EDtv (1999)

NEUTRAL

Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, YouTube, Microsoft Store, FandangoNOW, Redbox, DirecTV, AMC+, Apple, HBO Max

54%

PG-13

1999, Comedy, 2h 2m

RT Critics’ Score: 64% (BIAS DETECTED)
RT Audience Score: 30%
Awards & Nominations: 2 nominations

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Critics Consensus

If it’s not as ambitious as The Truman Show in satirizing the voyeuristic nature of television, EdTV is an amiable, witty comedy with fine performances from Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson

Audience Consensus

If you’re looking for a movie that’ll make you laugh and cringe at the same time, “EDtv” is the perfect pick. With a cleverly cluttered look and a fine premise, this film is a satire of reality TV that’s both dysfunctional and sexual. While some critics may find it underwhelming or toothless, I found it to be a hilarious take on the obsession with fame and the lengths people will go to achieve it. Plus, who doesn’t love watching Matthew McConaughey in comic mode? Overall, “EDtv” is a fun and entertaining movie that’s worth a watch.

Storyline

In a Hail Mary move for corporate preservation, the San Francisco based Northwest Broadcasting Corporation launches True TV, a new network which will broadcast the life of an Average Joe or Jane, 24/7 live and thus unedited, the subject chosen signed initially for one month. The project is conceived and led by one of the producers, Cynthia, but her boss, NWBC president Whitaker, will take the credit if it succeeds, and let her sink as the captain of the ship if it fails. The network is rebranded EdTV when Cynthia believes she’s found her subject, Ed Pekurny, a native Texas hayseed, who fits the two main criteria that she is looking for in the person: he is easy on the eyes, and he has what seems to be a potential trainwreck of a life in that he he is thirty-one years old, spends most of his time hanging out at the bar, and has no ambition beyond his longtime dead end job as a clerk in a video store. Ed did not actively campaign for the job – his blowhard of a brother Ray was the one who played to the cameras when Cynthia’s team was looking for subjects – but ultimately decided to do it after discussing it with those close to him, namely his immediately family of his mother, stepfather, and two siblings. After a slow start and despite some people associated with Ed hamming it up to the cameras in wanting their fifteen minutes of fame or more, Ed becomes enough of a toast to the TV watching public for the network to become a success. However, having the cameras rolling during certain times may not be the most advantageous for those directly involved, especially as someone from Ed’s distant past reenters his life, and an issue with regard to Ray’s relationship with his current girlfriend, a UPS delivery person named Shari who if Ed was being honest would admit that he is attracted to himself. Other issues that eventually do emerge is Ed and those around him using the cameras as a convenient excuse for things that happen, and as Whitaker, against Cynthia’s wants as the moves being totally self-serving, begins to manipulate Ed to make EdTV more salacious TV viewing.

Production Company(ies)
Bandai Visual Company, Cinequanon Eisei Gekijo

Distributor
Universal Pictures

Release Type
Theatrical

Filming Location(s)
SAP Center at San Jose – 525 W. Santa Clara, San Jose, California, USA

MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for sex-related situations, partial nudity and crude language

Year of Release
1999

Technical Specs

Color:

Color
Sound mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
Aspect ratio:

1.85 : 1
Runtime:

2h 2m
Language(s):

English
Country of origin:

United States
Release date:

Release Date (Theaters): Mar 26, 1999 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 1, 2004

Genre(s)
Comedy

Keyword(s)
starring Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Jenna Elfman, Ellen DeGeneres, Martin Landau, Sally Kirkland, directed by Ron Howard, written by Émile Gaudreault, Sylvie Bouchard, Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel, comedy, PG-13, box office, $22.4M, reviewed by David Ansen, Owen Gleiberman, Susan Stark, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Mick LaSalle, Marc Savlov, Jeffrey Barabe, Brian Grazer, produced by Ron Howard, Universal Pictures, reality TV, television, voyeurism, fame, celebrity, personal life, relationship, girlfriend, brother, video-store clerk, cable channel, daily basis, footage, show, overnight celebrity, tension, satire, toothless, dysfunction, sexuality, parody, wasted potential, corny romance, reality TV shows, comedy genre, down-to-earth, little screen, nice little touches

