The Smurfs

OPENING: 07/29/2011

STUDIO: Columbia Pictures

RUN TIME: 86 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Where the Smurf are we?

Opening Statement
Long ago, a group of small blue humanoids called Smurfs invaded televisions every Saturday morning. They constantly sang a cheery song whose main lyrics were “la la la-la la la” and had adventures. Children were hooked immediately. Fast forward thirty years and those children are in the midst of re-discovering their childhoods. Sadly, it turns out some things are best left in the past.

Facts of the Case
On the eve of the Blue Moon festival, Papa Smurf (Jonathan Winters, It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World) has a vision full of images too horrible to bear: a magic wand, iron cages, lots of yelling and running. Disaster is on the horizon, and it appears to be centered around Clumsy Smurf (Anton Yelchin, Hearts in Atlantis). And, indeed, Clumsy does instigate the troubles by stumbling too close to the haunt of Gargamel and leading the evil wizard straight to the Smurfs’ hidden village. In the ensuing flight to freedom, Clumsy makes a wrong turn and Papa leads a small task force to rescue him before it’s too late. But it is too late, and the lot are sucked through a vortex and into Central Park, followed closely by Gargamel, despite the fact that 94 of the 100 Smurfs did not go through the vortex and are loose in the wild.

In New York the Smurfs run across ad executive Patrick Winslow (Neil Patrick Harris, Beastly), who finds them to be a nuisance when they interrupt his work. The Smurfs just want to get home, which entails studying the stars (from the middle of New York City) and making a potion based on a Smurfs comic book. While they’re doing all this, they slowly creep into Patrick’s heart. He jams with them in an excruciating extended Guitar Hero scene complete with the Smurfs rapping along to Aerosmith’s “Walk…” I mean, “Smurf This Way.” Eventually, of course, he becomes a better man because of them, only partially because they inadvertently save his job, and he plays a small part in getting them home.

As for Gargamel, back in the cartoon days he wanted the Smurfs for one of two reasons: sometimes he wanted to eat them, other times he thought they were the key alchemic ingredient to make gold. This time, however, he wants to reduce them to their concentrated essence, which will give him the power to do…well, just about anything.

The Evidence
The Smurfs is aimed at the adults who grew up watching the cartoon, even more than their children. Thus, the film is loaded with self-referential quotes and gags. You’ve seen many of them in the trailers: they sing the Smurf song and Patrick says, “Don’t you find that just a little bit annoying?” Patrick also makes a fuss about them using the word “Smurf” for just about everything and questions the system of naming themselves after their primary characteristic. There are also plenty of pop culture references. The Smurfs “blend in” by hugging an advertisement for the Blue Man Group. They master the art of skateboarding. Smurfette is voiced by pop star Katy Perry, so naturally she says, “I kissed a Smurf…and I liked it!”

The problem isn’t the gags, per se, it’s that the gags become the movie. The thin plot is simply a frame to connect the dozens of little references and in-jokes. It makes for a very unsatisfying product.

The Smurfs featured in their first vehicle in three decades are mostly the obvious ones. Papa Smurf, Smurfette, and Brainy (Fred Armisen, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore) are all…well, no-brainers. Grouchy Smurf (George Lopez, Rio)is a bit of a mystery, and he’s not as contrarian as he used to be. Apparently he’s mellowed in the last thirty years. Clumsy is along just because he’s the catalyst for the disaster. That leaves the last of the crew, Gutsy (Alan Cumming, Burlesque). Never heard of him? That’s because he was created for this film. Why didn’t they just use Hefty Smurf, who would have filled the “fearless adventurer” role back in the day? The only reason I can think of is that someone decided that characters who speak in a Scottish brogue are very popular with the kids these days. You can probably thank Shrek.

The voice acting is respectable; I never felt that the Smurfs weren’t really doing the talking. Most of the humans are less convincing. Neil Patrick Harris channels Matthew Perry throughout most of the film, and every time he tries to hug a Smurf, it looks unnatural. Jayma Mays brings her perky Glee presence to the role of Grace and does a credible job of selling an enthusiastic, optimistic wife. Hank Azaria (Hop) has the most fun as Gargamel. He looks very much like the cartoon version, thanks to a small dose of nose prosthetics, and he cheerfully hams up every scene he’s in. His interactions with Azrael (Mr. Krinkle) are the best parts of the show. Speaking of Azrael, as long as the camera keeps its distance, the illusion of a semi-talking cat works pretty well. When they do a close-up to try to personify his expression or his actions, however, he just looks fake and creepy.

Unfortunately, director Raja Gosnell likes fast pans, which is very disorienting in a 3D film, at least if you’re sitting near the front. It took my eyes about a half-second to readjust after each one. Other than that, the 3D does a slightly better than average job. The Smurfs themselves don’t ever seem to pop out but some environments have decent effects. On the other hand, there were spans of time where taking the 3D glasses off made for a clearer picture. Don’t bother paying the extra for 3D if you can help it. The sound is likewise unimpressive. The voices come through clearly but there is little ambient noise. I never felt immersed in the world the film presented.

Like Papa Smurf, I have a vision: several months from now, around, say, Christmas shopping time, The Smurfs will become available for your home viewing pleasure, and the film’s marketing department will not miss out on the color-coordinating potential of Smurfs and Blu-ray discs. You heard it here first.

Closing Statement
The kids in the audience seemed entertained throughout, so at least the minor half of the target audience got its money’s worth. The Smurfs is simple and straightforward, and children should have no trouble figuring out the basics, even if the ad-executive subplot doesn’t have any meaning for them.

The Verdict
5/10

Horrible Bosses

OPENING: 07/08/2011

STUDIO: Warner Bros.

RUN TIME: 100 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Ever wish your boss were dead?

Opening Statement
Up until now, Seth Gordon has been best-known for his fascinating documentary The King of Kong. Now he makes his transition into traditional, mainstream filmmaking with the raunchy comedy Horrible Bosses, which proves to be one of the summer’s most entertaining comic outings in spite of its numerous flaws.

