It’s all too easy to label Kristen Wiig’s uproarious new comedy “Bridesmaids” the female equivalent of “The Hangover,” and it works for a quick comparison to sell the movie to a doubting friend. However, for accuracy’s sake (something of great consequence to me), let’s set the record straight. If you put “The Hangover” in a room with “27 Dresses” and allowed them to have a baby, and that baby turned out to be a girl, they would spawn “Bridesmaids.”
In other words, it’s a mixture of raunchy comedy that makes guys howl with the romantic comedy that makes girls swoon. Call it the best of both worlds, but such a combination doesn’t make the great equalizing date movie a great movie. The hybrid has a bit of an uneasy consistency, mainly because the belly laughs come to a screeching halt as soon as Wiig’s Irish-accented love interest comes on screen. Maybe it’s just the critic in me that’s rom-com weary or the male in me that doesn’t really care how the girl inevitably winds up with the guy, but the cliched romance could easily have been excised to maximize the laughs. (Not to mention it could cut down on the length, which is over 2 hours – epic length in terms of comedic films.)
So rather than endlessly compare “Bridesmaids” to “The Hangover,” I’ll let it stand on its own merit. The credit for the laughs, both shocking and sensitive, goes to star and co-writer Kristen Wiig, who after years of stealing the show finally gets to be the show. I feel very vindicated seeing her success after being a vocal advocate since 2005 when she joined “Saturday Night Live” and a written advocate ever since beginning to blog in 2009 (from “Extract” to “Whip It” to “Adventureland” to “Date Night” and even amidst the dung that was “MacGruber”). But this shouldn’t be about me; it should be about her. This is her big moment, and I hope she uses it to fly higher than previous female “SNL” comediennes like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
There’s a great scene in “MacGruber” where Kristen Wiig really finds her comedic element. Forced to masquerade as the titular tacky, mulleted ’80s mock-action hero, she futzes around awkwardly in a coffee shop and tries to explain to the cashier what’s going on. It’s reminiscent of some of her golden work on “Saturday Night Live,” where she can turn just about any character into a hilarious one.
But alas, that is one scene, and this one moment of laughter is nowhere near enough to redeem the other 90 minutes of “MacGruber” that are void of it. Honestly, whoever let this movie pass needs to be locked in a room with a bomb and left to defuse it with nothing. These sketches have been trite filler for “SNL” for three years, and the only laughs they garner are uneasy ones. Not to mention it’s a movie centered around Will Forte, who is often so pathetic that it becomes painful to watch.
Throwing Ryan Phillipe into the mix to give the movie’s acting corps some legitimacy outside of 30 Rock just makes things worse. Trying to take the movie seriously, Reese Witherspoon’s frosty-curled ex-husband just looks like a buffoon. It’s not difficult to understand that there’s nothing serious about this movie; “MacGruber” is a ridiculous, farcical send-up of the ridiculous 1980s action movies. There’s no shame in presenting a movie in this style – provided that the satire is done well. In this case, it feels like the movie was written on the back of cue cards for yet another uninspired “What’s Up With That?” sketch.
There are movies that beg you not to be taken seriously, and then there are those that beg you not to take the craft of cinema seriously. “MacGruber” is the latter of the two, trying to fly on the flimsy premise that a sketch that can barely sustain two minutes on TV could make an entertaining movie that’s 45 times bigger. Perhaps Lorne Michaels will come up with a more clever way to make money off this movie in the future: take “MacGruber” off the case and slap on the title “The Worst of Will Forte.” D /
The stars in comedy heaven lined up and brought together the two of the funniest people in the sitcom galaxy, Steve Carell and Tina Fey, for an on-screen outing in “Date Night.” It feels strangely like watching an episode of “Saturday Night Live” nowadays: incredibly potent actors trudging through material that doesn’t deserve their comedic talents.
But once you can put that issue to rest, what you are left with is a reminder of the power of the actor. It takes extraordinary expertise to entertain an audience with poor writing, and Carell and Fey emerge from the ashes looking like heroes. Honestly, these two could read off the entire health care bill and have one of the highest grossing movies at the box office.