Box Office Details

Worldwide gross: $35,242,897
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $63,261,983
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,233
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 6,898,799

US/Canada gross: $22,431,897
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $40,265,881
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,163
US/Canada opening weekend: $8,311,290
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $14,918,997
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 793

Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $80,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $143,602,231
Production budget ranking: 232
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $77,329,801
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$157,670,049
ROI to date (est.): -71%
ROI ranking: 1,816

Cast & Crew

Matthew McConaughey

Jenna Elfman

Ellen DeGeneres

Woody Harrelson

Martin Landau

Ed ‘Eddie’ Pekurny

Shari

Cynthia Topping

Ray Pekurny

Matthew McConaughey – Ed ‘Eddie’ Pekurny
Jenna Elfman – Shari
Ellen DeGeneres – Cynthia Topping
Woody Harrelson – Ray Pekurny
Martin Landau – Al
Sally Kirkland – Jeanette

Ron Howard

Émile Gaudreault

Jeffrey Barabe

Brian Grazer

Ron Howard

Director

Writer

Producer

Director(s)
Ron Howard

Writer(s)
Émile Gaudreault, Sylvie Bouchard, Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel

Producer(s)
Jeffrey Barabe, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard

Film Festivals

Awards & Nominations
2 nominations

Academy Awards

Top Reviews

David Ansen

Owen Gleiberman

Susan Stark

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Mick LaSalle

Newsweek

Entertainment Weekly

Detroit News

Chicago Reader

San Francisco Chronicle

EDTV
All Critics (47) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (30) | Rotten (17)
You’ll have a good time watching “EDtv”– Howard is always at his best in comic mode, and he gives the film a cleverly cluttered look that suggests the experience of watching reality on multiple monitors.

March 3, 2018

David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B-

Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2/4

Susan Stark
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2/4

Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/4

Mick LaSalle
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3.5/5

Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Comic satire of reality TV; lots of dysfunction, sexuality.

February 3, 2015 | Rating: 3/5

Renee Schonfeld
Common Sense Media
…a fine premise that’s utilized to progressively underwhelming effect…

November 6, 2014 | Rating: 2/4

David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
August 7, 2008 | Rating: 2/5

Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review
EdTV isn’t bad enough to get angry about, but it’s a mundane and toothless satire.

July 30, 2007 | Rating: 2/5

Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com
July 14, 2007 | Rating: 3/4

Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound
March 31, 2005 | Rating: 4/10

Dragan Antulov
Draxblog Movie Reviews…

Plot
In a Hail Mary move for corporate preservation, the San Francisco based Northwest Broadcasting Corporation launches True TV, a new network which will broadcast the life of an Average Joe or Jane, 24/7 live and thus unedited, the subject chosen signed initially for one month. The project is conceived and led by one of the producers, Cynthia, but her boss, NWBC president Whitaker, will take the credit if it succeeds, and let her sink as the captain of the ship if it fails. The network is rebranded EdTV when Cynthia believes she’s found her subject, Ed Pekurny, a native Texas hayseed, who fits the two main criteria that she is looking for in the person: he is easy on the eyes, and he has what seems to be a potential trainwreck of a life in that he he is thirty-one years old, spends most of his time hanging out at the bar, and has no ambition beyond his longtime dead end job as a clerk in a video store. Ed did not actively campaign for the job – his blowhard of a brother Ray was the one who played to the cameras when Cynthia’s team was looking for subjects – but ultimately decided to do it after discussing it with those close to him, namely his immediately family of his mother, stepfather, and two siblings. After a slow start and despite some people associated with Ed hamming it up to the cameras in wanting their fifteen minutes of fame or more, Ed becomes enough of a toast to the TV watching public for the network to become a success. However, having the cameras rolling during certain times may not be the most advantageous for those directly involved, especially as someone from Ed’s distant past reenters his life, and an issue with regard to Ray’s relationship with his current girlfriend, a UPS delivery person named Shari who if Ed was being honest would admit that he is attracted to himself. Other issues that eventually do emerge is Ed and those around him using the cameras as a convenient excuse for things that happen, and as Whitaker, against Cynthia’s wants as the moves being totally self-serving, begins to manipulate Ed to make EdTV more salacious TV viewing.

Trivia