Facts of the Case
Our story concerns three male friends who are each working for employers they can’t stand. Nick Hendricks (Jason Bateman, Arrested Development) slaves tirelessly under the cruel, smug, self-serving taskmaster Dave Harken (Kevin Spacey, The Big Kahuna). Kurt Buckman (Jason Sudeikis, Hall Pass) works for the repugnant, coke-snorting sleazeball Bobby Pellitt (Colin Farrell, In Bruges). Dale Arbus (Charlie Day, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) is employed by the attractive, sexually aggressive Dr. Julia Harris (Jennifer Aniston, The Switch). Nick and Kurt fail to sympathize with Dale’s odd plight, but then Dale is a rather conservative individual who wants nothing more than to be faithful to his fiancee (Lindsay Sloane, She’s Out of My League).

After one particularly frustrating day capped by a few hours of heavy drinking, the three pals are struck with inspiration: what if they just murdered their bosses? It would solve all of their problems and make their lives considerably better. Alas, actually carrying out this devious plot proves to be far more challenging than they initially anticipated.

The Evidence
In some ways, Horrible Bosses feels like the sort of film I really shouldn’t like. It requires some of its characters to act like complete idiots in order for the film to continue, the screenwriters have no conceivable idea of how to write a credible female character, the movie frequently leans on easy shock value for laughs and the movie is rooted in the kind of frat-boy comic sensibility which won The Hangover entirely too much praise.

And yet, Horrible Bosses made me laugh quite a bit, and not just due to the cheap (but nonetheless enjoyable) pleasure of seeing actors like Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston and Colin Farrell engage in all manner of depraved villainy. There are moments of loopy inspiration littered throughout the film; delightfully off-kilter grace notes which somehow play beautifully off of the film’s broad, obvious moments. It takes a reel or two to pick up steam, but after a while the film has generated such goodwill and comic momentum that you’re even willing to chuckle at a wheezy scene in which Bateman and Sudeikis contemplate the possibility of being sexually violated in prison.

Part of what makes the film work so well is the playful chemistry between the three leads. Their distinctive screen personas play wonderfully off of each other, as Bateman’s neurotic despair, Sudeikis’s misguided bravado and Day’s dimwitted innocence create a delicious comedic cocktail. Day in particular is wonderful; bringing a reckless energy to a series of increasingly outlandish scenes (his cocaine-fueled freakout is a thing of wonder). Bateman delivers laughs of a considerably subtler variety; turning in those patented despondent facial expressions to increasingly amusing effect. The guys are all technically straight men to their crazed employers, but they manage to ensure that no one has an easy time stealing scenes from them.

Speaking of the bosses, the movie stars playing them seem to be having a grand time in their smaller-than-usual roles. Kevin Spacey probably has the most screen time, and has fun indulging that nasty Swimming with Sharks snarkiness that he can do in his sleep. Colin Farrell is equally effective with only a handful of scenes, sporting a terrifying combover, endless flop sweat and a despairing spite for his employees. Aniston is handed a preposterous character; Julia feels less like a woman than like a cartoon written by clueless men. Even so, she manages to sell the role simply with the entertaining gusto of her performance. It’s a vastly more successful attempt at re-branding for the actress than her “dark & gritty” turn a few years ago in Derailed. However, the prize for best supporting turn goes to Jamie Foxx, who turns in several of the film’s most entertaining moments and aces some of the film’s best lines. There are two jokes about Foxx’s name–the first has been spoiled in many reviews, and it’s funny, but the second is gut-bustingly hilarious. That’s the film’s splendid saving grace: the ability to generate a chuckle and then quickly transform it into a full-blown laugh. There’s also a welcome bite to much of the comedy, as this film more or less tosses aside the warm & gooey center which lies at the core of so many R-rated comedies in the Apatow era.

Closing Statement
As I indicated earlier, I could spend a good deal of time complaining about the multiple flaws Horrible Bosses has, but I really don’t want to. Warts and all, this film made me laugh as much as any other I’ve seen this year, and I left the theatre with a silly grin on my face. Easily offended viewers might want to steer clear (there were several walkouts midway through my screening), but otherwise this flick delivers a solid evening of entertainment.

The Verdict
8/10

Rio

OPENING: 04/15/2011

STUDIO: Fox

RUN TIME: 96 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
From the creators of Ice Age

Opening Statement
While Blue Sky Animation has provided top-flight animation work since their enjoyable debut feature Ice Age, their storytelling has always been a little run-of-the-mill. Sadly, that trend continues with Rio, a great-looking film with a forgettable plot and ho-hum characters.

Facts of the Case
Our central figure is a Blue Macaw (Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network) who has unfortunately been given the rather on-the-nose name of Blu. For most of his life, Blu has lived in Minnesota with his good-natured owner Linda (Leslie Mann, Funny People). One day, an ornithologist named Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro, Che) pays Linda a visit and informs her that Blu–who is the last male of his species–must come to Rio De Janeiro to mate with Jewel (Anne Hathaway, Ella Enchanted), who is the last female of the species. After coming to terms with the importance of the situation, Linda agrees to travel to Rio so Blu and Jewel can get it on.

Unfortunately, Blu and Jewel don’t really get along at first. To make matters worse, the two birds are then stolen by some human birdnappers and an evil cockatoo named Nigel (Jermaine Clement, Dinner for Schmucks). After escaping the clutches of their villainous abductors, the macaws receive assistance from a toucan named Rafael (George Lopez, The Spy Next Door), a slobbering bulldog (Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock) and two goofy music-loving birds (Jamie Foxx, Ray and Will.i.am, X-Men Origins: Wolverine). Will Blu and Jewel ever find their way home? Will they be able to continue escaping the savage Nigel? Will they fall in love somewhere along the way? Yeah, probably.

The Evidence
I realize that the folks at Blue Sky haven’t exactly demonstrated vast amounts of originality in their plotting up until now, but it seems they’ve already started borrowing from themselves. This whole “two central characters must mate or their species will become extinct” plot was the driving force of Ice Age: The Meltdown (not to mention plenty of dystopian pornography). It’s an odd idea for a children’s movie to begin with; a very odd one to use more than once. The gimmick is even less interesting this time around, serving as a springboard for a film which feels routine far too often.