It’s amazing to watch these two comedians play off of each other. Together, they put their own unique spin on some dry lines and injecting some much-need humor into them while managing to turn lackluster repeated gags into hilarity. “Date Night” is all about them; the movie’s best moments are when it turns off the roaring plot engine and lets them take the wheel.
For those of you who nitpick at actors playing the same role over and over again, you could potentially scoff at the stars. There are plenty of moments where we catch glimpses of Michael Scott and Liz Lemon. But as a fan of both “The Office” and “30 Rock,” I see absolutely no problem with that. There’s a reason why these are two of the highest profile characters on television, and it’s not a bad thing to see these two actors incorporating a little bit of what they do best. “Date Night” is no day at Dunder-Mifflin or TGS; it’s two average people like Michael and Liz thrown into outrageous circumstances beyond their control. As much as we might not want to admit it, there’s a little bit of each of those characters in all of us, and Carell and Fey have to channel a little bit of their small screen personas to make us care what happens to the Fosters on the big screen.
The big question for me going into “Whip It” was Ellen Page. Can she play someone other than the spunky Juno MacGuff or is she truly a one-trick pony?
The answer? Basically, yes.
Page’s latest character, Bliss Cavander, the rebellious Texas teenager is very much a darker shade of Juno. But that didn’t make her any less enjoyable to watch. Page manages to remain fresh doing some similar schtick, and finding a niche at such a young age is truly an accomplishment.
The surprise of “Whip It” was actually Kristen Wiig. No, I’m not surprised that she was absolutely hilarious; Wiig had three supporting roles in 2009 and managed to steal every movie. She’s a great talent who will hopefully land a lead role securing her rightful place in the comedic stratosphere, but her surprise in “Whip It” was that she absolutely nailed the most crucial dramatic scene. It’s rare to find someone with this kind of range, and Wiig showed herself to truly be the full package.
Another big question was Drew Barrymore in her first time directing. Can she pull herself together and create something special?
The answer? A resounding yes.
“Whip It” is a comedic delight, with laughs and wit and quirks lurching at every turn. It follows Bliss as she secretly joins the underground world of roller derby, where the skates shred the track and the women are tough as nails. A bold name is also necessary for success with the fans, be it Smashlee Simpson (Barrymore), Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig), or Iron Maven. Bliss settles upon Babe Rutheless, and with her moniker, she becomes the new poster child for the sport. But she has to keep her success a secret from her strict mother (Marcia Gay Harden) who wants Bliss to become the beauty pageant queen that she could never be. How much of this movie’s excellence came from Barrymore is unknown, but I feel like I had as much fun watching “Whip It” as she had making it. B+ /
There’s more to March than just the Oscars. Finally, March arrives and we can stop dwelling on 2009. In my opinion, March is usually a pretty decent movie month. This year’s crop looks especially promising with new movies from Tim Burton, Paul Greengrass (“The Bourne Ultimatum”), and Noah Baumbach (“The Squid and the Whale”).
March 5
After almost 3 months, “Avatar” will have to cede those illustrious 3-D and IMAX screens to Tim Burton’s twist on “Alice in Wonderland.” The titular character is played by relative newcomer Mia Wasikowsa, who will look quite a bit older than the Alice you remember from Disney’s 1951 animated classic. If that’s not a big enough draw for you, surely Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter (who will hopefully channel more of his glorious Jack Sparrow than his Jacko-esque Willy Wonka) will suffice. No? How about Helena Bonham Carter as the Queen of Hearts? Or Anne Hathaway as the White Queen? Perhaps Alan Rickman as the Caterpillar? No doubt about it, this is one exciting cast, and I’m sure Tim Burton won’t have any problem distinguishing himself from the numerous “Alice in Wonderland” rip-offs that have sprouted over the past few years.
“Brooklyn’s Finest” is directed by Antoine Fuqua, helmer of “Training Day,” which was enough to get me interested. However, it really looks to be little more than a mash-up of every cop movie ever made. But hey, that may be your thing, which would make this your potpourri.
March 12
I’m excited for “Green Zone,” which looks to be a smart political thriller. See my previous post at the release of the trailer for more info.
