FORMULAIC SCREWBALL COMEDY IS “WHAT HAPPENS
IN VEGAS”
A Film Review by Tim Riley
WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS (Rated PG-13) The new
“Indiana Jones” movie can’t arrive soon enough. Lately,
I have seen more than my share of romantic comedies, which has not necessarily
been a bad thing. For instance, new films coming out now include “What
Happens in Vegas” and “Speed Racer.” The latter film, a
glossy mix of animation and live-action, is geared to a younger audience.
On the other hand, “What Happens in Vegas” takes full comedic
advantage of Sin City’s marketing campaign, turning the famous slogan
on its ear. Gleeful debauchery and insane indulgence aside, some things just
don’t stay behind in Vegas, particularly when a marriage ceremony at
a tawdry wedding chapel carries the full weight of a binding legal entanglement.
Unfortunate circumstances bring two very unlikely people together
in miserable matrimony. But first, “What Happens in Vegas” introduces
the two central characters who decide for vastly different reasons to vacation
in Vegas. Jack Fuller (Ashton Kutcher) is the ultimate slacker and party dude
who is fired by his own father (Treat Williams) from the family’s furniture
manufacturing. His polar opposite is Joy McNally (Cameron Diaz), a buttoned-up
commodities trader on Wall Street, who gets dumped by her fiance at her own
surprise birthday party.
In a coincidence that only happens in the movies, Jack takes
his best buddy Steve “Hater” Hader (Rob Corddry) on the trip,
where they check into a Vegas hotel only to find that the room is already
occupied by Joy and her best friend Tipper (Lake Bell). After resolving this
unhappy arrangement, Jack and Steve convince the two girls to go out for a
night on the town, which is facilitated by the concierge’s eagerness
to comp their festivities.
This quartet of partygoers is a mismatched group for many reasons.
A second-rate lawyer, Steve fancies himself a ladies man, even if his charisma
barely surpasses that of a serial killer. His obnoxious behavior finds its
equal in Tipper’s unrelenting hostility. The rowdy weekend becomes a
random blur of frantic activity lubricated by massive amounts of alcohol.
When the dust settles in the early morning, Joy and Jack painfully discover
they tied the knot in a ceremony witnessed by drunken revelers.
Before the two vacationing New Yorkers can figure out how to
quickly dissolve their union, Jack uses Joy’s last quarter to play a
slot machine which incredibly pays out a cool $3 million. Now an impending
marital split will be complicated by sizable community assets. Back in Manhattan,
a cranky judge (Dennis Miller) decides to sentence the bickering pair to “six
months of hard marriage.” By freezing the prize booty, the judge forces
the irresponsible couple to prove that they done everything possible to make
the impromptu marriage work. The first one to fail in this mission will lose
all the loot to the other.
Since Joy has to move into Jack’s messy bachelor pad,
it’s going to be a very trying battle of the sexes. Not surprisingly,
Jack and Joy will do their best to sabotage the other, and of course, their
friends Steve and Tipper will become willing and supportive combatants on
each side. They even have to attend marriage counseling with Queen Latifah.
But many tricks are employed to undermine the marriage. Joy rounds up a bevy
of beautiful women in order to lead Jack astray at a party. Jack tries to
get her snooty ex-fiance Mason (Jason Sudeikis) to woo her again.
“What Happens in Vegas” thrives on the formulaic
approach to romantic comedy. Very little happens that is unexpected or terribly
surprising, but nevertheless there are plenty of laughs. While Joy is trying
hard to move up the corporate ladder, it is the laidback Jack who manages
to impress her demanding boss (Dennis Farina) on a company retreat. Is it
any wonder where these mismatched lovebirds will end up? Ashton Kutcher and
Cameron Diaz have the right chemistry for their respective roles of wayward
slacker and uptight professional.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
I think I mentioned last week that the weird stuff ends up on DVDs. If you
liked horror comedies such as “Shaun of the Dead” and “An
American Werewolf in London,” then “Botched” could be your
cup of tea. Gore and violence run rampant, but much of it is so over-the-top
that it seems calculated to induce laughs, at least the nervous kind. Stephen
Dorff stars as two-bit professional thief sent to Russia to steal a priceless
antique cross locked in a safe on the penthouse floor of a Moscow skyscraper.
During the heist, Dorff and his thuggish Russian henchmen are trapped by the
police and forced to take hostages. Unfortunately for them, they seek refuge
on the 13th floor, where things get really dicey. Decapitations and impalements
are just part of the fun. “Botched” may be destined for cult status.
BREEZY COMEDY OF A COMMITMENT-PHOBE TURNED “MADE
OF HONOR”
A Film Review by Tim Riley
MADE OF HONOR (Rated PG-13) Easily dismissed
as just one more chick-flick in a recent spate of similar efforts, “Made
of Honor” puts a rather obvious spin on the formulaic romantic comedy,
even though subversively tilting its action to a male point of view. To be
sure, any film geared to a wedding ceremony is almost certainly a lure to
the female audience, unless of course that film stars Vince Vaughn and Owen
Wilson as freeloading bachelors. This time around, the handsome Patrick Dempsey,
apparently called McDreamy for his role in TV’s “Grey’s
Anatomy,” is the pivotal character in the oddly titular role. Women
may not mind that he’s a cad.
