Barnes & Noble

Readers can debate whether Hoot does justice to Carl Hiaasen's book, but there is much in the film to compel those unfamiliar with the author's Newbery Honor winner. Logan Lerman stars as Roy Eberhardt, who is plucked from the Eden that is Montana and transplanted yet again with his parents to a coastal Florida town. It is his sixth school in eight years, and this particular transition does not go smoothly. On the first day, he runs afoul of titanic bully Dana (Eric Phillips), as well as "Beatrice the Bear" (Brie Larson), a "soccer jock with attitude." Of more immediate concern to Roy, though, is the identity of Mullet Fingers, a blond, barefoot boy (Cody Linley) he spots daily sprinting past his bus. Roy's determination to discover who he is will embroil him in the mystery boy's bid to sabotage the construction of a pancake restaurant on land that endangered burrowing owls already call home. The budding eco-terrorists' hearts are in the right place, and the owls are suitably adorable and sympathetic, but parents may want to have a discussion with their children about the concept of "means to an end." The unaffected young actors fare better than their adult costars, including Luke Wilson as a sympathetic but dim police officer who is always a step behind Mullett, and Tim Blake Nelson as a development-company stooge. Neil Flynn (Scrubs), Kiersten Warren, and Clark Gregg do their best with their one-dimensional roles as Roy's oblivious parents and the corporate villain, respectively. Singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, who produced the film, appears as a very laid-back science teacher. He also contributes gratuitous pop covers ("Barefootin' " to accompany Mullet) and original songs that would be more at home in Margaritaville. The PG rating is for the scenes with Dana, which mostly play out as comic relief and distract from the real story. While the film may just fall short of being a real Hoot, its coming-of-age story is refreshingly rooted in the real world, and not in the special effects universe of so many of today's children films. Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

Three kids have an unexpected adventure as they try to protect some rare birds in this comedy drama based on a book for young adults by Carl Hiaasen. Roy Eberhardt (Logan Lerman) is a 14-year-old boy whose family has moved so often he's literally lost count of the number of times he's changed schools in the last ten years. Roy ought to be used to being the new kid at school by now, but making the switch from the big sky of Montana to the Gulf Coast of Florida proves to be a major challenge. While Roy quickly becomes the target of school bully Dana Matherson (Eric Phillips), he's befriended by Beatrice Leep (Brie Larson), a spunky girl with enough nerve to stand up to Dana, and her brother Mullet Fingers (Cody Linley). Beatrice and Mullet share their big secret with Roy -- they have a hidden hideaway where they look after a flock of wild owls. The owls in question are on the endangered species list, but that's of little concern to Chuck Muckle (Clark Gregg), a top executive from the Mother Paula's All-American Pancake House chain, who is planning to build a new restaurant in the hollow where the owls nest. Roy, Beatrice, and Mullet are determined to find a way to save the owls, but Muckle and his right-hand man, Curly Brannitt (Tim Blake Nelson), are less interested in saving the birds than in turning a profit. The kids have a plan, however, and they uncover some evidence of interest to David Delinko (Luke Wilson), a well-meaning but slow-witted policeman investigating some dirty doings tied in to the pancake house. Hoot features a handful of new recordings from popular Florida musician Jimmy Buffett, who also helped produce the film. Mark Deming

Product Details

• UPC: 794043103599
• Source: NEW LINE HOME VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Language: English
• Time: 1:30:00
• Sales Rank: 2,851

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