Gentlemen Broncos
Encyclopedia
Gentlemen Broncos is a 2009 comedy film written by Jared and Jerusha Hess
, and directed by Jared Hess. The film stars Michael Angarano
, Jemaine Clement
, Sam Rockwell
and Jennifer Coolidge
.
) lives with his mother Judith (Jennifer Coolidge
), who designs tacky clothes and makes rock hard popcorn balls. Judith and Benjamin make ends meet by working at a women's retail clothing store. Benjamin spends his spare time writing science fiction
stories, and he has recently completed a story called "Yeast Lords" that centers on a hero named Bronco, modeled after his long-dead father.
At a two-day writing camp for aspiring fantasy and science fiction authors, Benjamin attends lectures by his idol Ronald Chevalier (Jemaine Clement
). Chevalier announces a contest for the writers, where the winner's story will be published nationally. After encouragement from fellow camper Tabatha (Halley Feiffer
), Benjamin submits "Yeast Lords". Tabatha shows the story to her friend Lonnie Donaho (Héctor Jiménez
) who runs an ultra low-budget video production company. Lonnie gives Benjamin a post-dated check for $500 and begins adapting "Yeast Lords" into a film.
Throughout the movie, portions of "Yeast Lords" are enacted as Benjamin imagines it. Bronco (Sam Rockwell
) is infinitely masculine, and he valiantly struggles with a villain over yeast production. As Chevalier reviews the stories from the campers, he gets a call from his publisher, rejecting his latest manuscript. Panicked, he picks up Benjamin's story, and it sparks his imagination. Chevalier changes Bronco into Brutus, an extremely effeminate transgendered hero, but otherwise leaves the story intact. His publisher loves it, and the novel is rushed into production.
Benjamin is sickened to see how badly Donaho has adapted his work, and he abruptly leaves the local premiere of the film with Tabatha. They go to a bookstore where he discovers Chevalier's plagiarism. He confronts Chevalier at a local book signing, assaulting him with some merchandise Chevalier had offered him in exchange for keeping his theft quiet. In jail, Judith comes to visit her son to give him his birthday present. She hands him a box of manuscripts, all officially bound by the Writers Guild of America. She explains that she has been registering all his stories with them since he was seven years old, thinking they would make a nice keepsake for his children.
"Yeast Lords" is one of the registered stories. The film ends with copies of Chevalier's novel being replaced on store shelves with Benjamin's. Over the closing credits, he sits and proudly watches a fashion show featuring his mother's designs.
reported that Jared and Jerusha Hess
had signed with Fox Searchlight Pictures
to produce Gentlemen Broncos, based on a spec script
they had written. The deal called for Jared Hess to direct and Mike White, who co-wrote Nacho Libre
with them, to produce. Filming began in March 2008 in Utah
. Much of the film was shot in Tooele, UT. In early August 2008, work on an Internet viral marketing
began, which had a video introducing the character of Ronald Chevalier. A second video was released in October 2008. A trailer was released on August 19, 2009. Some of the artwork in the opening credits is by fantasy and science fiction artist David Lee Anderson.
based on 78 reviews by critics. Selected top critics gave the film 8% based on 24 reviews. Metacritic
gave it a generally unfavorable 28 out of 100 based on 21 reviews.
The film is nominated for the Podcast Awards.
and Blu-ray
on March 2, 2010.
Jared and Jerusha Hess
Jared Lawrence Hess and Jerusha Elizabeth Hess are husband-and-wife American filmmakers known for their work Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre and Gentlemen Broncos , all of which they co-wrote and directed...
, and directed by Jared Hess. The film stars Michael Angarano
Michael Angarano
- Early life :Angarano was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Doreen and Michael P. Angarano. He is of Italian descent. His family owns and operates three successful dance studios; two in New York and one in California called Reflections in Dance. His mother is the owner and director of all...