There’s a brilliant animated short which precedes Rio entitled Scrat’s Continental Crackup, featuring the beloved creature from the Ice Age films. It’s a hysterical bit of cause-and-effect comedy which sets up cataclysmic events in a delightfully organic fashion. The short’s graceful execution only serves to accentuate the fairly wheezy plotting of the main feature. Far too often, it feels as if the characters are simply going through the motions because the screenwriters are forcing them to do so. Despite the fact that Blu and Linda are neurotic Americans who are a bit intimidated by the loud South American flair of Rio during Carnival, we know there’s going to be a moment near the end where both lose their inhibitions and shake their tail feathers. That’s fine, but the film doesn’t even bother to grant the characters a slow progression to that point, instead simply ordering their characters to do a complete 180-degree turn in the closing moments.

The romance between Blu and Jewel takes a similarly predictable path, as the two begin on a note of hostility, slowly begin to warm up to each other, engage in a stupid argument that leads to a stupid breakup and eventually wind up back in each other’s arms…er, wings. This romantic comedy formula is just about the most tedious cliché in the history of cinema, and yet filmmakers continue to embrace it on an alarmingly frequent basis.

Still, there are pleasures to be found in Rio, particularly in the technical department. The film is admittedly gorgeous to look at, as the animators have done a very impressive job of capturing the vibrant energy of the film’s location. Character design is excellent and there’s a lot of subtle physical comedy that works far better than much of the dialogue. I also quite enjoyed Clement’s big musical number, which offers the actor’s patented Flight of the Conchords charm (“Like an abandoned school, I have no principles,” he coos wickedly). The other numbers (chiefly performed by Foxx and Will.i.am) are less inspired, as they often resemble second-rate Black Eyed Peas tunes (“I wanna party, party, party,” goes one particularly underwhelming song).

The characters may have problems, but at least the voice work is excellent throughout. Jesse Eisenberg brings his Woody Allen-ish charm to the main character and interacts quite nicely with Hathaway (who doesn’t have many good lines but voices them with enthusiasm, anyway). Clement is delightful every time he appears (I love the way he chews on a phrase like, “bundle of burgled baubles”), while Foxx, Will.i.am and Lopez make the most of their generically wacky supporting characters. One of the best turns comes from Tracy Morgan, who brings a fun, loopy quality to his role as the slobbering bulldog. Somehow, he brings an endearing innocence to lines like, “Doesn’t watching birds fly make you want to chase them and bite their heads off?”

Closing Statement
Kids will enjoy Rio for the bright colors, cheerful music and lively pace, but most adults will find the film a little tiresome. With a creaky plot and superficial life lessons (I’m pretty sure “Get out of your shell and party” falls a few notches such old standbys as “Be yourself,” “Follow your dreams,” and “Listen to your heart”), Blue Sky’s latest only has surface-level pleasures to offer. Too bad there aren’t enough of them to make the film a rewarding experience for viewers of all ages.

The Verdict
6/10

Paul

OPENING: 03/18/2011

STUDIO: Universal Pictures

RUN TIME: 104 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Fugitive, celebrity, slacker, joker, alien.

Opening Statement
After delighting moviegoers with the wildly entertaining one-two punch of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have re-teamed for the similarly satirical sci-fi comedy Paul. Alas, the film proves a huge step down for the duo.

Facts of the Case
Graham (Pegg) and Clive (Frost) are two English buddies on holiday in the United States. After enjoying a few days at the San Diego Comic-Con, the pair plans to hit the road in their RV and check out the locations of famous “alien sightings.” Though both men believe quite strongly in the existence of aliens, they’re nonetheless startled to actually encounter one in real life.

The alien’s name is Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen, Knocked Up), and he looks like a stereotypical amalgam of every Hollywood alien you’ve ever seen. That’s largely due to the fact that Paul has been around since the 1940s, and those who have glimpsed him have incorporated elements of his features into various aspects of pop culture. Paul’s assimilated a good deal of pop culture himself, frequently referencing his favorite movies and music (not to mention smoking, drinking and swearing like a space sailor).

After an awkward “getting to know you” period, Graham and Clive agree to allow Paul to accompany them on their journey. Along the way, they encounter a bible-thumping redneck (John Carroll Lynch, Zodiac), a non-bible thumping redneck (David Koechner, The Office), a timid creationist (Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live), some bumbling federal agents (including Bill Hader, Superbad and Jason Bateman, Arrested Development), a respected sci-fi writer (Jeffrey Tambor, Hellboy) a powerful bureaucrat (Sigourney Weaver, Alien), a friendly waitress (Jane Lynch, Glee) and others.

The Evidence
If nothing else, Paul serves as a sharp demonstration of just how gifted writer/director Edgar Wright is. Though Wright had nothing to do with the film, it’s clear that the seemingly unstoppable team of Pegg and Frost is reduced considerably without Wright at the helm. The infectious energy and ferocious wit of Wright’s Pegg n’ Frost films are gone, replaced with a good deal of aimless raunchiness, clumsy gags and sloppy storytelling.

Still, Paul seems like it ought to be a lot of fun. In addition to a screenplay written by Pegg and Frost, the film is helmed by Greg Motolla (who gave us the entertaining Superbad and the surprisingly moving Adventureland) and boasts a large cast of very funny people. There are so many things about Paul that probably looked great on paper which simply don’t add up to much in the film.

During some scenes, Paul feels like a movie that never really got past the conceptual stage. The notion of a comedy about an alien who has influenced every element of alien pop culture in recent decades is a potential comedic goldmine, but Paul is content to make some obvious Spielberg references and leave it at that. For that matter, most of the movie’s sci-fi references tend to be pretty obvious (when the guys enter a bar, the band is playing a country & western version of the Cantina music from Star Wars). The film desperately wants to be regarded as a hip celebration of geek culture, but its insistence on being so inclusive prevents that. Being aware of famous moments in Star Wars, E.T. and Star Trek hardly qualifies one as a nerd.

Another idea that probably looked great on paper: creating a comedy about two frightened Brits enduring the horrors of America. Paul presents us as a nation of right-wing, idiotic, tobacco-chewing, gun-loving, power-hungry religious zealots. Which, uh, is fair enough, I guess. There’s fun to be had in looking at the less savory parts of America through the eyes of outsiders, but all of the American characters are presented as such simplistic, one-note cartoons that the whole joke loses its steam very quickly. The film isn’t as much a skewering of American culture as it is a story made up by someone who heard about America from a friend of a friend a few years ago. Alas, we’re a million miles from the delightful sting of In the Loop.

