Seen: April 29th, 2007
Format: HD-DVD
Rating: 4
I think I'm going to give up on Todd Phillips. I keep seeing trailers for his films and think, "Wow, that looks interesting and amusing", only to discover that while the trailer is interesting and amusing, it pretty much contains the entire scope of the film. It's not only a neat idea, it's the whole idea.
Ultimately, this makes watching the film pretty much a waste of time, since it's just an extended cut of the trailer.
The premise is promising. It's a new variation on an old idea. It could be made into a really funny film, but it wasn't.
Not there aren't some redeeming things here. Jon Heder and Billy Bob Thornton do passable jobs. There are a few gags that didn't make the trailer. I like Sarah Silverman. There's one spot where I missed the twist, was surprised, and gave an inner golf clap. David Cross, normally not a positive for me, fit his role very well. There's a few truly funny moments that generate a laugh or wry smile.
And that's about it.
The rest of this is just slogging along through the premise. The leads have some minor characterization, the rest are pretty much caricatures. The choice of Jacinda Barret baffles me. I would have made Sarah Silverman's character the love interest, that would have been funny. Some gags run way too long. The plot is largely predictable. The resolution is inevitable.
And I'm really tired of pointless Ben Stiller cameos in comedies.
If you really liked Old School, Road Trip and Starsky & Hutch, then this one's for you, if not, take a pass.
This Just In Department: I've just learned that this is actually a re-make of a British film from 1960. This doesn't help.
The Good: An unpredictable twist
The Bad: All the predictable twists
The Ugly: Take your pick
No comments:
Post a Comment