kgardnerd Review of The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch

The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch (2003 TV Movie)

Exciting prospect, disappointing re-hash...

[5/10 · 28 October 2005]

The Rutles, All You Need is Cash, is brilliant. When we heard that Idle made a follow-up, "Can't Buy Me Lunch," we expected something as exciting, fun and original as the first outing. Unfortunately, the flick is really nothing more than Idle re-hashing old footage from the original, with pieces of film that were obviously left on the editing room floor. In the original, narrator Idle ends the flick and briefly tells us "what became of the Rutles," but the description of this flick suggests that he follows through with what has become of the Rutles over a 20+ year period, and there's actually nothing about "what became of," nor is the anything about a "reunion" tour. The rather impressive list of guest commentators about the "Rutles," and the impact the "Rutles" had on their "lives" and "careers" is hit and miss...Billy Connelly, Steve Martin, and Garry Shandling are particularly hilarious in their observations, and while some guests are obviously good choices as interviews: ie: Bonnie Raitt, Carrie Fisher, Conan O'Brian, others really seem to have no reason to be there other than their names. And splicing old interview footage from the original in with the current is so cheesy and really does not work. This is basically what one may expect from this sequel...a lot of old footage, with mainly irrelevant current footage. This could have been a real gem...In fact, there is not an original current "Rutle" to be seen, which would have made more sense; y'know, WHERE ARE THE RUTLES NOW? WHAT ARE THEY DOING? HOW DO THEY FEEL ABOUT THEIR INFLUENCE ON MUSIC AND MUSICIANS...then the comments from the multitude of "guest commentators" might have made more sense AND been even funnier. Instead, one is left with somewhat of a letdown from what should and could have been an outstanding sequel. And what was with the Jimmy Fallon tack-on schtick?