It might be unkind to call "Nature Calls" an unfortunate-looking comedy with a cast of odds and sods actors, but sometimes you just gotta call 'em as you see 'em. And as much as we love Patton Oswalt and comedy ace-in-the-hole Rob Riggle (so good in "Step Brothers"), this picture directed by Todd Rohal (the well-received "The Catechism Cataclysm" and "The Guatemalan Handshake") does not look great.
To add insult to injury, the film didn't exactly receive glowing reviews at SXSW earlier this year. In fact our own review called it a forgettable,"dull, droning wrong number." Youch, but maybe you'll disagree. Here's the synopsis:
Patton Oswalt stars as Scoutmaster Randy Stevens, whose dwindling, apathetic troop ditches a scout meeting in favor of a TV-themed slumber party hosted by Randy’s brother Kirk (Knoxville), his polar opposite and arch nemesis. When Randy rounds up the boys in the middle of the night, stealing them for an highly unauthorized/unorganized trip to the woods, all hell breaks loose as Kirk pursues with a pair of gun-toting employees (Riggle and O’Neal). Drinking, nudity, mishandled fireworks and tremendously inappropriate behavior around minors ensues, in the grand tradition of comedy classics like The Bad News Bears and Meatballs.
Co-starring Johnny Knoxville, Maura Tierney, and Darrell Hammond, we can't say this red band trailer changes our mind about the early word from Austin, but we suppose you can decide for yourself. The film debuts on all VOD platforms on October 4th, with a theatrical release to follow on November 9th. Some new photos from the film below the trailer and one with Riggle that reminds us that the film features one of the last appearances of the late great comedian Patrice O'Neal (R.I.P.). Maybe it's worth it just for that?