In a strange role reversal, Dempsey’s Tom is introduced
at the film’s beginning a decade ago as the campus Lothario, eager to
bed every coed with the zeal of an oversexed frat boy. Crawling under the
covers with a college girl in a case of mistaken identity, Tom gets his comeuppance
from an unwilling partner, Michelle Monaghan’s Hannah, a sober-minded
individual who will not be randomly seduced by a drunken partygoer. Oddly
enough, Tom and Hannah manage to become best friends, a platonic relationship
that has the feel of a close bond between brother and sister. Fast forwarding
to the present day, Tom and Hannah spend time together in New York City as
friends supporting each other. It seems like a one-sided affair, with Tom
usually confessing his unbendable rules of dating, such as not having two
consecutive dates or calling a potential date within 24 hours of a chance
encounter.
Tom’s social life is revealed as a revolving door of sexual
conquests, where impossibly beautiful women practically fling themselves at
his feet. At this point, the film is more like a male fantasy, because real
life is unlike that, even for the most adept womanizers. For reasons unexplained,
Tom has more magnetism and sex appeal than James Bond and has had more bedroom
triumphs than Wilt Chamberlain. If he kept a little black book, it would be
the size of a Manhattan telephone directory. In his rare spare time, Tom hangs
out with a bunch of buddies who, with the exception of the obligatory married
guy (Kadeem Hardison), would be hard-pressed to get any date on a Saturday
night.
What Tom, in his state of arrested development, has failed to
realize is that the girl of his dreams has been the one constant in his life.
When Hannah goes overseas to Scotland on a six-week business trip, it dawns
on this slow learner that his life is empty without her. He knows he doesn’t
want to end up like his father (Sydney Pollack), who’s marrying his
sixth trophy wife while fully realizing that a pre-nuptial agreement is certain
to be tested in relatively short order. In between the usual trysts, he mopes
around because Hannah is gone, calling her often in the middle of the night.
He resolves to reveal his true feeling upon her return, intending to propose
matrimony.
Hannah’s eventual homecoming is fraught with a great surprise,
but only to Tom. Anyone else would see this disaster coming, when Hannah announces
that she’s engaged to a handsome and wealthy Scotsman, heir to the family’s
distillery business. The aristocratic Colin McMurray (Kevin McKidd) lives
in a castle on a scenic lake. He’s also tremendously athletic, almost
too good to be true. Tom can’t bear the thought of losing Hannah, especially
when she plans to move overseas. When Hannah asks Tom to be her “maid
of honor,” he reluctantly agrees to fill this curious role, expecting
his best chance to sabotage the wedding is from within.
Naturally, Hannah’s girlfriends are aghast at Tom’s
selection for the matrimonial honor. One of these friends harbors a bitter
resentment of a one-night stand gone horribly wrong, and she goes to great
lengths to disrupt Tom’s essential role of bridal planner. Meanwhile,
Tom’s basketball-playing buddies constantly razz him, while offering
some misguided advice. Culture shock sets in when Tom and the wedding party
end up in Scotland, and the snooty McMurray clan is somewhat aghast at Tom’s
gender-bending role.There’s even an ongoing gag about a clueless grandmother
mistaking a sex toy for a necklace.
“Made of Honor” is so thoroughly predictable that it is virtually
impossible to find anything surprising or even remotely ingenious. That’s
not to say there aren’t some funny things happening, or that some of
dialogue isn’t zippy and humorous.
The breezy quality of the comedy on display probably has much
to do with the nice chemistry between Tom Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan, both
of them likable even though only one has the heart and character worthy of
that positive trait.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
We can use this space to report on the odd and strange in the film business.
You can’t get much weirder than “Teeth,” a story galvanized
by the vagina dentata mythology in which a young girl develops choppers in
the most unexpected place. A jaw-dropping horror film (to coin a gruesome
phrase), “Teeth” stars newcomer Jess Weixler and John Hensley
in a twisted tale of female empowerment, which the Hollywood Reporter called
“the most alarming cautionary tale for men,” a description that
one would be hard-pressed to improve upon when you consider “Fatal Attraction”
so greatly unnerved the male audience. The teenage star is so innocent that
she is not even aware of her own basic bodily functions, and discovers quite
by accident that she is anatomically very unique. Watch this DVD at your own
peril.
