3/4  Satuday Afternoon Entertainment
This movie aims for one thing, to give you an easy going movie experience with porn, but without showing any nudity or sex. Great cast of likeable characters played by some familiar faces and Jeff Bridges, who carries us through the whole... (read full)

3/4  Professional laughter
A group of friends decide to make a porno movie in this low-key, charmingly original independent movie with a game cast and several good laughs (3 black guys who are told their "equipment" is too small, homosexual Ted Danson trying to perf... (read full)

4/5 A heartwarming movie about Porn
  by Horror Metal Girl 6 (having a cup of tea with Pinhead)
Okay, so this really isn't a movie about porn...
it's a movie about friends,
it's a movie about really big ideas,
it's a movie about Jello with little pieces of fruit in it,
it's a movie about success!!

Jeff Daniels stars as Andy Sargentee, a driven man with no direction, a kind-hearted man who doesn't always know what to do, resulting in the loss of numerous jobs and his marriage.
After long hours of hard thinking, he comes up with a brilliant idea- let's make a porno film and make a million bucks!! He enlists the help of his good buddies and some townfolk, they set out to find actors, write scenes, and get the movie made. Hilarity ensues...
There is a great cast in this movie playing great characters that you can't help but get attached to, despite their quirkiness.
Although it is a movie about people making a porno, it is refreshingly wholesome. And a happy ending to boot!!

I guess the moral of the story is: Sex sells, but having a big heart will bring you real success!!

This is a feel good movie with some awesomely entertaining scenes that I highly recommend!!

5/5 Very funny, nicely done, well acted.
  by Kenneth A Smith (Marietta, GA USA)
I have to say that I agree with VERY little in Sam Graham's "official" review of this movie. I was taken with the fact that the movie had a comforting feeling to it despite the subject matter. I think it works well, the cast is fantastic and the end result is a great movie. It is very funny. All it takes is a look at the bonus materials to find out that Ted Danson actually was TRYING to use "fey mannerisms" with his character. Once again, ignore the "professional" critic and watch the movie yourself. There is a LOT of sexually oriented language (it is about the making of a porn film, after all) but little nudity, a fact that Sam seems to belabor to the point that you have to think he was looking forward to it.

5/5 Fun movie
  by Jonathan Perry
The Amateurs is a delightful movie about a group of middle-aged men in a small town making a porno movie. It really reminded me of Nobody's Fool, with Paul Newman. This is not a porn film, and it is not really dirty. It is character-driven, with Jeff Bridges in the driver's seat. All the actor's are engaging (Ted Danson is a hoot, playing against type), and the plot is actually quite sweet. This film grossed $15K (yes, $15K) during its commercial release. It seems to be doing better than that with rentals and direct sales now. If you hate the idea of porn, don't bother with it. But if you like good movies, the porn aspect is just the hook on which the plot is hung. Sorry, no pun intended. My wife loves this movie more than I do, and I like it a lot. The Blu-ray version is very clean and clear. Check it out.

2/5 And the underdog wins the race
  by Reader (Boca Raton, FL)
Jeff Bridges plays another role of the washed out middle aged man with no future. His character is a man with no profession, with series of mediocre sales jobs in a small city and unable to support his family. After his wife leaves him and re-marries to a rich guy, he tries to find a way to impress his young, teenage son.

The story unfolds with the idea of making an amateur porn film in order to make it rich. His bar buddies pitch in minimal investment and the story takes off.

So when the porn movie is no longer a porn movie but still a success to make everyone make some money, this film turns into its own head with a happy ending.

When will be see Jeff Bridges in a film really worth seeing? That is what I want to know.

5/5 This movie gives hope to starry eyed dreamers.
  by Tobey
I have to disagree with the main review under the description I think the movie is very funny and you can't beat a good happy ending like this movie offers. Plus there are people out there maybe not as down as the character Andy Sargente but it is a inspiration that us dreamers can pull it off and we can have our moment.