Run Ronnie Run!

{{More plot|date=March 2014}}

Ronnie Dobbs (David Cross) is a small-town man known for his frequent arrests, often for petty crimes such as public intoxication and disorderly conduct. His repeated encounters with law enforcement are captured on Fuzz, a reality television show modeled after cops. Ronnie’s exaggerated personality, combined with his humorous and often absurd interactions with police officers, makes him a standout figure on the show, garnering a cult following among its viewers.

Terry Twillstein (Bob Odenkirk), a struggling British infomercial host and self-proclaimed entrepreneur, notices Ronnie’s growing popularity on Fuzz and sees an opportunity to create a new television program. Terry approaches Ronnie with a proposal for a show called Ronnie Dobbs Gets Arrested, where Ronnie would travel to different cities across the United States and get arrested in unique and comedic scenarios. Initially reluctant, Ronnie eventually agrees, motivated by the promise of fame and financial success.

The show becomes an unexpected hit, turning Ronnie into a national celebrity. His weekly antics and over-the-top arrests captivate audiences, and Ronnie quickly becomes a household name. With his newfound fame, Ronnie moves to Hollywood and adopts a lavish lifestyle, enjoying the perks of celebrity status, including endorsements, parties, and media attention. However, his rise to fame begins to strain his personal relationships, particularly with his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Kayla (Nikki Cox), who struggles with Ronnie’s growing ego and increasingly reckless behavior.

As the show progresses, Ronnie’s antics become more extreme, and his behavior grows increasingly erratic. Terry, who initially served as Ronnie’s mentor and manager, begins to feel overshadowed and unappreciated. Their professional relationship deteriorates as Ronnie becomes more self-absorbed, dismissing Terry’s advice and sidelining him from key decisions. Meanwhile, the show’s ratings begin to decline as audiences grow tired of Ronnie’s repetitive antics.

The turning point occurs when Ronnie’s reckless actions lead to the cancellation of his show and the loss of his fortune. Stripped of his fame and success, Ronnie returns to his hometown, where he is forced to confront the consequences of his behavior. Alienated from his friends and fans, he begins to reflect on his choices and attempts to rebuild his life. With the support of Terry, Kayla, and a few loyal friends, Ronnie embarks on a journey of personal and professional redemption.

The film culminates in a climactic sequence where Ronnie attempts to stage a comeback, reclaiming his place in the entertainment world while addressing the mistakes of his past. The story concludes with Ronnie finding a balance between his public persona and his personal life, leaving his future open to interpretation. The film explores themes of fame, redemption, and the consequences of living a life in the public eye.

• David Cross as Ronwell Quincy "Ronnie" Dobbs / Pootie T / voice of Chow Chow
• Bob Odenkirk as Terry Twillstein / Wolfgang Amadeus Thelonious Von Funkenmeister the XIX 3 / 4 / Daffy Mal Yinkle Yankle
• Nikki Cox as Kayla
• R. Lee Ermey as Lead Kidnapper
• M. C. Gainey as Hark Trellis
• David Koechner as Clay
• Jill Talley as Tammy
• E. J. De la Pena as Jerry Trellis
• Tom Kenny as TV News Reporter / Cult Leader Gleh’n
• Suli McCulloch as Kyle
• Becky Thyre as Tonya

Many of the regular cast members of Mr. Show made appearances in the film, including Paul F. Tompkins as Safari Guy in TV, Brett Paesel as Infomercial Nancy, Brian Posehn as Tank, Patton Oswalt as Dozer, Sarah Silverman as a Network Executive, Jack Black as Lead Chimney Sweep, Mary Lynn Rajskub as herself, John Ennis as Bartender, Scott Adsit as a Police Negotiator, and Scott Aukerman as a Starving Kidnapper.

In addition to members of Mr. Show, other notable appearances include Dave Foley and Andy Richter as Network Executives, Jeff Garlin as Birthday Woman's Friend, Laura Kightlinger as Birthday Woman, Patrick Warburton as Head of Gay Conspiracy, Doug Benson as Editor #3, David Baddiel and Morwenna Banks as British Couple, and Rhoda Griffis as TV Anchorwoman.

Many well-known celebrities had brief cameos in the film, such as Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Ben Stiller, John Stamos, Rebecca Romijn, Garry Shandling, Scott Ian, Kathy Griffin, Scott Thompson, Mandy Patinkin, and Jeff Goldblum.

The film premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival.{{cite web | url= http://history.sundance.org/films/2626/run_ronnie_run | year= 2002 | title= Run Ronnie Run! | publisher= Sundance Film Festival | access-date= 2013-06-02 | archive-date= 2020-11-16 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201116171150/http://history.sundance.org/films/2626/run_ronnie_run | url-status= live }} Bob Odenkirk initially publicly criticized the film's studio (New Line Cinema) and even went as far as releasing the personal email addresses of Robert Shaye (Chairman) and other principals of New Line Cinema to his fans in an effort to get the film released. He later went on to blame the film's failure on director Troy Miller who, as Odenkirk claims, denied him and David Cross the right to do a final edit of the film.{{cite web| url=http://www.bobanddavid.com/interviews.asp?artID=116| archive-date= 2007-06-07| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070607210342/http://www.bobanddavid.com/interviews.asp?artID=116 | title= Is Run, Ronnie, Run Overrated? You bet. Here's why.|date= April 29, 2004|author=Bob Odenkirk (as told to Henry Owings)| work= Chunklet | access-date=2013-06-02| quote= Look, people are angry at New Line. Don't be angry at New Line. The only thing New Line did "wrong" was not defend us. But in their defense, they didn't know who we were! ... On the other hand, the person to blame is the director, who knew us, and knew how important we were to our own comedy, and chose to freeze us out, hold us at arm's length and not let us influence the movie nearly on the scale that we should have.}} Cross and Miller would later reunite when Miller was hired to direct several episodes of Arrested Development.

{{Expand section|date=July 2020}}

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 71% based on 7 reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10.{{Cite Rotten Tomatoes|title=Run Ronnie Run! (2002)|id=run_ronnie_run |type=m|access-date=June 30, 2023}} Variety said the film failed "to sustain its initial burst of comic inspiration over the course of its feature-length running time."{{Cite web |last=Foundas |first=Scott |date=2002-01-12 |title=Run Ronnie Run! |url=https://variety.com/2002/film/reviews/run-ronnie-run-1200551964/ |access-date=2022-06-08 |website=Variety |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-06-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608155816/https://variety.com/2002/film/reviews/run-ronnie-run-1200551964/ |url-status=live }}

{{reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|id=0258100}}
• {{TCMDb title|id=344227}}

{{David Cross}}

{{Bob Odenkirk}}

Category:2002 direct-to-video films

Category:2002 films

Category:2002 comedy films

Category:American comedy films

Category:Films based on television series

Category:Films directed by Troy Miller

Category:Films shot in Georgia (U.S. state)

Category:Films with screenplays by Scott Aukerman

Category:2000s English-language films

Category:2000s American films