Category Archives: Comedy Reviews

Apr 19 2012

Bridesmaids

Viewed – 18 April 2012  Blu-ray

On first hearing of this, I passed it off as a cash-in on the success of The Hangover movies, but from a female perspective.  And although during the awards season this was getting almost as much press as the likes of The Artist and Hugo, I still wasn’t convinced.  Kristen Wiig (Paul, Saturday Night Live) plays a down-on-her look woman who is given the responsibility of being the Maid Of Honour at her best friend’s upcoming wedding.  Taking the role on with passion, she soon finds her life turned upside down as a result, and events quickly start to spiral out of control.

Now what surprised me with this one, was that going into it I was expecting a mildly funny, tiolet-humour based comedy with lots of swearing and crude gags.  It has all that in spades, but what it also has is genuine heart and emotion, mostly down to Kristen Wiig’s character’s rocky love life and the heart-warming friendship she has with the bride to be, that are both touching and believable.  This is a movie that is much more than the sum of its parts.  It’s not just a comedy, it’s not just about a wedding … it’s incredibly feel good, well acted and full of great lines, great characters and great moments (the dress fitting, anyone?).  Supporting cast members Chris O’Dowd and Rose Byrne especially shine, and Wiig continues to be one of the best female comedy stars around, carrying the movie with real panache.

Of course it’s not perfect, with a pointless Matt (Little Britain) Lucas cameo and some of the comedy gets a tad OTT, but as a movie that gave me the impression it was one thing, then turned out to be so much more – I came away shouting its praises to anyone willing to listen.  Simply brilliant.

Verdict:  5 /5

Apr 14 2012

Bad Teacher

Viewed – 13 April 2012  Blu-ray

Cameron Diaz for me has always been a rather underrated comedy talent.  Her break-out role in Jim Carrey’s The Mask remained memorable for more than just her perfect body in a figure hugging dress … and she cemented this glimpse of comedy in two Charlies Angels movies and of course There’s Something About Mary.  Yet this is one of her few leading roles, so can she carry a comedy by herself?  Let’s see…

She plays a junior-high school teacher who quits her job to marry a millionaire and is seemingly set for life.  That is until she is dumped on the eve of her wedding and has to return to teaching with her tail between her legs.  Hell bent on bagging the next rich man she can find, she soon attracts the jealousy of a rival teacher, and a battle of wits ensues.

Cameron is a foul-mouthed, pot smoking car-crash of a character and her mission is both sad and funny.  Her surrounding cast members (including Justin Timberlake) all play rather bizarre caricatures of squeaky clean teachers and fail to be anywhere approaching real.  Which of course makes Diaz’s character stick out like a sore thumb, firing off some quality comedy-swearing that often made me laugh out loud.  However, the story is nothing we haven’t seen done before and the likable gym-teacher love interest (Jason Segel) causes the story to become very predictable.  Yet this is energetic and fun, crude in places but also quite charming at times.  I wouldn’t say hurry to watch … but if you’re stuck for something, this passes the time well enough.

Verdict: 3 /5

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Mar 28 2012

Annie Hall

Viewed – 28 March 2012  Blu-ray

I went through a phase in the nineties of being really into the films of Woody Allen, and none more so than this 1977 Oscar-winning relationship comedy.  Allen plays struggling stand-up comedienne Alvy Singer who through the movie narrates the on off romance he has with Annie (Diane Keaton), a carefree, happy-go-lucky nightclub singer who Alvy at times adores, is annoyed by, and also finds irresistible … and it’s not hard to see why.

The movie is not your straight forward boy-meets-girl love story however, but more a satirical look at a very believable relationship, through its ups and downs, break-ups, make-ups and everything in between.  For me it remains Woody Allen’s most perfectly written, cleverly played out and engrossing movie he’s made.  Some I think don’t always get Allen’s brand of angst-ridden, nervous humour, and although it’s rarely laugh-out-loud, it has a charm to it he’s carried throughout his career, which is one reason why he still manages to turn critics heads and get rave reviews to this day (Midnight In Paris, for example).  Here though he’s at his inventive best, offering to the camera anecdotes, inventive use of split-screen, animation and just plain clever-ass dialogue that references everything from Groucho Marx to the JFK assassination, and kept this viewer smiling.  Performances are also first class, especially from a captivating Keaton, who sparks brilliantly off Allen’s at times motor-mouthed, scatter-shot version of himself.  The movie has been cited as being semi-autobiographical, an easy thing to believe considering Keaton & Allen’s real-life relationship, that spawned a succesful on-screen partnership until they parted ways years later.