On the indie side of things, Noah Baumbach looks to return to Oscar form after “Margot at the Wedding” underwhelmed with “Greenberg.” The movie stars Ben Stiller as Greenberg, the grouchy misanthrope who finds a reason to be pessimistic about everything. However, a special woman comes along and begins to melt his heart. I’m looking forward to a double-edged performance from Stiller, one that can show off his dramatic chops but also give us plenty of hearty laughs.
Seth Rogen’s four roommates in “Knocked Up” were equally as funny as he was. Each of them have slowly gotten their “moment”: Jonah Hill in “Superbad,” Jason Segel in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” Now, it could be Jay Baruchel’s turn. “She’s Out of My League” pits him similar situation: the uncomely guy getting the smoking hot babe. Hopefully Paramount gives this the push it deserves, maybe making Baruchel a breakout comedic star of 2010.
Could “Remember Me” get Robert Pattinson the Razzie for Worst Actor? After narrowly missing the cut for his two performances as Edward Cullen, this could finally be the one to get him the kind of awards attention he deserves.
Forest Whitaker is an Academy Award winning actor. What on earth is he doing in “Our Family Wedding?” For that matter, America Ferrera has won SAG and Golden Globe awards, and Carlos Mencia was once actually funny! This looks not only insufferable but almost racist. Plus, didn’t I see this movie in 2005 when it was called “Guess Who?”
“Adventureland” is a big slice of ’80s nostalgia pie served on a plate with no other embellishments. I bother to make this mouthwatering comparison because for someone like me who didn’t live in the era, the movie doesn’t quite hit home. Kudos to writer/director Greg Mottola for mastering the feel of the decade’s teen movies, but I felt like he packed it with ’80s inside jokes. To set the record straight, I don’t mind watching movies where all the jokes don’t register with me. I understand that only stoners can fully appreciate “Pineapple Express” and only musicians can feel likewise about “This Is Spinal Tap.” Yet the aforementioned movies hold out a welcoming hand and draw you into a world which perhaps you are not entirely cognizant. “Adventureland,” on the other hand, scorns those who did not live in its time, making me feel like an unwelcome outsider.
The plot revolves around James (Jesse Eisenberg), a recent college graduate forced to take a summer job at the Adventureland amusement park due to some unexplained financial troubles. The cast of characters he has to deal with are a stark contrast from those he encountered at Oberlin, from the penny-pinching park owners (Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig, “SNL”) to the high-pitched squealer with a compulsion of punching between the legs. Life is pretty miserable for James until the beautiful Em (Kristen Stewart) saves him from being stabbed by a fed up customer. They slowly discover a deep affection for each other. But ultimately, they find out that they don’t really know what they want. Em has an affair with the married Adventureland janitor Connell (Ryan Reynolds); James goes out with chatterbox Lisa P. during a brief break in his relationship with Em. Their relationship is marked by vacillation, which would be refreshingly realistic if it didn’t get caught in a mire of clichés.
Just a rhetorical question: is it a recurring theme of 2009 comedies to have hilarious supporting characters that get no screen time? Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman in “Funny People,” as well as David Koechner in “Extract,” provided the best (in Koechner’s case, the only) laughs of their respective movies but were seen criminally little. The same goes for Hader and Wiig in “Adventureland,” who light up the screen with their zany characters during the limited time that we see them. Unfortunately, Mottola nails these characters and not any of the more prominent ones. James feels like a slightly less pathetic Michael Cera. Em is somewhat more realized, and Stewart does her best to flash her acting chops in the role. She gets the fact that Em is an enigmatic girl, yet Stewart’s transparent portrayal doesn’t do this side justice. The absolute worst is Ryan Reynolds’ Connell, a subplot so poorly written it hurts to watch. Ryan Reynolds seems to be having a dreadful time, constantly asking himself, “Why did I do this movie?” Mottola’s “Adventureland” is a styling love story of the ’80s, but his infatuation blinds him from creating anything that transcends the confines of his favorite decade and still holds meaning for those who didn’t live it. C- /
We so often find humor in the ridiculous and far-fetched, and Hollywood serves it to us (actually, more like force feeds) at a rate that is more than we can digest. But Mike Judge has a unique ability to find humor in the mundane, especially in the work place. His 1999 film “Office Space” has become a cult classic over the past decade thanks to its smart satire of the workplace atmosphere. However, his latest film, “Extract,” is really lacking flavor (pun fully intended). It is too caught up in banalities to really succeed and perhaps even too lifelike for its own good.