, Jemaine Clement
Jemaine Clement
Jemaine Clement is a New Zealand comedian, actor and musician, best known as one half of the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords along with Bret McKenzie.-Early life:...
, Sam Rockwell
Sam Rockwell
Sam Rockwell is an American actor known for his leading roles in Lawn Dogs, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Choke and Moon, as well as for his supporting roles in The Green Mile, Iron Man 2, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Frost/Nixon, Galaxy Quest, Matchstick Men, The Assassination of...
and Jennifer Coolidge
Jennifer Coolidge
Jennifer Coolidge is an American actress best known for playing "Stifler's mom," the older woman in the film American Pie ; Hilary Duff's stepmother in A Cinderella Story ; Paulette, the manicurist in Legally Blonde and its sequel; the voice of Aunt Fanny in the animated feature Robots ; for her...
.
Plot
Benjamin Purvis (Michael AngaranoMichael Angarano
- Early life :Angarano was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Doreen and Michael P. Angarano. He is of Italian descent. His family owns and operates three successful dance studios; two in New York and one in California called Reflections in Dance. His mother is the owner and director of all...
) lives with his mother Judith (Jennifer Coolidge
Jennifer Coolidge
Jennifer Coolidge is an American actress best known for playing "Stifler's mom," the older woman in the film American Pie ; Hilary Duff's stepmother in A Cinderella Story ; Paulette, the manicurist in Legally Blonde and its sequel; the voice of Aunt Fanny in the animated feature Robots ; for her...
), who designs tacky clothes and makes rock hard popcorn balls. Judith and Benjamin make ends meet by working at a women's retail clothing store. Benjamin spends his spare time writing science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
stories, and he has recently completed a story called "Yeast Lords" that centers on a hero named Bronco, modeled after his long-dead father.
At a two-day writing camp for aspiring fantasy and science fiction authors, Benjamin attends lectures by his idol Ronald Chevalier (Jemaine Clement
Jemaine Clement
Jemaine Clement is a New Zealand comedian, actor and musician, best known as one half of the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords along with Bret McKenzie.-Early life:...
). Chevalier announces a contest for the writers, where the winner's story will be published nationally. After encouragement from fellow camper Tabatha (Halley Feiffer
Halley Feiffer
Halley Feiffer is an American actress and playwright.-Education and family:Feiffer graduated from Wesleyan University in 2007...
), Benjamin submits "Yeast Lords". Tabatha shows the story to her friend Lonnie Donaho (Héctor Jiménez
Héctor Jiménez
Héctor Jiménez is a Mexican actor best known for playing Esqueleto, Nacho's tag team partner in the movie Nacho Libre. He is also Mr. Tumnus in Epic Movie and the cashier in Wild Hogs. He worked in a theater company in Tijuana for eight years before moving to Mexico City where he worked for a...
) who runs an ultra low-budget video production company. Lonnie gives Benjamin a post-dated check for $500 and begins adapting "Yeast Lords" into a film.
Throughout the movie, portions of "Yeast Lords" are enacted as Benjamin imagines it. Bronco (Sam Rockwell
Sam Rockwell
Sam Rockwell is an American actor known for his leading roles in Lawn Dogs, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Choke and Moon, as well as for his supporting roles in The Green Mile, Iron Man 2, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Frost/Nixon, Galaxy Quest, Matchstick Men, The Assassination of...
) is infinitely masculine, and he valiantly struggles with a villain over yeast production. As Chevalier reviews the stories from the campers, he gets a call from his publisher, rejecting his latest manuscript. Panicked, he picks up Benjamin's story, and it sparks his imagination. Chevalier changes Bronco into Brutus, an extremely effeminate transgendered hero, but otherwise leaves the story intact. His publisher loves it, and the novel is rushed into production.