LAUGHS ROLL WHEN SNL VETERANS BECOME “BABY MAMA”
A Film Review by Tim Riley
BABY MAMA (Rated PG-13) There’s a new
chick-flick at the local Cineplex where the action is set in Philadelphia,
as in Pennsylvania’s major city. Merely coincidental, the film arrives
on the heels of that state’s big primary, but Hillary Clinton is nowhere
to be found in a venue that still suggests “Rocky.” Rather, this
comedic adventure is called “Baby Mama,” starring two female stars
of “Saturday Night Live.” Now, I have to admit, sheepishly, that
I laughed at many of the jokes in this female-oriented comedy. As a result,
I have scheduled a doctor’s appointment to have my testosterone levels
checked, just in case I am precipitously on the verge on some inexplicable
male menopausal meltdown. At least I am not crying during soap operas, mainly
because I don’t watch any.
Perched for a long time as a cast member and co-anchor of “Weekend
Update” on “Saturday Night Live,” Tina Fey has made her
mark in another comedy series on NBC, while Amy Poehler continues on for a
seventh season in the late night weekly comedy show. Together, Fey and Poehler
have great chemistry as an odd couple as mismatched as Oscar and Felix. Fey’s
Kate Holbrook is a career-driven executive at an organic market chain. Financially
secure, she lives in a swank Philadelphia apartment that reflects her fastidious
nature. Having put her personal life on the back burner, the unmarried Kate
suddenly realizes her biological clock is ticking. After visiting several
sperm banks, Kate discovers that she is infertile, and therefore, decides
to visit the surrogacy center run by Chaffee Bicknell (Sigourney Weaver).
The solution for her wish to have a child is realized by the
availability of Angie Ostrowiski (Amy Poehler) to become the surrogate mom.
Free-spirited Angie is the suburban Philly equivalent of trailer park trash.
When interviewing for the surrogate position, Angie shows up with her equally
trashy common-law husband Carl (Dax Shepard), a deadbeat who’s anxious
to take advantage of Kate’s generous cash offer for services rendered.
Angie is hardly the ideal candidate for motherhood, as she indulges in activities
that should be off limits, such as smoking, drinking, and eating junk food
while watching the worst of daytime TV. Angie is one fistfight away from being
a guest on the “Jerry Springer Show.”
Entering the nesting mode, Kate buys all the appropriate child-care
books and childbirth DVDs, enrolling herself and Angie in a birthing class.
But Kate is consumed with her work schedule, which includes satisfying the
desires of her New Age hippie boss Barry (Steve Martin, in a hilarious role)
to open a flagship store in an area ripe for gentrification. Yet, Kate’s
plans for a perfect pregnancy are turned upside down when Angie leaves Carl
and moves into Kate’s apartment, seeing that she has no money or place
to live. Now that they have to share the tight quarters of an apartment, it
is inevitable that the friction between two very dissimilar characters will
erupt into pandemonium.
While wiseguy doorman Oscar (Romany Malco) watches with bemusement,
the comings and goings of the anxious mother-to-be and the flighty surrogate
create a real sideshow. Though Angie is given to many bottom-feeding tendencies,
including the inappropriate use of a bathroom sink, Kate begins the inevitable
mellowing process, which soon has her taking up a romantic interest in local
smoothies bar owner Rob (Greg Kinnear), an erstwhile lawyer who is consumed
with an unnatural bitterness towards big competitor Jamba Juice.
Even guys will detect the predictable plot twists of female
rivalry that runs rampant through “Baby Mama,” but still there
is a good deal of enjoyable humor, mainly due to the wisecracks and banter
between the leading ladies. “Baby Mama” employs plenty of broad
gags, delivering a tidy sense of comedic convenience that won’t leave
a lasting impression. At the bottom line, it’s fun but not a must-see
comedy.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
I think there’s a whole new industry churning out horror films from
the Far East, and not just Hong Kong. But if it weren’t for DVDs, we’d
probably not even know about gruesome cinema from Thailand. The latest to
hit our shores is the aptly-named “Sick Nurses,” a gory, violent
film set in the hallways of a run-down Bangkok hospital. “Sick Nurses”
follows a clandestine team of nurses and a chief surgeon who sell human body
parts and whole bodies on the black market for a profit. When one of the nurses
threatens to expose the operation, she is instantly attacked, killed and wrapped
in a body bag to be sold by her cohorts. A bloodthirsty spirit, she emerges
from the dead seeking revenge for her untimely death, attacking each victim
and forcing them to perform violent acts against themselves and others. I
hope someone will release an anniversary version of “The Sound of Music,”
if only to balance the equation.
APATOW COMIC FACTORY MAKES “SARAH MARSHALL”
UNFORGETTABLE
A Film Review by Tim Riley
FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL (Rated R) The Judd
Apatow comic factory, churning out raunchy, bawdy comedies at a rapid clip,
is at it again, this time with the inspired writing of a star pupil who apparently
learned much from writer-director Apatow after stints in his TV series and
“Knocked Up.” Drawing on personal experience of failed romance,
Jason Segel penned the script for “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”
and thereby became perfect for the starring role of the person victimized
by the brutal heartbreak inflicted by the film’s titular character.
