Crazy on the Outside

Plot

A recently paroled ex-con who has trouble adjusting to the wacky normalcy of life outside of prison. He has spent the last three years behind bars after getting caught committing a crime and taking the rap for his much more dangerous pal.

Release Year: 2010

Rating: 5.6/10 (2,637 voted)

Critic's Score: 21/100

Director:
Tim Allen

Stars: Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Jeanne Tripplehorn

Storyline
A recently paroled ex-con who has trouble adjusting to the wacky normalcy of life outside of prison. He has spent the last three years behind bars after getting caught committing a crime and taking the rap for his much more dangerous pal.

Writers: Judd Pillot, John Peaslee

Cast:

Tim Allen
–

Tommy

Sigourney Weaver
–

Viki

Ray Liotta
–

Gray

J.K. Simmons
–

Ed

Julie Bowen
–

Christy

Kelsey Grammer
–

Frank

Jeanne Tripplehorn
–

Angela Papadopolous

Helen Slayton-Hughes
–

Grandma

Kenton Duty
–

Ethan Papadopolous

Daniel Booko
–

Cooper Luboja

Karle Warren
–

Alex Luboja

Robert Baker
–

Lance

Casey Sander
–

Prison Guard

Jon Gries
–

Edgar

Malcolm Goodwin
–

Rick

Taglines:
He survived three years of hard time. Now comes a little family time.

Details

Official Website:
Official site |

Release Date: 8 January 2010

Opening Weekend: $64,438
(USA)
(10 January 2010)
(75 Screens)

Gross: $64,438
(USA)
(10 January 2010)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

USA: 96 min

Did You Know?

Trivia:

When Tim Allen's character is getting his mugshot, it shows him as being well over 6' tall (with the measurement wall behind him). Tim is actually 5'9".

Goofs:

Factual errors:
Since Tommy was already convicted and had served 36-months in a Federal prison, he would be released on parole, not probation. He would report to a Parole Agent not a Probation Officer. Parole is an early release program whereas probation is a diversionary program.

User Review

It means well, has potential, but…

Rating: 4/10


Tim Allen's directorial debut is very hit and miss…sadly, mostly
miss. The movie needs a lot of editing and a completely different third
act.

The film starts as an offbeat comedy…and even though there are no
hardy belly laughs, there are a number of clever ideas and lines (many
delivered by the under-appreciated JK Simmons). But with an all-star
comic cast, you would think there would be more, ahem…comedy. Halfway
through the film becomes more of a family drama. The humor totally
disappears and the quirky oddball characters become normal. The third
act is very cliché, generic and melodramatic. But all the performers
give it their best—even players like Ray Liotta and Kelsey Grammar
are playing parts that could have been done by anyone. And the film's
one running gag is actually funny for a while, but it goes nowhere
after the 100th mention.