Perhaps the biggest problem is that the central characters just aren’t that interesting. Pegg and Frost aren’t interacting with each other so much as they are with the CGI alien, and they have a tough time generating genuine chemistry with him. Speaking of which, choosing Seth Rogen to voice the title character was a bad idea. Rogen’s cinematic persona is so well-established at this point that we know pretty much everything about Paul within a few minutes of meeting him, and Rogen’s distinctive bark becomes grating rather quickly. I think Rogen is a talented guy, but we either need a break from him for a while or he needs to try tackling more projects that push him out of his comfort zone.

The supporting cast is loaded with talented folks, and we smile when we see most of them appear. Unfortunately, too many of them aren’t given anything to do–Jane Lynch, John Carroll Lynch and Sigourney Weaver in particular are completely wasted. Kristen Wiig has fun playing a character who transforms from timid Christian to foul-mouthed rebel, but after a while she’s forced to repeat the same joke over and over again (she’s new to swearing, so she uses foul language in a variety of unusual ways). Only Bill Hader manages to both receive a decent character and find a way to keep that character interesting for the duration of his screen time.

When the film arrives at its warm and gooey final reel, the effect is rather strange: the “character development” up to this point has been so thin and cartoonish that the movie’s attempt at sincerity feels like a joke. To watch these scenes and feel nothing is to realize just how ineffective Paul is at achieving what it seemingly set out to accomplish.

Closing Statement
In fairness, it should be noted that there are a handful of laughs to be had, along with a handful of genuinely clever sight gags and throwaway lines. Still, these moments only come along just often enough to remind us how much better this could have been had the screenplay been through another draft or two (or three or four). Here’s hoping Pegg and Frost are back in fine form their next time around.

The Verdict
5/10

Rango

OPENING: 03/04/2011

STUDIO: Paramount Pictures

RUN TIME: 107 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Johnny Depp is Rango

Opening Statement
After helming the first three installments of the wildly popular Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Director Gore Vebinski tackles his first animated feature, bringing the voice talents of Pirates star Johnny Depp along with him. The result is a fun, frisky, visually inventive film that manages to avoid the usual animation-flick conventions.

Facts of the Case
Our hero is a lizard (Johnny Depp, From Hell) named… well, we’re not exactly sure what his name is. But he’s a lizard, he lives in a glass tank and he spends his days participating in some sort of paranoid-schizophrenic community theatre with a variety of inanimate objects. One day, the lizard is flung from his tank into the middle of a dusty road. Suddenly, he finds himself alone in an unfamiliar world. With the aid of an armadillo (Alfred Molina, Spider-Man 2) and a terse female lizard named Beans (Isla Fisher, Wedding Crashers), our protagonist finally makes it to the little town of Dirt.

Because no one in Dirt knows the lizard, the little green guy decides to create a new identity for himself. From now on, he will be known as Rango, the roughest, toughest gunslinger in the west. Alas, with such claims inevitably come fights with bad guys. Despite the fact that he’s in way over his head, Rango is determined to tackle his new challenge. Not only will he take on the bad guys; he’ll work to figure out why Dirt’s precious water supply has disappeared.

The Evidence
I really dig Rango, but I’m not sure that you will. Permit me to explain myself. I enjoyed Gore Verbinski’s first Pirates of the Caribbean installment, but I think that series got better in its second and third installments. That’s largely because Verbinski grew less interested in plotting and more interested in exploring his flights of loopy imagination. The third film’s trippy “Multiple Jacks” sequence was a high point of the series for me, but others found it an incredibly irritating bit of self-indulgence. Your feelings towards that sequence may very well inform your feelings towards Rango, which basically picks up where the “Multiple Jacks” sequence left off.

What a weird little movie this is. The plot is simple – too simple, it could be argued – an easily digestible variation on Chinatown with a tortoise played by Ned Beatty replacing John Huston’s Noah Cross. The plot only exists to set up Verbinski’s exercises in visual lunacy, as the director starts with a foundation built by Sergio Leone and goes haywire from there. In one sequence, Verbinski incorporates elements of both Apocalypse Now and 2001: A Space Odyssey in a large-scale action set piece involving a character in drag battling a horde of angry moles riding bats.

If that sounds tedious on paper, be assured that it’s thrilling in execution. The countless movie references present in Rango aren’t wearisome attempts at injecting some pop culture pizzazz into the proceedings (I’m looking at you, Shark Tale). This is a movie madly in love with movies, and it references old Clint Eastwood flicks not to be cute but rather in an attempt to create an experience that generates a similar spine-tingling kick. Rango’s love of cinema extends even further – it could be argued that the film is one which takes place entirely in the head of a movie junkie; a world filled with residents who worship a great movie star. No, really.

The film is largely a fast-paced experience, filled with busy action scenes and lots of physical comedy, but it does have a few serene moments of quiet beauty. While I really appreciated the understated moments, the busy scenes certainly have plenty of fun stuff to offer. While action scenes often feel obligatory in children’s movies, Verbinski loads this movie with so many visual treats that we’re never bored. The film also demonstrates an eagerness to entertain that’s reminiscent of Mel Brooks at times; throwing up one quick joke after another. Some are corny and some are groan-worthy, but they’re delivered so cheerfully and in such quick succession that you’re bound to start giggling after a while.

The voice work is uniformly solid, with Depp in an enjoyably manic turn that veers between Kermit the Frog-style yelps and lusty, deep-throated growls. Old pros like Alfred Molina, Ned Beatty, Bill Nighy, Harry Dean Stanton, Ray Winstone and Stephen Root bring color and gravitas to the gruff supporting cast, while Isla Fisher and Abigail Breslin bring youthful energy to the film’s principle female characters. The character design is absolutely terrific throughout, as the filmmakers seem less interested in creating plastic toys for happy meals than in designing grizzled beasts you can’t take your eyes off of. The cast isn’t very cuddly, but then that’s the case in most westerns.