As the film’s producer, Apatow has turned over the directing reins to
Nicholas Stoller, a collaborator on many TV and movie scripts. Evidently,
Apatow’s repertory company has the magic touch.
As the title implies, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”
is about the painful heartache of a romantic split, in which Jason Segel’s
Peter Bretter is devastated that his beautiful girlfriend, Sarah Marshall
(Kristen Bell), is dumping him. This movie achieves, perhaps, the most awkward,
yet funny breakup ever seen. Peter is just getting out of the shower at his
home, when Sarah shows up. Expecting a daytime tryst, Peter drops his towel,
revealing the full monty for all to see. Obviously, he was clueless about
the real reason for her unexpected visit. As he refuses to put on clothes,
the inevitable separation talk becomes increasingly uncomfortable and clumsy,
but in a completely hilarious fashion.
In many ways, Peter and Sarah are a very unlikely couple. She’s
a glamorous TV star on a crime series, one that is spoofed delightfully as
a “CSI” type show in which she and William Baldwin are engaged
in earnest sleuthing. A musician with a slacker attitude, Peter has been scoring
the music for her hit TV series, thus he’s unable to completely shake
any ties to the very appealing actress. He’s reduced to sitting around
his house in the same pair of sweatpants and eating cereal from gigantic bowls.
After a fruitless bout of womanizing and a meltdown on the job,
Peter believes that not having Sarah in his life may well destroy it forever.
At the urging of his brother Brian (Bill Hader), whose advice is not always
helpful, Peter takes an impulsive trip to Hawaii to clear his head. Unfortunately,
Sarah is already staying at the same swank resort hotel with her new flame,
self-absorbed hipster and British rocker Aldous Snow (Russell Brand). Peter’s
extended stay at the beach resort becomes problematic and discomfiting, especially
since Sarah has all too many public displays of affection with the obnoxious
rock star. Wallowing in too many fruity cocktails and hysterical crying jags,
Peter torments himself with the reality of Sarah’s new shallow life.
Relief from self-pity comes in the form of flirtations with
very pretty hotel desk clerk Rachel (Mila Kunis), whose laid-back approach
tempts Peter to rejoin the world of the living. Rachel offers emotional support,
and soon gets Peter to loosen up a bit with a few lively encounters with some
of the locals, which don’t always go smoothly. Deciding to take surfing
lessons from Chuck (Paul Rudd), the typical stoner whose brain has been fried
beyond repair, he flails away in the waves, enduring one mishap after another.
Then, there are the strange run-ins with hotel staff, mostly with the creepy
waiter Matthew (Jonah Hill) who’s anxious for Aldous to listen to his
musical demo CD.
“Forgetting Sarah Marshall” delivers plenty of unforgettable
comedy, generating laughter not just for Peter’s sad predicament but
for the sarcastic banter that sometimes elevates the dialogue beyond the merely
sophomoric. However, this being an Apatow production, the humor is not on
the level of high-brow Noel Coward witticisms. Despite the raunchy comedy
and the shock value of Peter’s disrobing, this movie seems a whole lot
tamer than “Superbad,” dwelling as it does on the Peter’s
essentially sweet vulnerability. Still, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”
pushes the boundaries, earning a well-deserved R rating.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
There’s a TV channel for practically every taste. Just in case the Sci-Fi
Channel doesn’t offer enough programming choices, Fox Home Entertainment
has just released “Alien Nation: Ultimate Movie Collection.” Continuing
where the original television series left off, this DVD collection includes
all five suspenseful sci-fi movies for the first time. These films follow
the action-packed adventures of Los Angeles police detective Matt Sikes (Gary
Graham) and his partner George Francisco (Eric Pierpoint), an alien fugitive
slave who must, along with his brethren, struggle to assimilate into life
on his adopted planet Earth, without sacrificing his own cultural identity.
The “Ultimate Movie Collection” kicks off with “Alien Nation:
Dark Horizons,” when the fate of the entire planet is on the line as
a Purist group develops a virus designed to kill all Newcomers. An abundance
of bonus materials include gag reels, storyboards and photo galleries.
ARK, GRITTY “STREET KINGS” EXPLODES WITH MUCH VIOLENCE
A Film Review by Tim Riley
STREET KINGS (Rated R) Film noir for contemporary
times is the easiest description to put on the violent, gritty “Street
Kings,” an exercise in the search for the darkest corners of the brutish,
nasty landscape of urban Los Angeles. This brutal action film has a fine pedigree
in its creative team. Director David Ayer was the writer and co-producer for
“Training Day,” notable for how it turned Denzel Washington into
a real tough, troubled character. Moreover, the “Street Kings”
screenplay is based on an original story by James Ellroy, who has made a name
for himself by uncovering the dark side of Los Angeles in crime novels that
were adapted for the big screen, including “L.A. Confidential”
and “The Black Dahlia.”
