After the movie scored poorly at a test screening, Miramax vice president Rick Schwartz bullied directors Efram Potelle and Kyle Rankin into playing up the comedic elements and soft-pedaling the family drama.
The Battle of Shaker Heights
When you're 17, every day is war.
2003 · 1h 19m · PG-13
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Directed by
Kyle Rankin
,
Efram Potelle
Overview
A quirky teen with a penchant for war reenactments, Kelly Ernswiler obsesses over military tactics with his buddy Bart. The school bully is one of Kelly's regular headaches, and he also has to deal with a frustrating situation at home, where his father is a recovering drug addict. Kelly's life gets even more complicated when he falls for Tabby, Bart's pretty and soon-to-be-wed older sister.
Director and cast
- Kyle Rankin Director
- Efram Potelle Director
- Shia LaBeouf as Kelly Ernswiler (as Shia La Beouf)
- Elden Henson as Bart Bowland
- Amy Smart as Tabby
- Billy Kay as Lance
- Kathleen Quinlan as Eve
- Shiri Appleby as Sarah
- William Sadler as Abe
- Ray Wise as Harrison
- Jesse Heiman as (uncredited)
- Philipp Karner Cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
For most of its length it coasts by with above-average charm and a solid grasp of messy adolescent emotions.
The film is well-acted and looks good, but it's so inconsequential and bland that you wonder what was it about the script that made anyone think it would make an interesting movie.
Cinematic mush.
It's too much going on, but I think that as was the case with Stolen Summer, the actors rise above the material and make it worth seeing.
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