Benjamin is sickened to see how badly Donaho has adapted his work, and he abruptly leaves the local premiere of the film with Tabatha. They go to a bookstore where he discovers Chevalier's plagiarism. He confronts Chevalier at a local book signing, assaulting him with some merchandise Chevalier had offered him in exchange for keeping his theft quiet. In jail, Judith comes to visit her son to give him his birthday present. She hands him a box of manuscripts, all officially bound by the Writers Guild of America. She explains that she has been registering all his stories with them since he was seven years old, thinking they would make a nice keepsake for his children.
"Yeast Lords" is one of the registered stories. The film ends with copies of Chevalier's novel being replaced on store shelves with Benjamin's. Over the closing credits, he sits and proudly watches a fashion show featuring his mother's designs.
Cast
- Michael AngaranoMichael Angarano- Early life :Angarano was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Doreen and Michael P. Angarano. He is of Italian descent. His family owns and operates three successful dance studios; two in New York and one in California called Reflections in Dance. His mother is the owner and director of all...
as Benjamin Purvis, an aspiring teenage fantasy writer - Jemaine ClementJemaine ClementJemaine Clement is a New Zealand comedian, actor and musician, best known as one half of the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords along with Bret McKenzie.-Early life:...
as Dr. Ronald Chevalier - Sam RockwellSam RockwellSam Rockwell is an American actor known for his leading roles in Lawn Dogs, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Choke and Moon, as well as for his supporting roles in The Green Mile, Iron Man 2, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Frost/Nixon, Galaxy Quest, Matchstick Men, The Assassination of...
as Bronco, the fictional story's title character who appears in book-come-to-life sequences under two guises: one in the teenager's story and the other in Chevalier's story. - Jennifer CoolidgeJennifer CoolidgeJennifer Coolidge is an American actress best known for playing "Stifler's mom," the older woman in the film American Pie ; Hilary Duff's stepmother in A Cinderella Story ; Paulette, the manicurist in Legally Blonde and its sequel; the voice of Aunt Fanny in the animated feature Robots ; for her...
as Judith Purvis. - Suzanne MaySuzanne May-Early life:She moved around with her family until settling in Reading Berkshire where she spent most of her childhood. In the age from 16 she left formal education to study dance at Lewisham College in South London. At 18 she left to attend a 3 year degree in Theatre Arts at The London Studio Centre...
plays the heroine in the fictional stories. - Halley FeifferHalley FeifferHalley Feiffer is an American actress and playwright.-Education and family:Feiffer graduated from Wesleyan University in 2007...
-Tabatha Jenkins, a friend of Benjamin's friend who shows early interest in his stories. - Héctor JiménezHéctor JiménezHéctor Jiménez is a Mexican actor best known for playing Esqueleto, Nacho's tag team partner in the movie Nacho Libre. He is also Mr. Tumnus in Epic Movie and the cashier in Wild Hogs. He worked in a theater company in Tijuana for eight years before moving to Mexico City where he worked for a...
as Lonnie Donaho, a self-proclaimed auteur film director who adapts Benjamin's book into a very low-budget film. - Edgar OliverEdgar OliverEdgar Oliver is an American stage and film actor, poet, performance artist and playwright. Born in Savannah, Georgia, he has lived and worked in New York City since 1977. He is considered a "legend" of the downtown New York theatre scene.-Career:...
appears in the film in a small role.
Production
In December 2007, JoBlo.comJoBlo.com
JoBlo.com is a website primarily focused on the film industry.JoBlo.com was started in 1998 by Berge Garabedian , a movie reviewer who is known for critiquing movies from the perspective of an average movie-goer. The website's name is, in fact, a play on the term Joe Shmoe, and registered users of...
reported that Jared and Jerusha Hess
Jared and Jerusha Hess
Jared Lawrence Hess and Jerusha Elizabeth Hess are husband-and-wife American filmmakers known for their work Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre and Gentlemen Broncos , all of which they co-wrote and directed...
had signed with Fox Searchlight Pictures
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Fox Searchlight Pictures, established in 1998, is a film division of Fox Filmed Entertainment alongside the larger Fox studio 20th Century Fox...