Most animated flicks these days attempt to offer entertainment for viewers of all ages, but Rango is one of the few likely to play better for adults that it will for children. Young kids will appreciate the film’s energy, but it’s doubtful they’ll grasp its often-subversive wit. Parents may want to take the “Parental Guidance” rating a bit more seriously this time around, as the film features a greater level of innuendo, macabre humor and violence than the majority of animated films (characters are actually killed from time to time). The kids at my screening certainly enjoyed it, even if they did leave the screening quoting lines like, “Can I gut-shoot somebody?”

Closing Statement
While Rango does offer a simple and predictable plot, almost everything else about the movie feels fresh and offbeat. Whether or not you have kids to bring along, this one is well worth checking out.

The Verdict
9/10

Hall Pass

OPENING: 02/25/2011

STUDIO: New Line Cinema

RUN TIME: 105 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Good for one week off marriage.

Opening Statement
How does one talk about a Farrelly brother’s movie? Particularly one as crass, vulgar and downright disgraceful as Hall Pass? Never before have I seen a film go to such great (and perverse) lengths to draw laughs. Actually, the last time a film truly shocked me in such a way was 1996’s There’s Something About Mary – which, if you recall, the Farrelly brothers also helmed. Since viewing Hall Pass two days ago I’ve tried to explain some of the funnier scenes to friends and family and fail to draw a laugh every time. This is a film that relies strictly on shock humor as a means of entertainment. To say I liked it would place me in a category beyond moronic; to say I disliked it would be a lie.

Facts of the Case
Husbands Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis) are granted one week off from marriage by their wives Maggie (Jenna Fischer) and Grace (Christina Applegate) due to the men’s constant belief that marriage precludes them from having sex with other “more attractive” women. Together Rick and Fred venture into the wild and attempt to prove their masculinity before time runs out. The experience gives them a chance to discover more about themselves and the importance of marriage, wives and family.

The Evidence
Like Adam Sandler’s recent Just Go with It, Hall Pass contains a plentitude of laughs jam packed within a poorly executed narrative. Perhaps a chance existed at one point to make a smart, thoughtful film along the lines of, say, Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up. But the Farrelly brothers refuse to play it straight, choosing instead to pile on the vulgarities as though an absurd amount of vagina jokes would somehow place them back into Hollywood’s good graces. Did they learn nothing from The Heartbreak Kid?

The Farrellys understand the value of shock humor. The nudity and flatulence jokes may seem hyperbole, and, to some, unnecessary, but Hall Pass succeeds mainly because Peter and Bobby Farrelly resist the urge to cater to humanity. The film reeks of the same shit it throws at its bathroom walls; it’s gross, perverse, disgusting and ridiculously obscene. But damn is it funny.

Since their breakout hit, 1994’s Dumb and Dumber (a minor classic in the Ames household), the Farrelly brothers’ track record has consisted of strong hits and disappointing misses. For every Kingpin (1996) or Shallow Hal (2001) lays a Stuck on You (2003), or Me, Myself and Irene (2000). Hall Pass does not return the Farrellys to the high form of their early years, but it works better than most of their recent ventures.

Watching Hall Pass I was reminded of the great Mel Brooks (at least in his heyday). His comedies, even the classic Young Frankenstein, required patience to appreciate. Brooks didn’t go for laugh-a-minute sketches, or wild comedy routines, but instead spent twenty minutes or so setting up one or two jokes that paid off in a large way. The Farrellys follow a similar tactic, and so their films’ success lies on whether or not the “big payoff” adequately fulfills its job. To that end, Hall Pass succeeds.

Yet, big laughs aside, the remainder of the film falls flat. Brooks wisely incorporated interesting characters to hold his audience at bay until he unveiled his big moment. Hall Pass stars a miscast Owen Wilson and the rather unfunny Jason Sudeikis (of TVs “SNL”), both of whom try hard for laughs, but fail on almost every level. Tellingly, most of the laughs come courtesy of non-essential side characters (Richard Jenkins, anyone?), or crude body parts that appear suddenly onscreen. It’s called shock and awe people.

Ironically, for a male driven movie, it’s the female characters that end up stealing the show. Jenna Fischer, the wide-eyed, quick witted “The Office” beauty, struts her stuff and looks terrific despite an underwritten role. Her line deliveries are sometimes a little flat, but the actress remains a remarkable screen presence.

Ditto for Christina Applegate; a true comedy talent if there ever was one. Out of everyone in the film it is she who best fits within the Farrelly brothers’ world. The actress knows how far to take a joke, and when to pull back the reigns. A moment late in the film between her character and a slightly naive younger man contains ample doses of humor and pathos mainly because Applegate plays the scene to wide-eyed perfection. Her acting skills have only increased with age. She deserves better.

Despite its blemishes, Hall Pass remains a film I will recommend if only because when it hits, it hits better than most. The story, while predictable, remains sweet, which cancels out the film’s otherwise crude complexion. I remember watching The Hangover and feeling exhausted by the time it ended; fed up with the language, and raunchiness of its leading men. Hall Pass may exude the same raunchy style, but only in spades. Don’t get me wrong, this is still a Farrelly brother’s movie, but one coated with innocence and naïveté. (Shrugs.)

I guess in the end it all comes down to the crowd. You can tell when a comedy of this nature works because the audience will openly express themselves.

So did Hall Pass work? Well, the people at my showing repeatedly lambasted the screen with shouts of “Oh hell no!” and stunned exclamations of “Holy mother of God!”

I’d call that a big yes.

Closing Statement
Hall Pass may be too crude for some, but for those who can stomach the Farrelly brothers’ latest gross out comedy, hilarity awaits.

The Verdict
7/10

Certifiably Jonathan

OPENING: 02/11/2011

STUDIO: FilmDada

RUN TIME: 88 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
A famous comedian and artist wants to display his work at an art museum. Just when he thinks he’s lost his touch, a series of famous comedians drop by to help him rekindle his artistic and comedic spark.

Opening Statement
Comedy is subjective. Everyone has their own things that they find hilarious, whether it be a kick in the groin, a pie in the face or a well-placed pause. To add to that, comedy depends on your understanding; what you’ve experienced, the things you’ve seen, heard, and learned will determine whether or not you will find it funny for someone with a cart full of corpses to cry “Bring out your dead!” On top of all that, comedy is generational. The subtle comedy of the Marx Bros and Charlie Chaplin may not be grasped by the kids who laugh at the over the head beating Will Farrell or Dane Cook gives you. The mockumentary “Certifiably Jonathan” is about Jonathan Winters, a now 80-year-old comedian who’s been doing his thing for over 50 years. He is whom many comedians today consider the original improviser. Most of the comedians who are the big box office draws today owe Jonathan a big debt of gratitude. Including Robin Williams. Especially Robin Williams. This little film will help to make anyone, from any walk of life, background or generation realize that Jonathan Winters is a treasure.

