Without a Paddle

Without a Paddle
File:Without a Paddle movie.jpg theatrical release poster
Directed by	Steven Brill
Produced by	Donald DeLine
Screenplay by	Jay Leggett Mitch Rouse
Story by	Harris Goldberg Tom Nursall Fred Wolf
Starring	Seth Green Matthew Lillard Dax Shepard
Music by	Christophe Beck
Cinematography	Jonathan Brown
Edited by	Debra Neil-Fisher Peck Prior
Production company	De Line Pictures
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release dates	August 20, 2004 (2004-08-20)
Running time	99 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$19 million
Box office	$69.631.118

Without a Paddle is a 2004 American comedy film directed by Steven Brill and written by Jay Leggett and Mitch Rouse based on a story by Harris Goldberg, Tom Nursall, and Fred Wolf. The film stars Seth Green, Matthew Lillard, and Dax Shepard as three reunited childhood friends going on a trip up a remote river in order to search for the loot of a long-lost airplane hijacker.

A direct-to-video spin-off, entitled Nature's Calling, was released in January 2009.

Plot

Following a friend's death, a group of three old friends go on an adventure, a search for the treasure of D. B. Cooper, which their dead buddy Billy planned for them years prior. Along the way, they meet up with pot farming, insane hillbillies that try to hunt them and kill them. They go through the forest along the way, avoiding a bear as well, before meeting two friendly hippies who help them get away. The hillbillies track them down, but not before the three friends meet D.B. Cooper's accomplice. The boys find D.B.'s bones and believe he burned his share of the money to survive. The hillbillies catch up to them and a fight ensues. Some quick thinking and a grenade causes a tree to fall on the rednecks and gives the guys a chance to get away. Once they escape the wilderness D.B.'s partner gives them his share of the money.

Cast

• Seth Green as Dan Mott
  • Jarred Rumbold as young Dan
• Matthew Lillard as Jerry Conlaine
  • Andrew Hampton as young Jerry
• Dax Shepard as Tom Marshall
  • Matthew Price as young Tom
• Burt Reynolds as Del Knox
• Bonnie Somerville as Denise
• Ethan Suplee as Elwood
• Ray Baker as Sheriff Briggs
• Abraham Benrubi as Dennis
• Rachel Blanchard as Flower
• Christina Moore as Butterfly
• Antony Starr as Billy Newwood
  • Carl Snell as young Billy
• Scott Adsit as Greasy Man
• Little Bart the Bear as Grizzly Bear

Production

Although the film details an ill-prepared camping and canoe trip into the Oregon wild, Without a Paddle was filmed in New Zealand to take advantage of tax rebates. Most of the outdoor camping scenes were shot inside a very large warehouse. However, it was meant to be viewed as though the film was made in Oregon. There are mileage signs in the film that show Eugene and Portland the correct distance from each other.

Reception

Without a Paddle received relatively average reviews from critics. Based on 125 reviews collected by the film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 14% of 125 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 3.9/10. The site's consensus states: "Without a Paddle has a few laughs, but not enough to sustain its running time."

Despite the film's negative reviews, it was a commercial success, grossing $58,169,327 in North America and $11,461,791 internationally, totaling $69,631,118 worldwide.

See also

• D. B. Cooper in popular culture

External links

• Without a Paddle at IMDb
• Without a Paddle at Box Office Mojo
• Without a Paddle at Rotten Tomatoes
• Without a Paddle at Metacritic