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What's After the Movie?
Romantic comedy

Failure to Launch (2006): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Failure to Launch (2006) movie poster

Failure to Launch is a 2006 romantic comedy directed by Tom Dey, starring Kathy Bates, Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker. It runs 1 hour 37 minutes and earned $130.2 million worldwide on a $50 million budget. Critics gave it 23% on Rotten Tomatoes and 47 on Metacritic.

Rotten Tomatoes
23%
worldwide gross
$130.2M
Metascore
47
budget
$50M
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Failure to Launch (2006) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 37m (97 min)
Director
Tom Dey
Genres
Comedy , Romance
Original language
English
Budget
$50M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Failure to Launch About?

The premise of Failure to Launch without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Tripp Lightstone is a successful, charming man in his thirties who hasn’t been able to hold down a job or move out of his parents’ home. Concerned about their son’s lack of direction, Tripp's parents hire a beautiful MBA graduate to trick him into independence. As she tries to motivate him, unexpected complications arise, and Tripp must finally face the challenges of adulthood and decide what he truly wants.

Failure to Launch Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • adult child lives with parents
  • adult son lives with his parents
  • intervention
  • bird loose inside a house
  • family relationships
  • father son relationship
  • three word title
  • restaurant
  • interrupted sex
  • caught having sex
  • sex scene
  • sleeping in underwear
+38 more
  • smelling clothes
  • manipulation
  • breakup
  • womanizer
  • promiscuity
  • secret mission
  • gaming
  • friendship between men
  • yacht
  • boat
  • seagull
  • feeding birds
  • nipples visible through clothing
  • bike trip
  • forest
  • pouring water on someone
  • falling off a bike
  • hand injury
  • foot injury
  • port
  • hit on the head
  • veterinarian
  • domineering wife
  • injection
  • emotional blackmail
  • pretending to cry
  • rivalry
  • scream
  • drinking beer
  • alcoholism
  • sociopath
  • predatory behavior
  • female predator
  • cynicism
  • boat trip
  • swinging on a rope
  • humming
  • sunbathing
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Cast & crew

Failure to Launch Cast

Kathy Bates leads the cast, with Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker. Directed by Tom Dey; 4 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Tom Dey

More films directed by Tom Dey, best-rated first: Shanghai Noon, Wedding Season, Showtime and Marmaduke.

Full filmography
Ratings

Failure to Launch Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Failure to Launch 23% on Rotten Tomatoes and 47 on Metacritic.

Plot

Failure to Launch Plot Summary

What happens in Failure to Launch from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In Baltimore, 35-year-old Tripp finds himself still living with his parents, Al and Sue, while surrounded by a group of friends who, much like him, struggle to break free from reliance on their families. Two of these friends, Demo and Ace, embody a state of perpetual adolescence, unwilling to embrace adulthood. Tripp’s romantic endeavors are fleeting and often end when his partners realize that “his place” is actually the home he has never left. This pattern of breakups only reinforces his emotional detachment.

Full summary

The whole story of Failure to Launch, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Failure to Launch Box Office & Budget

Failure to Launch grossed $130.2 million worldwide on a $50 million budget, 2.6 times what it cost. $88.7 million came from the US and Canada and $41.5 million (32%) from the rest of the world.

2006 box office

Worldwide gross

$130.2M

2.6× its budget

US & Canada
$88.7M
International
$41.5M
Budget
$50M
US & Canada 68% Rest of the world 32%
Videos

Failure to Launch Trailers & Videos

2 videos: 2 trailers.

Failure to Launch
  • Trailer Failure To Launch - Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Failure to Launch?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is Tripp's age at the start of the movie?

Cars

Cars in Failure to Launch

9 cars on screen, including the 1973 Porsche 911 and the 2004 Toyota Prius II.

All 9 cars
  • 1973 Porsche 911 in Failure to Launch 1973 Porsche 911 Important role
  • 2004 Toyota Prius II in Failure to Launch 2004 Toyota Prius II Minor role
  • 2001 Chrysler Town & Country in Failure to Launch 2001 Chrysler Town & Country Background role
  • 1999 Ford Ranger in Failure to Launch 1999 Ford Ranger Background role
Details

Failure to Launch Also Known As

35 alternative titles, including “賴家王老五” and “Mambo”.

Also known as
  • 賴家王老五
  • Mambo
  • Soltero en Casa
  • Кохання та інші неприємності
  • 달콤한 백수와 사랑 만들기
  • 恋するレシピ 理想のオトコの作り方
  • Zum Ausziehen verführt
  • A casa con i suoi
  • Playboy à saisir
  • 赖家王老五
  • Så flyt dog!
  • Novia por contrato
+23 more
  • Miłość na zamówienie
  • Düş Yakamızdan
  • Любовь и прочие неприятности
  • Hemma Bäst
  • אין כמו בבית
  • จัดฉากรัก...กำจัดลูกแหง่
  • Como Despachar um Encalhado
  • Anyám nyakán
  • Lemra líná
  • Faux départ
  • Armações do Amor
  • 달콤한 백수와 사랑만들기
  • Фалстарт
  • Кохання й інші неприємності
  • 30άρης από Σπίτι
  • Lemra lemravá
  • Muuttohaluton poikamies
  • Čez 30 in še pri tastarih
  • Cum să dai afară din casă un burlac de 30 de ani
  • Kod kuće je najljepše, სიყვარული და სხვა უსიამოვნებები
  • 恋するレシピ ~理想のオトコの作り方~
  • 踢走住家男
  • कहीं नहीं जाऊंगा मैं

Seen Failure to Launch?

FAQ

Failure to Launch FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Failure to Launch, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Failure to Launch?

Failure to Launch runs 1 hour 37 minutes (97 minutes).

When was Failure to Launch released?

Failure to Launch was released on March 10, 2006.

Who directed Failure to Launch?

Failure to Launch was directed by Tom Dey.

More films by Tom Dey

Who is in the cast of Failure to Launch?

Failure to Launch stars Kathy Bates, Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker, among 4 credited actors.

How much did Failure to Launch make at the box office?

Failure to Launch grossed $130.2 million worldwide ($88.7 million domestic, $41.5 million international) on a budget of $50 million.

How is Failure to Launch rated?

Failure to Launch has 23% on Rotten Tomatoes, 47 on Metacritic and 58% on TMDB.

Does Failure to Launch have a post-credit scene?

No. Failure to Launch has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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