Facts of the Case
Certifiably Jonathan is a comedy that weaves in and out of the bipolar world of Jonathan Winters. He is a comedian who may also be a gifted painter (more on that later). He has dreams of having his work in the Museum of Modern Art. The filmmakers become part of the film and show Jonathan’s work to a famous art critic who believes Jonathan is the missing link between Miro and Dali. The critic convinces the MOMA to give Jonathan a show if he can paint three all new pictures. Jonathan launches into a creative frenzy, but disaster strikes when his favorite painting, along with his sense of humor, is stolen. Without his humor, for some reason, Jonathan can’t paint and is about to lose the opportunity of a lifetime. So he sets out on a quest to get his mojo back.

The Evidence
This film, for the first thirty minutes anyways, had me going that it was a little bit real. After that, the twists and turns the film takes make it abundantly clear that the story and everyone in it is just trying to pull a fast one. I seriously wonder, with such a manic personality as Mr. Winters, if anything else was ever feasible for the filmmakers. It was hard enough for them to keep him focused on one subject for 30 seconds, let alone 80 minutes, even if that subject was Winters himself. It would have been interesting to hear what brought him to attempt this type of spitfire comedy, to hear who influenced him and to see if there actually is anything abnormal with a mind like his who can work on fifty different levels at once. Alas, we are given instead a compilation of vignettes with various comics in an almost sit-com like situation. The movie also back handedly shows us where Robin Williams got his shtick from. In the scenes where we see both Jonathan and Robin do their thing, they have the same type of hyper energy and can go from suicide to Benihana to the Louve in a matter of seconds. It’s almost dizzying. Both of them had worked together before on the ’70s show Mork and Mindy. It was on this show that I was introduced to both of them and now, after seeing this film, I want to go back and see what Robin Williams’ comedy was like before he met Winters.

There is a veritable cornucopia of comedians that get paraded through this film including Tim Conway, Jim Carrey, Sarah Silverman, all the Arquettes, Jimmy Kimmel, Nora Dunn, Howie Mandel and Rob Reiner. All of them get their moment to try and help Jonathan get his sense of humor back in their own unique way. The ruse that propels the majority of this film is that idea about the pending Museum show and that a witchdoctor attacked Jonathan in a bathroom stall and stole his “funny.” This happens concurrently with another ruse that someone came into a small gallery where Winters’ paintings were hanging and stole not just any painting– Jonathan’s favorite painting. Both of these plotlines lead only to try and add some sort of obstacle and tension to the otherwise failing story. It’s cheap, but again, I wonder how long the filmmakers tried to do a conventional documentary before they threw their hands in the air and went for this narrative line instead.

Closing Statement
Jim Pasternak, the director and writer, is profoundly stringing along the narrative and winding it around Jonathan as needs be. He directs from in front of the camera, more to give Jonathan a straight man to play off of then anything else, even though he barely gets to say anything. The downfall of the movie is that it is unreal–which is timely taking into consideration the various is-it true-or-is-it made-up documentaries we had last year. However, I do believe that the paintings that the movie purports Mr. Winters paints actually are his. But how am I supposed to know that for sure? When everything else is a sham, what’s to say this is true? It’s a shame really, because the paintings are very unique and often beautiful, just like the ramblings of the painter himself.

The Verdict
8/10

The Dilemma

OPENING: 01/14/2011

STUDIO: Imagine Entertainment

RUN TIME: 112 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Two best friends. Nothing could come between them … or could it?

Opening Statement
Comedies are a hard breed to critique. I’m of the mindset that if they make you laugh they’ve done their job, which is why I’m a bit of a softie when it comes to Adam Sandler flicks. Yeah, they’re stupid but at least they deliver on their promise.

However, there exists a comedy sub-genre, consisting of the films that attempt to tackle a serious subject, but do so in a quirky, even offbeat manner. Films like As Good As It Gets, Knocked Up and, more recently, Funny People, are fine examples of this type–thought provoking, but ultimately hilarious films that tickle the mind, body and heart.

And so we arrive at Ron Howard’s The Dilemma, a funny but ultimately messy relationship comedy that fails as a film, but still offers plenty of laughs to merit a look or two.

Facts of the Case
Vince Vaughn and Kevin James star as Ronny Valentine and Nick Brannen, two lifelong buddies who love and respect one another–for better or worse–despite their unique differences.

Their relationship hits a sour note, however, when Ronny spots Nick’s wife Geneva (Winona Ryder) lip-locking with another man (Channing Tatum). A dilemma ensues: how do you tell your best friend that his wife is cheating on him? More importantly, when do you tell him? Certainly not amidst the most ambitious move of Nick and Ronny’s career involving an auto manufacturing company, and certainly not on the eve of Ronny’s planned proposal to long-time sweetheart Beth (a stunning Jennifer Connelly).

Attempts to resolve the situation only make matters worse, and Ronny soon finds his friendship with Nick, his career and marriage all on the line; all because of one little dilemma.

The Evidence
The Dilemma is a pretty damned funny film. By no surprise, Vaughn runs away with the entire production, what with his high-speed wit, and deft comic timing. Simply put, this is the actor’s best role in some time. By that I mean The Dilemma presents him with a chance to show off his more complex side. He cracks jokes, sure, but he also displays a quieter, darker demeanor, one that suggests a boiling temperament lurking beneath that plumpy, stuffed bear appearance. I liked Ronny, but only because I like Vaughn. His actions may be fully erratic, and slightly demented (he tries to capture the adulterers by snapping pictures outside their bedroom window), but due to Vaughn’s likeable charisma you hardly notice.

Unfortunately, Howard and co. cannot keep their film from bursting apart at the seams. Storylines intertwine, and practically strangle one another; characters, such as Ryder’s slightly demented Geneva, lack substance, or believable motivations. The entire production builds to a roundtable discussion that should’ve been funnier than it was, and lacks the sharp wit of, say, Norman Jewison’s Moonstruck. Howard and his writer Allen Loeb can’t decide if their making a comedy, a drama, or both, and so we get a comedy with some odd dramatic bits, or a drama with off-color humor. You decide.