to produce Gentlemen Broncos, based on a spec script
Spec script
A spec script, also known as a speculative screenplay, is a non-commissioned unsolicited screenplay. It is usually written by a screenwriter who hopes to have the script optioned and eventually purchased by a producer, production company, or studio....
they had written. The deal called for Jared Hess to direct and Mike White, who co-wrote Nacho Libre
Nacho Libre
Nacho Libre is a 2006 comedy film directed by Jared Hess. It is a production of Nickelodeon Movies.The script was written by Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess and Mike White. It was loosely based on the story of Fray Tormenta , aka Rev. Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez, a real-life Mexican Catholic priest who had a...
with them, to produce. Filming began in March 2008 in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. Much of the film was shot in Tooele, UT. In early August 2008, work on an Internet viral marketing
Viral marketing
Viral marketing, viral advertising, or marketing buzz are buzzwords referring to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of viruses...
began, which had a video introducing the character of Ronald Chevalier. A second video was released in October 2008. A trailer was released on August 19, 2009. Some of the artwork in the opening credits is by fantasy and science fiction artist David Lee Anderson.
Release
Gentlemen Broncos was intended to be released theatrically on October 30, 2009, but due to poor reviews the national release was pulled from theatres. It is the third film directed by Jared Hess.Reception
The film received mostly negative reviews and holds a 18% rating on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
based on 78 reviews by critics. Selected top critics gave the film 8% based on 24 reviews. Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
gave it a generally unfavorable 28 out of 100 based on 21 reviews.
The film is nominated for the Podcast Awards.
Home media
Gentlemen Broncos was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
on March 2, 2010.
Soundtrack
- "In the Year 2525In the Year 2525"In the Year 2525 " is a hit song from 1969 by American pop-rock duo Zager and Evans. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks commencing July 12, 1969. The song was written by Rick Evans in 1964 and originally released on a small regional record label in 1968...
"- Written by Rick EvansRick EvansRick Evans is a chart-topping American singer and guitarist.From 1962 he played with the Eccentrics, a group which also included Denny Zager. The group split in 1965. By 1968 Evans and Zager worked as a duo together and had a number one hit with "In the Year 2525," written by Evans, allegedly in...
- Performed by Zager & Evans
- Written by Rick Evans
- "Act NaturallyAct Naturally"Act Naturally" is a song written by Johnny Russell and Voni Morrison, originally recorded by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, whose version reached number 1 on the Billboard Country Singles chart in 1963, his first chart-topper...
"- Written by Voni Morrison and Johnny RussellJohnny RussellJohn Bright "Johnny" Russell was an American country singer, songwriter, and comedian best-known for his song "Act Naturally", which was made famous by Buck Owens, who recorded it in 1963, and The Beatles in 1965...
- Performed by Buck OwensBuck OwensAlvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos...
- Written by Voni Morrison and Johnny Russell
- "Cedar Dreams", "Twilight", "First Flight", "Winds of Stillness"
- Written and performed by John Two-HawksJohn Two-HawksJohn Two-Hawks is an Oglala Lakota Native American musician who has been performing professionally in live concerts since the early 1990s. He sings and plays many instruments, but is best known as a pioneer and virtuoso player of the Native American flute...
- Written and performed by John Two-Hawks
- "What a Town"
- Written by Bobby CharlesBobby CharlesBobby Charles was an American singer-songwriter.An ethnic Cajun, Charles was born as Robert Charles Guidry in Abbeville, Louisiana and grew up listening to Cajun music and the country and western music of Hank Williams...
and Richard Claire Danko - Performed by David BrombergDavid BrombergDavid Bromberg is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Bromberg has an eclectic style, playing bluegrass, blues, folk, jazz, country and western, and rock and roll equally well. He is known for his quirky, humorous lyrics, and the ability to play rhythm and lead guitar at the...