“Street Kings” wastes little time jumping into the
fray of the mean streets of the City of Angels. The conflicted, tortured central
character is veteran LAPD cop Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves), who wakes up each
morning with a seriously disturbed stomach and an almost insatiable desire
to start sipping vodka from little airline bottles. This is a guy living on
the edge, tormented by his inner demons. After all, Ludlow finds life difficult
to navigate after the sudden, mysterious death of his wife. At the film’s
opening, Ludlow is flying solo in a dangerous sting operation with a nasty
bunch of Korean thugs. Mainly, he’s in search of their hideaway, which
appears to be the nerve center for the trafficking of drugs, guns and young
victims of a sex slave operation.
In keeping with his apparent rogue status, Ludlow busts into the suspects’ abode with his guns blazing. He doesn’t bother with Miranda warnings or other niceties. But to make the crime scene look good, Ludlow leaves evidence behind that he acted in self-defense while rescuing some underage girls. Meanwhile, his former partner, Detective Terrence Washington (Terry Crews), appears on the scene for the investigation and immediately suspects that Ludlow has something to hide.
Before things get messy, Ludlow’s boss, Captain Wander
(Forest Whitaker) steps in to back up his protégé.
Tension rises when it is apparent that Washington may have implicated Ludlow
in unsavory conduct that has drawn the attention of Internal Affairs investigators.
Soon, Ludlow finds himself being scrutinized by Internal Affairs Captain Biggs
(Hugh Laurie), who grows suspicious that something rotten is happening. Biggs’
skepticism increases exponentially when Washington is gunned down in a liquor
store by masked gang bangers. What’s worse is that Ludlow becomes implicated
in the detective’s death because he was on the scene when the shootings
occurred.
At this point, Captain Wander draws the wagons in a circle,
getting members of his unit to help Ludlow clear his name of wrongdoing. For
his part, Ludlow is troubled by the violent murder of his former partner,
even though he had become a snitch. He sets out to find the killers, while
others on the force seem too eager to hamper the pursuit of a serious investigation.
Even if he’s turned into a renegade cop, Ludlow wants to do the right
thing, and so he teams up with young detective Paul Diskant (Chris Evans)
to go after the truth. An investigation by Ludlow and Diskant takes this unlikely
duo into the meanest neighborhoods of the city.
In the rough and tumble world of chasing down street toughs,
Ludlow and Diskant hook up with criminal figure Scribble (Cedric “The
Entertainer” Kyles), who guides them to a pair of very unsavory characters.
Needless to say, the encounter with thugs leads to a blazing gun battle, which
happens to be just one of many. “Street Kings” thrives on a cavalier
explosion of gruesome violence, somewhat reminiscent of “Training Day”
and any number of brutal cop films where the constant bursts of carnage and
bloodshed are palpable. “Street Kings” is stoked by so much energy
and thrills that there’s barely enough breathing room, and the obvious
deficiencies of the plot are easily glossed over. But for action junkies,
the payoff is just too good to care much about the absence of logic and reason.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
There are “small films,” sometimes underrated or failing the attention
of blockbusters, that demand our attention because they are unusually good.
“Little Miss Sunshine” was such a gem. A good case can be made
to put “Juno,” the story of an unwed teen who decides to carry
her pregnancy to full term, in this class. Hailed with well-deserved critical
acclaim, “Juno” is a witty and smart comedy that is lifted by
the performance of Ellen Page as the title character, a quirky teen with an
offbeat personality. Apropos of nothing, it is interesting to note that screenwriter
Diablo Cody is a former stripper, who seems to have a really good ear for
dialogue. “Juno,” being released in two different editions, will
have the usual plethora of deleted scenes, commentaries, and special features.
For some strange reason, I feel compelled to tell you that the press release
says “Juno” will be the first Fox Home Entertainment DVD at Starbucks
company-operated locations in the United States.
SCREWBALL COMEDY TRYING HARD TO SCORE IN “LEATHERHEADS”
A Film Review by Tim Riley
LEATHERHEADS (Rated PG-13)The baseball season
has just gotten underway, but George Clooney, as the director and star, is
tossing his best pitch for the football-themed screwball comedy “Leatherheads.”
Should we view this movie as brilliant counter-programming or an elusive “Hail
Mary” attempt to score at the box office? Upon closer inspection, for
a sports story written by veteran “Sports Illustrated” writers
Duncan Brantley and Rick Reilly, “Leatherheads” comes up short
on even the most basic insights into the early days of pro football.
The premise of the comedy is ripe with possibilities. Set in
1925, “Leatherheads” develops its story amidst the struggling
efforts to turn football into a professional sport. The nation was riveted
by the allure of college football. The men who played football as adults were
mostly crude, rough, and foul-mouthed farmers, factory workers and coal miners,
playing at nearly empty venues in front of loud, drunk fans who could not
conceive of paying top dollar to attend an event. George Clooney’s Dodge
Connelly is the aging player-coach of the Duluth Bulldogs, a ragtag bunch
who have to forfeit a game when their only pigskin turns up missing. Even
worse, the team is so cheap the players have to shower in their uniforms to
save on laundry bills.