That said, I laughed quite a bit at the proceedings. As situations intensify, and as Ronny’s predicament worsens, The Dilemma becomes more hysterical. With another 15-minutes or so to work with, Howard might have pulled it all together. As is, The Dilemma affords a good time, even if the end results are surely lacking.

I’m reminded of EdTV, Howard’s most recent comedy (not counting The Grinch, which was more headache inducing than funny) starring Matthew McConaughey (back when he, you know, actually acted) and Jenna Elfman. That film also struggled under the intricacies that Howard, for whatever reason, insists on bringing to the table. Indeed, Howard is at his best when he plays it straight – Apollo 13, Splash, Cocoon, and Parenthood – and tells simple stories/fantasies about uncomplicated human beings. His lesser efforts, namely EdTV, Backdraft, Far and Away and those Ron Brown adaptations, suffer because they try to do– and say–too much.

The Dilemma doesn’t quite hit the lows of Howard’s misfires, if only because Vaughn refuses to surrender, but it never reaches the highs of his greatest hits collection either. I’ll recommend it if only because as a comedy it gets the job done. Just don’t expect anything more.

On a final note, I should mention Kevin James and Jennifer Connelly. Both do their best with underwritten supporting roles. James displays sure-footedness in a fairly serious role, a trait lacking in those silly Adam Sandler productions in which he merely plays the bumbling fat guy. Connelly quietly unleashes her customary sexuality, even if her role calls for little more than an overabundance of sorrowful glances. The actress looks better with age, but deserves something juicier than the numerous one-dimensional roles she’s been handed ever since winning her Oscar for A Beautiful Mind (directed by Ron Howard, no less).

The rest of the cast, particularly Tatum, and an under-used Queen Latifah, provide a few quick laughs in bit cameo roles; whilst Ryder, looking more haggard than usual, does little besides lurk in the background casting hateful faces at Vaughn and company–although a bit in which she “acts” out her confession is alarmingly creepy. Her character should’ve been the lead in Season of the Witch.

What else can be said? Howard has done much better in the past. So has most everyone involved, except for Vaughn, who is the only one in the entire production that truly knows what funny is.

Closing Statement
The Dilemma returns director Ron Howard to the genre he does best–comedy–but fails to maintain a consistent tone throughout; instead filling the screen with an overabundance of characters and situations that never truly mesh. Still, a go-for-broke Vince Vaughn performance provides solid laughs, and almost saves the production. Almost.

The Verdict
7/10

The King’s Speech

OPENING: 12/10/2010

STUDIO: Weinstein Company

RUN TIME: 118 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
When God couldn’t save The King, The Queen turned to someone who could.

Opening Statement
I suppose it would be easy enough to simply dismiss Tom Hooper’s The King’s Speech as shameless Oscar bait based on its subject matter. A story about an English monarch attempting to overcome a disability? If that isn’t the sort of thing awards voters salivate over, I don’t know what is. However, truth in reporting requires me to inform you that the inevitable Oscar nominations will be well deserved, as The King’s Speech proves a skillfully crafted, moving and surprisingly entertaining film.

Facts of the Case
Prince Albert, the Duke of York (Colin Firth, A Single Man) has been attempting to overcome a considerable stammer ever since childhood. He’s seen a variety of doctors and specialists, none of whom have been able to provide him with a solution. Just when Albert is on the verge of giving up hope, his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter, Big Fish) introduces him to a new therapist. Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl) takes a dramatically new approach to the problem, demanding to be regarded as Albert’s equal during their sessions (casually calling him “Bertie” rather than the traditional “your highness”) and attempting to explore deeply personal parts of his new patient’s past. Though Albert bristles at this approach early on, he agrees to continue seeing Lionel after making surprising progress during their first session. As the Duke of York eventually takes his place as King George VI and a second world war looms on the horizon, Lionel attempts to help Albert develop the ability to speak to the nation with confidence.

The Evidence
One can certainly see why Albert Frederick Arthur George was so hesitant to accept his role as King of the United Kingdom. In that position, he could do little in terms of taking political action to help lead the country through a difficult time; he could only lead and inspire the nation with his words. Alas, words were the one thing Albert found it immensely difficult to produce. He was England’s symbolic ruler rather than its actual one, and as such he was required to be an exceptional symbol. The King’s Speech frames the story of his therapy as more than simply a man’s personal journey to overcome a speech impediment; the morale of the nation rests on his ability to speak with authority and conviction. What would the people have thought upon hearing a king nervously stammer his way through a speech on the eve of war?

And yet, for all the weighty context placed upon this tale, at its core the film is really the intimate story of a developing friendship between two very different men. Such relationships were at the core of Tom Hooper’s HBO miniseries John Adams (which explores the occasionally hostile yet ultimately tender relationship between Adams and Thomas Jefferson) and his film The Damned United (which offers a look at the exasperating yet lovely friendship between coach Brian Clough and his assistant Peter Taylor). The King’s Speech may be his most successful examination of such a relationship to date.

For the most part, Albert comes across as a likable sort of man. He’s a loving husband and father and has a good sense of humor. However, he’s gone through life with a silver spoon in his mouth, and there are unpleasant, deep-rooted reflexes that occasionally pop up when Lionel undercuts his sense of royalty. It takes considerable courage for Lionel to risk the biggest job of his career in the name of effective treatment, and similar courage for Albert to put down his guard and permit this uninhibited outsider to explore very private areas of his life. The scenes of give-and-take between the royal monarch and the humble therapist are touching, but the screenplay’s considerable wit and Lionel’s perpetual irreverence prevent these scenes from ever becoming saccharine.

