everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Brilliant and touching

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Like his character Nathanial Mayweather, Chris Elliott was born to a very talented father (Bob Elliott) and into a lucrative family business (showbiz). Also like Nathanial, the elder's talent casts an especially harsh light on the younger's near complete lack thereof. Chris takes us as Nathanial on a metaphorical journey starting from privileged upbringing complete with shots at televisions shows, both his own and David Letterman's, based on the respect others have for his father. And like Nathanial eventually that life of ease ebbs away as Chris/Nathanial have to make it on their own talents either making a comedy or surviving on a ship called "The Filthy Whore." Neither fares well and Elliott deserves credit for taking an unflinching look at his situation and filming what he see even if only in metaphor. Like his career, little about the movie works. As a character, Nathanial grates and a lack of more attractive protagonists means little that happens provokes any empathy from the audience - The Filthy Whore could have pulled "A Perfect Storm" sinking about the 35 minute mark and no tears would have been shed. As a story, Nathanial's being thrown out of an anachronistically modern limousine only to mistake The Filthy Whore for his father's "Queen Anne" yacht works less well than your average "Two Close for Comfort" episode setup. As a comedy, even Letterman himself finds himself in a disjointed, seemingly improvised, unfunny exchange with his one-time television foil. In short, while a small, vociferous group of Elliott fans consider this a cult classic, it is only their hero-worship that makes it watchable.

Chris Elliott, usually a supporting player, got a lead role in the pathetic excuse for a movie "Cabin Boy". Basically a series of disgusting occurrences, the movie tries to merit laughs but only yields chuckles at best. The cupcake scene was particularly unnecessary. If the movie has any redeeming qualities, it's that David Letterman has a brief appearance. You may recall on the 67th Annual Academy Awards, he pointed that scene out and showed other people rehearsing for it.All in all, don't waste your time on this junk. Chris Elliott has done much better work than this ("Groundhog Day", "There's Something About Mary", "Osmosis Jones").

Cabin Boy is a work of genius, pure and simple!****** It's really as simple as this: The world divides into two kinds of people, those who GET Chris Elliot, and those who DON'T. If you're the former, you'll like this film, if you're the latter, you probably won't....DON"T WATCH IT!!! DON"T READ FURTHER...GO AWAY. ******My fellow Cabin Boy aficionados, surely you've all noticed that people of mediocre sensibilities ALWAYS respond to works of true genius with cries of derision and scorn ("oh, that's stupid!" etc. etc.) and even fear. When faced with something their small minds can't comprehend, the unenlightened masses always reach for their "torches" and seek to destroy. Even as the great virtuoso Paganini played his violin with an unimaginable speed and sweetness, never before seen in Italy, the crowd raised a cry of "Deviltry", "He is possessed", and chased him from the stage. You need only observe the drivel on television and churned out by Hollywood to appreciate the low sophistication level of today's spoon fed audience. Most people today just don't seem to be able to appreciate the difference between a big budget, Hollywood production that IS stupid and a low budget, good movie ABOUT stupidity...and unfortunately seem to prefer the former...in droves! I'm looking at YOU Adam Sandler...et al.Seriously, the production values of CB are pretty good for a low budget movie, The sets are well crafted, the cinematography and effects are spot on, the comedic timing of the talent is impeccable. It's NOT poorly made on any level; it's WELL crafted to create the desired effect. Sure it seems silly and looks cheesy...it's SUPPOSED to! The scripting and tone of CB is calculated to perfectly capture that unique Chris Elliot personae; the condescending, insufferably annoying, delusionallly self-satisfied, clueless idiot.It is the one movie that my friends and I watch over and over again when we get together and want to laugh in our cups. (that means we're drinking etc. ;-) for you less sophisticated CB haters)For the Cabin Boy fans: Watch the film "Captains Courageous" AFTER watching Cabin Boy...It's the 'serious' film CB is loosely parodying. You'll get a chuckle out of it. Cheers!"What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left." Oscar Levant

what can be said of cabin boy's idiotic genius? Chris Elliot proves he is the master of absurd comedy in this one of a kind, off the wall masterpiece! I'm almost ashamed to love it so dearly. The movie propels itself through a bizarre mythological backdrop using Elliots uncanny knack for brilliant, stupid, amazingly funny dialog and antics. Cabin boy stays true to all that is Elliot from beginning to end. It doesn't change its mind halfway through, and is too unassuming to attempt to deliver any heartwarming morally relevant conclusion. Chris Elliot's antihero is so lovably hate able that you feel the desire to both punch him in the face, and gently rock him to sleep in a comfy blanket. This comedy is probably not for everyone, but the payoff for those who understand its naive, cynical hilarity is worth the rental fee. Hell, you can buy it for under six bucks almost any where. It is truly a misunderstood work of pure cinematic bliss.