Hoot (film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hoot |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Wil Shriner |
| Produced by | |
| Screenplay by | Wil Shriner |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Jimmy Buffett |
| Cinematography | Michael Chapman |
| Editing by | Alan Edward Bell |
| Studio |
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| Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
| Release date(s) | May 5, 2006 |
| Running time | 91 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $15 million |
| Money made | $8 million |
Hoot is a 2006 American family comedy film, based on Carl Hiaasen's novel of the same name. It was written and directed by Wil Shriner, and produced by New Line Cinema and Walden Media. The film stars Luke Wilson, Logan Lerman, Brie Larson, Tim Blake Nelson, Neil Flynn and Robert Wagner. Filming took place from July to September 2005 in Florida, with additional shooting in California the following January. The film was released on May 5, 2006. Hoot was a box office bomb, and received mixed reviews from critics.
The film is about a group of children trying to save a burrowing owl habitat from destruction. Its habitat is located on the intended construction site of a pancake house. The developer of the project intends to proceed regardless of the environmental damage it would cause. Hoot features live burrowing owls and music by Jimmy Buffett. Buffett is also listed as a co-producer, and he played the role of Mr. Ryan, the science teacher.
Contents
Plot
Middle school student Roy A. Eberhardt (Logan Lerman) and his parents (Neil Flynn and Kiersten Warren) have just moved to Coconut Cove, Florida from Montana. Roy is mercilessly teased and bullied at his new school by Dana Matherson (Eric Phillips), until he accidentally breaks Matherson's nose while getting harassed on the school bus and struggling to get free. As a result, Roy gets suspended from riding the school bus for three days and must write Dana an apology letter as a punishment. Roy slowly becomes friends with Beatrice "The Bear" Leep (Brie Larson), and her stepbrother "Mullet Fingers" (Cody Linley).
Meanwhile, an unknown person is found to be responsible for sabotaging a local construction site where a "Mother Paula's Pancake House" restaurant, overseen by corrupt regional manager Chuck Muckle (Clark Gregg), is about to be built. In order to catch the trespassers and prevent further vandalism, Officer David Delinko (Luke Wilson) has parked his police car on the building site. Delinko falls asleep and an unknown prankster vandalizes the car by spray-painting its windows black. The next day at breakfast, Roy and his parents read about the spray-painted police car. The police chief then gives Delinko a small police scooter to replace the vandalized car.
Soon, Roy learns that in order to build the pancake house, they must first kill the burrowing owls living on site. Mullet Fingers has been covertly pulling pranks to stop construction (including the tagging of Delinko's car), but Beatrice must take Roy into their confidence when he is badly bitten by guard dogs. Roy joins their crusade to save the endangered owls. Leroy "Curly" Branitt (Tim Blake Nelson), the beleaguered construction foreman, is trying to keep the construction schedule going, despite the presence of the owls, because of daily abuse from Muckle over the phone, and later in person.
The trio reveals to Delinko and the rest of the town that there are burrowing owls on the lot. They then manage to get everyone to be quiet long enough for the owls to emerge, and Muckle is subsequently arrested by Delinko. Kimberly (Jessica Cauffiel), the actress who plays Mother Paula, offers Coconut Cove the site as an owl preserve in the interest of damage control and publicly fires Muckle.
Roy's parents decide to stay in Florida. Officer Delinko finally gets promoted to detective and gets an unmarked patrol car (until he accidentally backs it off a fishing pier). Dana is sent off to military school, where he gets tortured by his drill sergeant. Muckle does community service for 90 days (then, after he is hit in the head and knocked unconscious by a falling coconut, the judge extends his sentence to 30 more days for lying down on the job). The land is donated and turned into an animal sanctuary so the owls can continue to live there. Curly and Kimberly leave Mother Paula's Pancake House to raise dogs, and Roy continues to be friends with Beatrice and Mullet Fingers.
Cast
- Luke Wilson as Officer David Delinko, a police officer in Coconut Cove.
- Logan Lerman as Roy A. Eberhardt, a boy who helps to save the burrowing owls.
- Brie Larson as Beatrice "The Bear" Leep, a girl that Roy befriends.
- Tim Blake Nelson as Leroy "Curly" Brannit, the construction foreman.
- Neil Flynn as Mr. Eberhardt, Roy's father.
- Robert Wagner as Mayor Grandy, the Mayor of Coconut Cove.
- Cody Linley as Napoleon Bridger "Mullet Fingers" Leep, the stepbrother of Beatrice who Roy befriends.
- Clark Gregg as Chuck Muckle, the corrupt regional manager of "Mother Paula's Pancake House."
- Kiersten Warren as Mrs. Eberhardt, Roy's mother.
- Jessica Cauffiel as Kimberly Lou Dixon, the actress who portrays the titular mascot of "Mother Paula's Pancake House."
- Dean Collins as Garrett
- Eric Phillips as Dana Matherson, a bully who picks on Roy.
- Damaris Justamante as Mrs. Matherson, Dana's mother.
- Jimmy Buffett as Mr. Ryan, the science teacher.
- John Archie as Captain
- Robert Donner as Kalor
- Carl Hiaasen as Felix, Muckle's Assistant.
Distribution
Soundtrack
The soundtrack of Hoot (as appears on the accompanying soundtrack CD) has three elements: an original score, pop songs sung by a variety of artists, and pop songs (covers and originals) sung by Jimmy Buffett. The original score "Happy Ending" was composed by Mac McAnally, Michael Utley and Phil Marshall.
The pop songs sung by a variety of artists are:
- "Lovely Day" - performed by Maroon 5, featuring Bill Withers and Kori Withers. Written & originally performed by Bill Withers.
- "Back of the Bus" - performed by G Love and Special Sauce. Written by Garrett Dutton.
- "Let Your Spirit Fly" - performed by Ry Cuming. Written by Ry Cuming.
- "Coming Around" - performed by Brie Larson. Written by Brie Larson, Jacques Brautbar and Rami Perlman.
- "Funky Kingston" - performed by Toots & the Maytals. Written by Frederick Hibbert.
- "Florida" - performed by Mofro. Written by John J.J. Grey.
The songs sung by Jimmy Buffett are:
- "Barefootin'" - performed by Jimmy Buffett and Alan Jackson. Written & originally performed by Robert Parker.
- "Floridays" - performed & written by Jimmy Buffett.
- "Good Guys Win" - performed by Jimmy Buffett. Written by Mac McAnally and Roger Guth.
- "Werewolves of London" - performed by Jimmy Buffett. Written by LeRoy Marinell, Waddy Wachtel and Warren Zevon; originally performed by Warren Zevon.
- "Wondering Where the Lions Are" - performed by Jimmy Buffett. Written & originally performed by Bruce Cockburn.
See also
In Spanish: Hoot (película) para niños