The film is loaded with talented actors (Helena Bonham Carter, Timothy Spall, Guy Pearce, Michael Gambon, Derek Jacobi), but most of the weight is carried by Firth and Rush. The former is superbly cast as the titular king, as the actor has always been terrific at essaying characters who seem unable to comfortably express their feelings. Firth provides a more external, literal variation on this idea and aces it; perfectly capturing the occasional fits of rage and the quieter moments of reflection. The actor so effectively depicts Albert’s difficulty that his moments of triumph have a huge impact. Rush seems to be having a splendid time in his role, seeming both playfully antagonistic and genuinely sympathetic during his interactions with Firth. Lionel gets many of the film’s most memorable lines and Rush doesn’t miss a beat on any of them. I loved the inclusion of few scenes depicting Lionel’s domestic life, too, as they tenderly suggest that he has his own collection of unrealized dreams.

The film chooses King George’s 1939 address to the nation on the outbreak of war as its climax, which provides Hooper with the opportunity to stage a tremendous sequence. With simultaneous subtlety and clarity, Hooper, Firth and Rush work together to weave threads from the entire film into this crucial moment. The film blatantly wears its heart on its sleeve at this point, but it’s earned the right to. It’s difficult to complain about a film tying things up in a neat little bow when the bow is as elegantly tied as this.

Closing Statement
The King’s Speech may be Oscar bait, but it isn’t stuffy or pretentious. This is a lovely, superbly crafted, immensely enjoyable movie that’s well worth your time. Hats off to all involved in this splendid production.

The Verdict
10/10

I Love You, Phillip Morris

OPENING: 12/03/2010

STUDIO: Roadside Attractions

RUN TIME: 93 min.

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Do some time with the one you love.

Opening Statement
Finally! After nearly two years of legal wrangling, I Love You, Phillip Morris has now been released in the United States. Despite glowing praise from the few critics who had seen it prior and an international release already making up for its 13 million dollar budget, we are now being treated to a limited release this holiday season. However, this shouldn’t deter you from seeing what may very well be the finest comedy of 2010.

Facts Of The Case
Not to be confused with the tobacco magnate, Phillip Morris is based on an incredible, yet completely true story of one Steven Jay Russell (Jim Carrey, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind), a clever con artist who would ultimately escape from prison four times. Russell will tell you it was all in the name of love…though not for his deeply religious wife Debbie (Leslie Mann, Knocked Up), whom he has a daughter with. Throughout the marriage, Steven has been secretly living a double life as a gay man; after coming out, he moves to Florida to be with his lover, but his addiction to the high life leads to credit card fraud.

Eventually Steven is busted and sent to prison, where he meets the love of his life: Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor, The Ghost Writer), a blue-eyed lad doing a stretch for grand theft auto. Romance blossoms between them, particularly after Steven manages to be transferred to Phillip’s cell. When Steven is released, he promises he will help Phillip get by pretending to be his lawyer. Somehow he succeeds, resulting in the couple settling in Texas. Steven wants to get everything for Phillip, so he finds himself continuing his charade as an attorney, winning a few cases and racking up some cash. Then Steven talks his way into a law firm, becoming the chief financial officer…and spots an opportunity to get rich again.

The Evidence
Sometimes a film can become a victim of poor distribution deals. While many believe Phillip Morris was held up because of worry over its content, there were at least four dates set for release but, for whatever reason, the distributer never delivered. As a result, the film was unfairly shelved while Europe was embracing it with open arms. Regardless, it still doesn’t erase the fact that this is a blazingly original, boisterous triumph of a comedy. Seriously, there are more laughs in this film than The Other Guys, Dinner For Schmucks and Date Night combined. How do you like them apples, honey?

I Love You, Phillip Morris is written and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, who also wrote the gleefully raunchy Bad Santa with Billy Bob Thornton. While the aforementioned flick is an extreme black comedy, Phillip Morris is an oddball delight, a rich soufflé of spontaneity and surprise. It’s also strangely sincere, even touching at times. In general, we are not supposed to care about the characters in a comedy due to the heightened plot dynamics and sometimes excessive exaggerations in the margins. Phillip Morris is a unique exception to this rule; the characters harbor an unusual amount of depth, the performances are terrific and—most importantly—the story is much too outlandish to be labeled as fiction. (The real-life Steven Jay Russell, by the way, is currently serving a 144-year sentence in a Texas prison, confined to a small cell for 23 hours each day.)

Ficarra & Requa not only strike gold in the characterizations (no stereotypes to be found here, trust me), but also the raucously funny dialogue. These lines sound real, not manufactured, and they build naturally out of the situations. The first golf sequence, where Steven must fool his bosses into thinking he can actually play and be part of the all-exclusive men’s club (all the while attempting to hide his sexuality), is a perfect example. After finally getting his ball out of a sand trap—spouting multiple profanities in the process, including one involving a “flaming fist”—Steven apologizes by saying, “Pardon my French! My mother smoked during pregnancy!” Another hilarious moment is when, after embezzling his firm, Steven informs Phillip they got a healthy Christmas bonus…in the middle of July! As for Steven’s voice-over narration (always a difficult script device), it works here because it allows us to understand what makes him tick even while uncontrollably generating a whirlpool of lies, ultimately leading to his drowning. Audiences will indeed be shocked by the final fifteen minutes, taking a sharp left turn in tone, yet never leaving reality behind.

This has been a good year for Ewan McGregor, initially scoring as the title character in Roman Polanski’s delicious thriller The Ghost Writer. As Phillip Morris, the Scottish actor hits all the right notes, while also sporting a deep Southern drawl, imbuing his character with a genuine sense of warmth and boyish charm. As for the always-likable Leslie Mann, aka Mrs. Judd Apatow, her character (unfortunately) exits a bit too early; nonetheless, she exhibits her recognizable flair in every single one of her scenes. Still, it’s Jim Carrey who shines, and he’s as bright as he’s ever been. His rubber-faced, butt-talking days may be gone for good, but he’s an absolute joy to watch here, possibly his best turn to date. Vibrancy, not silliness, is Carrey’s comic fuel here, and he makes Steven winningly three-dimensional without sliding into creepiness or becoming a caricature. Sure, Carrey always knows how to tell a joke (good or bad), but his flamboyant nature—sprinkled with just the right amount of pathos—results in a knockout performance.

Closing Statement
Hilarious, razor-sharp, and even heartwarming, I Love You Phillip Morris is highly recommended. Carrey and McGregor are at the top of their games, and the dynamic duo of Glenn Ficarra & John Requa deliver another comedy worthy of all the accolades it can get, despite the inane delay in its release.

The Verdict
9/10