Annie Hall for me is the best movie ever made about a single relationship, and captures the complexity, the fun and the sadness just right.  One of my all-time favourite movies, and watching it again was like visiting an old friend.

This recently released Blu-ray from MGM however, is a disappointment.  The picture is serviceable at best (although this is a very natural looking movie so vivid colours and razor-sharp image quality was never going to happen) and the audio has some minor lip-sync issues if you’re paying close enough attention.  Thankfully there doesn’t seem any post-processing work done and grain looks intact.  Extra features?  If you call the theatrical trailer an extra feature, then sorry … that’s all you’re getting.  A shame considering this movie’s legacy – where’s the documentaries, the interviews?  Very poor indeed.

Verdict:

(the movie) 5 /5

(the blu-ray) 2 /5

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Mar 24 2012

Midnight In Paris

Viewed – 24 March 2012  DVD

It’s been a long time since I have sat down to watch a movie by directing legend Woody Allen.  I’m not sure why but my love of his brand of whimsical, angst-ridden relationship comedies, has waned over the years, and have found myself less and less interested in his output, which continues to be one of the most prolific outputs of any director currently working.  Yet post-Oscar season, this latest effort sparked my interest.

Owen Wilson plays a screenwriter who takes a holiday in Paris to work on his novel with fiance Rachel McAdams and her upper-class friends.  Yet he finds their company disenchanting, and although adoring Paris and its inspirational mystique, finds himself taking solitary midnight walks to gather his thoughts.  That’s when he is transported back into the 1920′s and starts mingling with the famous names of the era, Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Pacasso and Salvador Dali etc.   This is a great concept and a perfect fit for Woody Allen’s often over-used nervy navel gazing lead characters and relationship woes.  The Paris locales are shot beautifully, clearly offering a love letter to the city like he did with New York in his classic Manhattan, and the writing is as sharp as he’s ever been.  Owen as expected is playing the ‘Woody Allen’ role but it works wonderfully for one of the most likable Hollywood stars around, and the various actors playing the famous faces, deliver perfectly fascinating caricatures.  McAdams is gorgeous, but doesn’t offer up anything various pretty actresses couldn’t have done just as well.  Inception’s Marion Cotillard instead delivers a far more enjoyable performance, exuding French sexiness and mystery.  Also for an Allen movie the comedy is played a touch too gentle and charming for my taste.

As a long time fan however, I feel so glad to be back in the director’s company, and although I’m sure he could have delivered just as good a movie if he had starred himself, his casting and choice of location won me over, leaving me with a really nice feeling as the credits rolled.

Verdict:  4 /5

Jan 27 2012

Horrible Bosses

Viewed – 27 January 2012  Blu-ray

When first hearing about this movie, the classic Dolly Parton movie / song Nine To Five came to mind, as it similarly follows the story of three disgruntled employees who plot to kill their bosses.  Jason Sudeikis of Hangover fame, finds his lovable boss Donald Sutherland replaced by son Colin Farrell, who just happens to be a coke snorting womanizing ass****.  Jason Bateman is ruled over by scum bag Kevin Spacey who treats him like crap, and newly engaged Charlie Day is being sexually harassed by Dentist Jennifer Aniston.

This very funny movie is full of great lines, most of them toilet humour juvenile granted, but with a quality cast that all deliver and increasingly absurd situations (look out for the ‘wet works’ moment), this was a movie that really entertained.  Sudeikis again proves to he one of the more assured comedy talents around, and Bateman also made for a likable and funny ‘straight man’ amongst the chaos.  A special mention must go to Jennifer Anniston playing against her rom-com stereotype and being ridiculously sexy throughout, and Spacey also makes for a very good villain, even if the part is not exactly a stretch for him.  The script may be a little too reliant on crude gags and colourful language, and some times it gets a bit too silly (with a totally over-the-top Farrell) … but along with a memorable cameo from Jamie Foxx, this ticked many of my boxes.

Fans of movies like The Hangover, Hall Pass etc should be all over this, and for anyone who likes a well written comedy with a quality cast … recommending this one is a no-brainer.

Verdict:  4 /5

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