Seen: March 16th, 2007
Format: Theater
Rating: 6
Man, I can't believe I actually like this film, a little.
It's formulaic, it's predictable, it's sanitized for your protection, and it's just plain cheesy.
But somehow, it doesn't just lay there.
The premise is straight out of the Hollywood recycler. Guys go off to find their lost youth, or at least their joie de vivre, in whatever form that exists for each of them. They wind up learning about themselves, growing as human beings, besting the bad guys, and even saving the world a little. And a lot of stupid stuff happens along the way.
Dreck, straight up dreck. But somehow, these guys make it seem sincere. However implausible, their characters never veer from their individual, ingrained stereotypes. While I can't say that they actually bring these types to life, they at least give them a chance.
There are some good gags, a few great gags, and some tired gags. Most of them you can see coming from a mile away, but they still somehow deliver. Some gags have been labeled homophobic. You'll should judge that for yourself.
There's some good supporting talent here. Marisa Tomei does a decent job. Some other character actors you'll recognize amble through. Peter Fonda pops up in an appropriate, though fairly trivial role.
Ray Liotta stands out in this film. He plays his role so straight that its almost frightening. While the rest of the cast is working on their comedic timing, Liotta is immersed in his Method, channeling some really nasty biker guy. Even the rest of his crew plays more for laughs. But not Ray. He plays it straight, and the juxtaposition is one of the things that saves the film.
I don't want to give this a 6. But to be honest, I left the theater grinning, so I can't score it less.
The Good: Ray Liotta takes this seriously.
The Bad: I've seen this all before. Several times.
The Ugly: Dudley's tattoo.
No comments:
Post a Comment