Sidekicks
Encyclopedia
Plot
The main protagonist is Barry Gabrewski, an asthmaticAsthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
boy who lives with his widowed father, Jerry Gabrewski, in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. A loner, Barry has vivid daydream
Daydream
A daydream is a visionary fantasy, especially one of happy, pleasant thoughts, hopes or ambitions, imagined as coming to pass, and experienced while awake. There are many types of daydreams, and there is no consistent definition amongst psychologists. The general public also uses the term for a...
s about being Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
' sidekick, battling against Norris' movie enemies - who are often personified by Barry's everyday bullies such as Randy Cellini (John Buchanan). Noreen Chan (Julia Nickson-Soul
Julia Nickson-Soul
Julia Nickson-Soul is an actress. She first came to the attention of audiences in the United States in the Sylvester Stallone film, Rambo: First Blood Part II...
), his favorite teacher, often plays the damsel in distress in his dreams.
In order to fulfill his dreams at least in part, Barry wants to be taught martial arts, but is turned down by the arrogant dojo owner Kelly Stone (Piscopo
Joe Piscopo
Joseph Charles John "Joe" Piscopo is an American comedian and actor best known for his work on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:...
) for being too weak. Instead, he is taken under the wing by an old Chinese man called Mr. Lee (Mako), the sly uncle of his teacher. Mr. Lee decides to teach Barry some kung fu so that he can defend himself from the bullies, and treats his asthma, increasing Barry's endurance. Barry later enters a tournament with Mr. Lee and Ms. Chan and finally sees his dreams fulfilled when Chuck Norris, originally only a guest at the tournament but persuaded by Lee to aid one of his most ardent fans, joins them as a team member.
Cast
- Chuck NorrisChuck NorrisCarlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
...... himself - Jonathan BrandisJonathan BrandisJonathan Gregory Brandis was an American actor, director, and screenwriter.-Early life and career:Brandis was born in Danbury, Connecticut, the only child of Mary, a teacher and personal manager, and Gregory Brandis, a food distributor and firefighter. He began his career as a child model and...
...... Barry Gabrewski - Beau BridgesBeau BridgesLloyd Vernet "Beau" Bridges III is an American actor and director.- Early life :Bridges was born in Los Angeles, the son of actor Lloyd Bridges and his college sweetheart, Dorothy Bridges . He was nicknamed "Beau" by his mother and father after Ashley Wilkes's son in Gone with the Wind, the book...
...... Jerry Gabrewski - Mako ...... Mr. Lee
- Joe PiscopoJoe PiscopoJoseph Charles John "Joe" Piscopo is an American comedian and actor best known for his work on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:...
...... Kelly Stone - Danica McKellarDanica McKellarDanica Mae McKellar is an American actress, academic, and education advocate. She is best known for her role as Winnie Cooper in the television show The Wonder Years, and later as author of the three The New York Times bestsellers, Math Doesn't Suck, Kiss My Math, and Hot X: Algebra Exposed, which...
...... Lauren - Richard MollRichard MollCharles Richard Moll is an American actor and voice artist,best known for playing Bull Shannon, the bailiff on the NBC sitcom Night Court from 1983 to 1992...
...... Horn - Julia Nickson-SoulJulia Nickson-SoulJulia Nickson-Soul is an actress. She first came to the attention of audiences in the United States in the Sylvester Stallone film, Rambo: First Blood Part II...
...... Ms. Noreen Chan
Filming locations
- Lamar High School (Houston, Texas)
- Tranquility ParkTranquility ParkTranquility Park is a park in Downtown Houston, Texas, between Walker and Rusk Streets, and west of Smith Street, with the United States federal courts building for the Southern District of Texas on one side and Houston City Hall on the other...
- Wortham Theater CenterWortham Theater CenterThe Wortham Theater Center is a performing arts center located in downtown Houston, Texas, United States. The Wortham was designed by Eugene Aubrey of Morris Architects and built entirely with $66 million in private funds...
- Williams WaterwallWilliams WaterwallThe Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park, also known as the Williams Waterwall, is a multi-story sculptural fountain which sits at the south end of Williams Tower in the Uptown District of Houston. It and its surrounding park were built as an architectural amenity to the adjacent tower. Both the fountain...
- Allen's LandingAllen's LandingAllen's Landing is the birthplace of the city of Houston—the largest city in the U.S. state of Texas. In August 1836, just months after the Republic of Texas won its independence from Mexico, two brothers from New York—John Kirby Allen and Augustus Chapman Allen—purchased 6,642 acres in...
This movie was filmed primarily in Houston, TX. It is suggested this was done as a result of funding from well known furniture outlet owner, Jim "Mattress Mac" McIngvale, produced and invested 8 million dollars on this movie. It is believed his relationship with Chuck Norris, who starred in many commercials with "Mac" came to him with the idea of creating this film. In McIngvale's book, Always Think Big, he states going into film and producing was "extremely hard work".
Reception
The movie received a negative reception from critics. Based on 6 reviews gathered, the film has a 17% from Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, with an average score of 3.8/10.