The humdrum happenings center around Joel (Jason Bateman), the owner of an extract factory trying to sell out to General Mills. However, the deal is threatened by a workplace accident in which a worker loses a part of his “manhood.” To top that off, he has to deal with constant unrest among the workers, thievery, and a very attractive new temp (Mila Kunis) who becomes an object of lust. But Joel has many problems outside of work to deal with, including his wife’s (Kristen Wiig) elastic sweatpants chastity belt, a pill-popping friend (Ben Affleck) intent on proselytizing, and an incessantly blabbering neighbor (David Koechner).
We give the movie industry late August and all of September to recover from the busy summer season, but in October, it starts to kick it into gear again. Unfortunately, my most anticipated movie in October, Martin Scorsese’s “Shutter Island,” was pushed back to February. But the month still puts forth several great movies for all tastes.
October 2
This week, I can promise you that I will be throwing my money not at a new release, but at the re-release of two staples of my childhood. “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2” will hit theaters again for a few weeks. 1 ticket. 2 movies. 3-D. Need I say more?
The week also gives us “The Invention of Lying,” which could be a sleeper comedy hit. The movie stars Ricky Gervais, who was the lead of the British version of “The Office.” Around this time last year, he starred in “Ghost Town,” a comedy with a heart that you need to go rent now, that was dismissed by audiences. I have high hopes for his latest, in which he plays a man who tells the world’s first lie on an alternate Earth. He continues to wield the power to suit his own selfish needs. The movie also features Jennifer Garner, Rob Lowe, and the always funny Tina Fey.
And not to mention, the week delivers Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, “Whip It.” The movie stars the irresistible Ellen Page (“Juno”) as Bliss, a teenager weary of the beauty pageants that she is forced into by her parents. One day, she discovers the world of roller derby and she finds the happiness that she has been so desperately seeking. The movie boasts a hilarious supporting cast including Kristen Wiig (“SNL”), Oscar-winner Marcia Gay Harden, and Barrymore herself.
And it just keeps getting better. The Coen Brothers (“No Country for Old Men”) are back with their latest feature, “A Serious Man;” they also wrote the original screenplay. The movie seems to be a big risk. It features no marquee names other than the Coens themselves. The trailer is cryptic, giving no indication of what to expect from the movie. I don’t mind an aura of mystique, but this is an aura of confusion. The movie is being marketed as a dark comedy, and I pray that it is the polar opposite of the Coens’ last foray into the genre, “Burn After Reading,” which I didn’t find funny at all. The movie starts in limited release and then will slowly expand from New York and Los Angeles.
The other major release of the week is “Zombieland,” a horror-comedy with Woody Harrelson.
October 9
The only exciting movie hitting theaters across the country this weekend is “Couples Retreat.” A comedy centered around four couples at a luxurious tropical resort that is revealed to be a marriage therapy clinic, it appears to provide something for everyone. It has pretty women (Malin Akerman, Kristen Bell, Kristin Davis) AND funny guys (Jason Bateman, Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau). The movie is the directorial debut of Ralph Billingsley, best known for playing Ralphie in “A Christmas Story,” and the screenplay is written by Vaughn and Favreau. Hopefully it can provide some good laughs in a season usually replete of hilarious comedies.
Opening in limited release is “An Education,” a movie that has been garnering massive Oscar buzz for months now. Most of it has centered on the breakout performance of lead actress Carey Mulligan. In the movie, she stars as Jenny, a 17-year-old in 1960s England who is set on going to Oxford. However, an older gentleman (Peter Sarsgaard) comes along and sweeps her off of her feet, introducing her to a lifestyle that she immediately loves. But reality bites, and Jenny is left at a crucial crossroads. The movie has also generated buzz around supporting actors Alfred Molina and Rosamund Pike (the red-haired villain of “Die Another Day”). Raves are also flying in for the screenplay, written by author Nick Hornby, writer of “About a Boy” and “Fever Pitch.” And with the 10 nominees for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars, many people say it has a good chance of claiming one of the ten.
Marshall and the Movies 
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