After the Bulldogs lose their sponsor and the entire league
faces collapse, Dodge convinces agent CC Frazier (Jonathan Pryce) to secure
his rising college football star, Carter “The Bullet” Rutherford
(John Krasinski), in order to rejuvenate pro football. A dashing war hero
who mythically managed to force a platoon of German soldiers to surrender
in World War I, Carter is a photogenic charmer whose handsome mug adorns advertisements
everywhere. A deal with the golden-boy football star seems a sure bet to lift
everyone’s fortunes.
The football champ looks almost too good to be true, and spitfire
journalist Lexie Littleton (Renee Zellweger) snags a big assignment from her
editor at the Chicago Tribune to dig deep into the Carter Rutherford legend.
There’s reason to believe that Carter’s war heroics aren’t
nearly in the same league with Sergeant York’s daring exploits. So Lexie
hooks up with the Duluth Bulldogs to follow the team on the road, and promptly
ends up in an odd romantic triangle with Carter and Dodge. That may be overstating
the case, because Lexie snuggles up to Carter in pursuit of her story, while
Dodge is the one she clashes with in the kind of sharp banter that recalls
screwball comedies of the 1930s.
For a sports-oriented movie, “Leatherheads” spends
too much time focused on the romantic comedy angle, tossing in plenty of slapstick
and screwball antics that have little to do with football. However, Dodge,
Lexie and Carter are interesting characters in the give-and-take of their
own agendas. Regrettably, the film glosses over the origins of pro football
and virtually ignores the scandalous nature of how the game was once played.
On more than one occasion, there are references to colorful yet questionable
football plays, but the audience is left wondering what exactly will be banned
when a new commissioner of football establishes a set of well-defined rules.
Nicely photographed and evocative of a bygone era, “Leatherheads”
is a pleasure to watch, and not just for the scenery. Maybe the film doesn’t
score a touchdown, but George Clooney and Renee Zellweger make excellent combatants
in the screwball comedy department. The breezy dialogue is a real treat. By
the way, it’s troubling that John Krasinski’s war hero is still
in college about seven years after World War I ended. Despite some grievous
flaws in logic, the film still delivers plenty of laughs and an enjoyable
entertainment.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
Keeping up with your favorite TV series when episodes are released on DVD
is an exercise in a serious financial commitment. If a popular programs runs
for a decade, it becomes pricey to buy each season separately. “Perry
Mason” aired for nine seasons, followed by many years in syndication.
Fortunately, the release of “Perry Mason 50th Anniversary Edition”
allows for an affordable viewing of 12 exceptional episodes of Raymond Burr
in the title role of defense attorney Perry Mason, assisted by Barbara Hale
as his beautiful and trusted secretary Della Street and debonair William Hopper
as detective Paul Drake. This four-disc collection follows the amazing trio
as they crack impossible cases and uncover the truth every time. Great guest
stars include Robert Redford, James Coburn, Adam West, Burt Reynolds, Leonard
Nimoy, Dick Clark and Ryan O’Neill. As to be expected, there are plenty
of bonus features, including cast interviews and Raymond Burr’s initial
screen tests.
MATH GENIUSES BECOME EXCITING WHEN COUNTING TO “21”
A Film Review by Tim Riley
21 (Rated PG-13)Counting cards while playing blackjack in Vegas casinos isn’t illegal, but it would be unwise to try to convince a pit boss on the finer points of the law. According to “21,” you could end up in the hotel basement, facing the business end of the fists of a casino enforcer, which in the case of this movie arrives courtesy of the very intimidating Laurence Fishburne. Since the mob has given way to corporate sharks, ejection from a casino is more often a case of being asked to leave and never return.
Loosely inspired by Ben Mezrich’s book “Bringing Down the House,”
the story of math geniuses at M.I.T. who beat Vegas at its own game, “21”
is an obvious dramatization that seeks to punch up the caper with high stakes
action, close calls with security staff and the glitzy seduction of the glamorous
Vegas lifestyle. Brilliant college students succeeded at raking in millions
by card-counting, but they likely ran the operation as a well-oiled machine
that stuck to a serious business model. As a movie is wont to do, “21”
glamorizes Vegas as if it were on the payroll of the Chamber of Commerce.
The linchpin of the “21” caper is shy, brilliant
M.I.T. senior Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), who’s been accepted to Harvard
Medical School but either needs to win a coveted scholarship or must cough
up $300,000 for tuition. On both counts, Ben’s prospects look bleak
until he’s noticed by unorthodox math professor Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey),
who runs his classroom as if students were contestants on “Jeopardy.”
Actually, the professor is on the lookout for talented pupils with an aptitude
for numbers.
Moonlighting as the head of a card-counting ring, Professor
Rosa recruits Ben to his inner circle of gifted students who take weekend
trips from Boston to Vegas for fun and profit. Clandestine meetings take place
at night in vacant classrooms, as Rosa instructs his charges on the intricacies
of counting cards and employing strategies to evade detection by casino security.