- Written by Bobby Charles
- "John Sebastions's Girl"
- Written and performed by Shara Joyce and Rory O'Donoghue
- "The Oh of Pleasure"
- Written and performed by Ray LynchRay LynchRaymond "Ray" Lynch is a classically trained guitarist and lutenist. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to a musical and artistic family. His mother was a classical pianist and watercolor artist. At age 6, Lynch began studying the piano until age 12, where he was inspired by the music of Andres...
and Tom Canning
- Written and performed by Ray Lynch
- "Beautiful Girl"
- Written by Patrick Shart and Mark StevensMark StevensMark or Marc Stevens or Mark Stephens may refer to:*Mark Stevens , American author of marketing books*Mark Stevens , American actor*Mark Stevens , Australian-rules footballer...
- Written by Patrick Shart and Mark Stevens
- "Wind of Change"
- Written by Klaus MeineKlaus MeineKlaus Meine is a German singer, best known as the lead vocalist and occasional rhythm guitarist of the heavy metal band Scorpions...
- Performed by ScorpionsScorpions (band)Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
- Written by Klaus Meine
- "The New World Anthem"
- Written and performed by Jeremy WallJeremy WallJeremy Wall is a musician, and along with Jay Beckenstein, he was a founding member of the jazz fusion band Spyro Gyra. He contributed to the group as a pianist, producer, and composer. He is currently an assistant professor in the Music Industry department at SUNY Oneonta.-Background:Wall formed...
- Written and performed by Jeremy Wall
- "Celtic Voyage"
- Written by Joel Bevan
- "Moment of Truth"
- Written by Dan GrahamDan GrahamDan Graham , is a conceptual artist now working out of New York City. He is an influential figure in the field of contemporary art, both a practitioner of conceptual art and an art critic and theorist. His art career began in 1964 when he moved to New York and opened the John Daniels Gallery....
- Written by Dan Graham
- "Celestial Soda Pop", "Tiny Geometries"
- Written and performed by Ray LynchRay LynchRaymond "Ray" Lynch is a classically trained guitarist and lutenist. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to a musical and artistic family. His mother was a classical pianist and watercolor artist. At age 6, Lynch began studying the piano until age 12, where he was inspired by the music of Andres...
- Written and performed by Ray Lynch
- "Just Like Jesse James"
- Written by Diane WarrenDiane WarrenDiane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
and Desmond ChildDesmond ChildDesmond Child is an American musician, songwriter, and producer. He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Career:... - Performed by CherCherCher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
- Written by Diane Warren
- "Don Carlos"
- Written and performed by Robert Miller
- "Carry on Wayward SonCarry On Wayward Son"Carry on Wayward Son" is a progressive rock single recorded by Kansas and written by Kerry Livgren for their 1976 album Leftoverture. In 1977, the song peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard pop singles chart, becoming their first Top 40 hit....
"- Written by Kerry LivgrenKerry LivgrenKerry Allen Livgren is an American musician and songwriter, best known as one of the founding members and primary songwriters for the 1970s progressive rock band, Kansas.-Biography:...
- Performed by KansasKansas (band)Kansas is an American rock band that became popular in the 1970s initially on Album-Oriented Rock charts, and later with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind"...
- Written by Kerry Livgren
- "ParanoidParanoid (song)"Paranoid" is a song by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, featured on their second album Paranoid . It is the first single from the album, while the B-side is the song "The Wizard". It reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart and number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100...
"- Written by John Osbourne, Tony IommiTony IommiAnthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...
, Terence ButlerGeezer ButlerGeezer Butler is an English musician and songwriter. Butler is best known as the bassist and lyricist of heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He was also involved in Heaven & Hell from 2006 to 2010.-Career:Butler formed his first band, Rare Breed, with old friend John "Ozzy" Osbourne in the autumn of...
and William Ward - Performed by Black SabbathBlack SabbathBlack Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
- Written by John Osbourne, Tony Iommi