrow # "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" - Babyface, Gwyneth Paltrow # "Try a Little Tenderness" - Paul Giamatti, Arnold McCuller # "Hello It's Me" - Paul Giamatti # "I Can't Make You Love Me" - Maria Bello # "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" - Maria Bello # "Lonely Teardrops" - Huey Lewis # "Copacabana (At the Copa)" - John Pinette # "Free Bird" - Arnold McCuller # "Beginnings/Endings"

See also

• List of American films of 2000

References

1. ''Duets'' at the Internet Movie Database.
2. Ebert, Roger. ''Chicago Sun-Times,'' film review, September 9, 2000. Last accessed: December 12, 2007.
3. Turan, Kenneth. ''Los Angeles Times,'' film review, "Nothing Much to Sing About," September 15, 2000.
4. Graham, Bob. ''San Francisco Chronicle'', page C-3, "Ordinary Folks Find Their Voices, 'Duets' a fable set in karaoke bar," September 15, 2000.
5. Zacharek, Stephanie. ''Salon'', film review, September 15, 2000.
6. The Numbers box office data. Last accessed: December 12, 2007.