Ben is quickly attracted to the cause by the presence of smart and sexy teammate
Jill Taylor (Kate Bosworth). It’s not surprising, then, that they later
find more in common than just a deck of cards. What’s a caper without
the romantic angle that threatens the whole setup?
Seduced by more than a pretty girl and a ton of money, Ben pushes
the limits of his mathematical abilities. In the process, his exceptional
skills rather quickly alienate the team’s blackjack prodigy, the mercurial
and arrogant Fisher (Jacob Pitts), who proves exceedingly resentful at becoming
second fiddle to the newcomer. The estrangement between the two card players
kicks in the right note of tension to spice up the plot. Otherwise, we just
have to marvel how Choi (Aaron Yoo) and Kianna (Liza Lapira) go about the
task of playing spotters, flashing signals about a table being hot or whether
it is time to flee in haste.
The signal-calling doesn’t come fast enough to save Ben
from a particularly nasty encounter with Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne),
an old school security specialist with a knack for finding card counters just
by simple observation and gut instinct. Before getting caught, Ben and his
crew are very audacious, but since the kids are perhaps too smart for their
own good, they get caught up in the idea of their perceived invincibility.
“21” turns on a character study of how the mild-mannered Ben is
swept up by the glitzy lifestyle. More than just being seduced by the heady
rush of gambling, Ben also has a showdown with the professor over his authoritarian
style.
In the end, “21” strains to find a reasonable climax
to the mounting tension induced by turmoil within the ranks and the unraveling
of the team’s anonymity. As if playing cat-and-mouse with the casinos
is not exciting enough, the plot winds up with a series of double-crosses
that seem forced and gratuitous. And yet, “21” is fun to watch
because Kevin Spacey is chewing up the scenery as usual.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
To be sure, there are plenty of newer film titles being released on DVD. I
choose instead to point out the new Collector’s Editions on some old
favorites, which are closely timed to the start of the baseball season. “Bull
Durham” is the comedy classic about sex and sport that follows a minor-league
baseball fan (Susan Sarandon) and the love triangle she creates in the clubhouse
between an up-and-coming pitcher (Tim Robbins) and the mentor catcher (Kevin
Costner) assigned to him. The Collector’s Edition contains five all-new
behind-the-scenes featurettes. The true story of the “Black Sox”
scandal of 1919 where the Chicago White Sox threw the World Series is sharply
realized in the underrated “Eight Men Out.” Lastly, acting legend
Gary Cooper stars as the legendary Lou Gehrig in “Pride of the Yankees,”
featuring seven brand new featurettes.
THRILLING BRITISH HEIST CAPER MAKES “BANK JOB”
GREAT FUN
A Film Review by Tim Riley
THE BANK JOB (Rated R) Though inspired by the true story of an infamous 1971 bank robbery that took place on London’s Baker Street, “The Bank Job” is a highly-charged heist thriller that is not hobbled, at least creatively, by a surfeit of public knowledge of the real crimes. In the matter of the real bank job, frenzied press reporting quickly came to an end when the British government issued a news blackout. Then as now, speculation is entirely appropriate, given the swirl of corruption, murder and sex scandals that potentially engulfed a large number of players. The intrigue is ripe and fascinating, because the concealed truth is plausibly explosive.
The story offers a field day for inventive writers, and Dick Clement and Ian
La Frenais, a top British writing team, are little known for their big screen
scripts on the American continent, with the exception of “Flushed Away”
and “Across the Universe.” However, their flair for naturalistic
dialogue reveals itself in “The Bank Job,” considering that the
plot revolves around a rather motley crew of petty criminals who are cleverly
seduced into staging a daring robbery than far exceeds the group’s normal
ambitions.The ringleader of the so-called “walkie-talkie robbery”
gang is used car dealer and part-time hustler
Terry Leather (Jason Statham), who at the film’s opening
is neck-deep in trouble with some nasty loan sharks.
Wisely having avoided the big league scams, Terry nonetheless falls for the
ostensible foolproof offer from old flame Martine (Saffron Burrows), a beautiful
model from the old neighborhood who ran into serious trouble when returning
to England with a suitcase full of blow. Martine convinces Terry that the
opportunity of a lifetime resides in the underground vault of a Lloyds Bank
in central London, where a roomful of safe deposit boxes is certain to yield
millions in cash and jewelry. But what Terry and his hapless crew don’t
realize is that the boxes also contain a treasure trove of dirty secrets.
Owing her liberty to an MI5 operative, Martine is doing the
bidding of agent Tim Everett (Richard Lintern), who is after the contents
of one safe deposit box owned by West Indies black power militant Michael
X (Peter De Jersey), a vicious slumlord and drug trafficker immune to government
prosecution as long as he retains possession of incriminating photos of a
member of the royal family. Once in control of the blackmail goods, the government
would be able to shut down the brutal firebrand’s sleazy operation.
