Stealing Harvard (2002)

Director:

Bruce McCulloch

Writers (WGA):

Martin Hynes (story) and
Peter Tolan (story) ...

Release Date:

13 September 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Their intentions were honorable. Their methods were criminal.

Plot:

A middle-class man turns to a life of crime in order to finance his niece's first year at Harvard University.

Plot Keywords:

Harvard | Beer Drinking | Wheelchair | Mirror | Courtroom

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jason Lee	...	John Plummer
Tom Green	...	Walter P. 'Duff' Duffy
Leslie Mann	...	Elaine Warner
Dennis Farina	...	Mr. Warner
Megan Mullally	...	Patty Plummer
John C. McGinley	...	Detective Charles
Tammy Blanchard	...	Noreen Plummer
Chris Penn	...	David Loach
Richard Jenkins	...	Honorable Emmett Cook
Seymour Cassel	...	Uncle Jack
Zeus	...	Rex
Ken Magee	...	Butcher
Martin Starr	...	Liquor Store Clerk
Mary Gillis	...	Duff's Mom
Bruce McCulloch	...	Fidio the Lawyer

Also Known As:

Say Uncle (USA) (working title)
Stealing Stanford (USA) (working title)
The Promise (USA) (working title)
Uncle (USA) (working title)
You Promised (USA) (working title)
110 e frode (Italy) [it]
Campus Crazy (Japan: English title) [en]
Dyra löften (Sweden) [sv]
Harvard à tout prix (Canada: French title) [fr]
Harvardin varkaat (Finland) [fi]
Ladrón por accidente (Argentina) (video title) [es]
Promessa É Dívida (Brazil) [pt]
Schwere Jungs (Germany) [de]
Un diploma muy caro (Spain) [es]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, language and drug references.

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:6 | Argentina:13 | Canada:PG | Denmark:7 | Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:7 | Sweden:7 | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #38106) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Revolution Studios

Trivia:

When Elaine brings Duff the basket of cheese, there's some discussion of the origin of Gruyere cheese. Duff is correct, Gruyere is from the Gruyeres district in Switzerland, not from France.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Duff tells Elaine that Gruyère cheese is from Gruyères in Switzerland, and she corrects him by saying that it's French, but Duff is right.

Quotes:

Detective Charles: I turned 40 last week. Do you know what I did? I got my colon scoped by Dr. Spencer. Do you know what he told me? He said "Detective Charles, you have one of the cleanest rectums I've ever seen." and do you know why? During my quiet time here at work I use a toothbrush that I have here in my desk to get to the really hard to find spots... just for a really good scrubbin'... you guys think you're so smart don't you?
Duff: No
Detective Charles: The way you made those survilence tapes just... disapear? You just... got rid of 'em some how...
John: What tapes?
Detective Charles: Will you do me a personal favor son?
John: Sure.
Detective Charles: Don't ever play ME... like a flute... OK? Because see, you two idiots got real lucky, I don't have enough to keep you here. But mark my words gentlemen... I mean... you're goin' down. I mean... you're either goin' down... or by God i'm gonna' take you down. But either way... once you're down?
[picks up a paper weight and slams it on his desk three times]
Detective Charles: YOU'LL STAY DOWN! YOU'LL STAY DOWN! YOU... WILL... STAY DOWN!
[Throws paper weight]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Strangers on a Train (1951)

Soundtrack:

Giddy Up

Not perfect but pretty watchable

Even though the critics and some of the viewers come down pretty hard on this movie, I kinda disagree cause the movie was pretty funny and watchable, and the situations that Tom Green and Jason Lee got themselves into were hilarious, there are some scenes which I couldn't bear to watch but if you love to watch crude comedies, watch Stealing Harvard and while it may not be a classic, it can be a good way to relax for about 80-90 minutes.