Terry’s crew, which includes aspiring photographer Kevin (Stephen Campbell
Moore) and part-time porn actor Dave Shilling (Daniel Mays), proves to be
almost as competent as they are intrepid in carrying out a mission of tunneling
under a Chinese take-out joint to reach the bank’s vault.
With a lookout posted on a roof overlooking the bank, the robbers
communicate by walkie-talkies, and soon their chatter, often humorous and
suggesting marginal ineptitude, is overheard by a ham radio operator who alerts
the police. An element of suspense is introduced by the frantic efforts of
the police to locate the crime scene. And though the robbers are successful
in their efforts, there’s a palpable feeling they might have been better
off if they had been apprehended. As it turns out, some very nasty people
become compromised by the loot that includes incriminating documents and diaries.
Soho porn king Lew Vogel (David Suchet) is extremely agitated
at the discovery that his ledger of payoffs to corrupt police and government
officials is among the stolen items. Assisted by crooked cops on his payroll,
Vogel proves far more adept than the authorities at tracking down the criminals.
This turns out to be a painfully ugly scene, as Vogel mercilessly tortures
one of the crew in a very disturbing, extremely violent fashion. Since the
highest echelons of the British government are touched by the robbery, the
stakes become increasingly complicated, with Terry desperate to find the way
out, if only because he doesn’t want to lose his wife Wendy (Keeley
Hawes) and his two young daughters.
“The Bank Job” is full of subplots, though they
are mostly centered on sleaze, corruption, scandal, duplicity, double-dealing,
murder, and even mayhem. Exciting and suspenseful, this caper fits in nicely
with other classic British heist films. That Jason Statham got his start with
director Guy Ritchie in notable British crime stories “Snatch”
and “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” is good enough reason
that he’s the mastermind in “The Bank Job.” For those who
enjoy this type of crime story, “The Bank Job” does a bang-up
job of delivering a ton of thrills.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
Since the movie of the week features London, it’s only fitting to pick
the DVD release of “Outlaw,” starring Sean Bean as a former paratrooper
who returns from a tour of duty in Iraq to the present day lawless streets
of London. The hero is appalled by what he sees in his homeland, and therefore
assembles a group of like-minded souls who settle upon a form of vigilante
justice. “Hitman” is also being released for home entertainment.
Timothy Olyphant is a soulless assassin known only as Agent 47. So devoid of emotion, he makes no move on Olga Kurylenko. It makes no sense at all, because the pretty Olga is set to be a Bond Girl in the next James Bond adventure coming our way in November. Most likely, Olga is showing more flesh here than she ever will as 007’s plaything. The “Hitman” DVD has an alternate ending, but I doubt it involves Agent 47 and the mysterious Russian girl settling for domes
SPORTS COMEDY TAKES A RUN AT BEING MORE THAN “SEMI-PRO”
A Film Review by Tim Riley
SEMI-PRO (Rated R) Funnyman Will Ferrell has
developed a comedic persona that elevates him barely above the lazy, irresponsible
man-child who is contradictorily both lovable and arrogant. This is an act
he has perfected as Ron Burgundy, the TV anchorman with an inflated ego, as
well as in a succession of various sports figures. He’s done his part
to decimate figure skating, soccer, and NASCAR racing. A one man wrecking
crew, Ferrell has cultivated a legion of fans who may even cheer his more
mediocre work.
Arguably, “Semi-Pro” is not in the major league
status of “Talladega Nights,” where his race car driver Ricky
Bobby was the obnoxiously funny showoff in competition with “Borat’s”
Sacha Baron Cohen. This time, Ferrell’s Jackie Moon is a one-man conglomerate
in the last year of the American Basketball Association’s existence.
He’s the owner, coach and power forward for the fictional Flint (Michigan)
Tropics, a team defined by its outlaw flair and sensational showmanship. Sporting
an afro hairdo and the gaudy clothes of the 1970s, Jackie Moon is coasting
on the residuals of his big one-hit song “Love Me Sexy.”
The film opens with Jackie Moon crooning his salacious hit song,
which serves the purpose of establishing his character as the kind of outrageously
brash self-promoter whose unpredictable behavior is certain to keep everyone
on edge. As the basketball season gets underway during America’s bicentennial
year, Jackie soon learns that the ABA is going to be disbanded, and that only
four teams will be absorbed into the more profitable and dominant NBA. A woeful
team lacking any real talent, the Flint Tropics are not destined to be one
of the teams merged into the NBA. But that won’t stop Jackie from pulling
every stunt in the book.
The Tropics have one star player, the flamboyant Clarence “Downtown”
Withers (Andre Benjamin), who changes his name with frequency, finally settling
on Coffee Black as his moniker. He may be good, but he can’t carry a
team full of league rejects. To change his fortunes, Jackie trades the team’s
washing machine for former NBA benchwarmer Ed Monix (Woody Harrelson), a troubled
player with real talent if he can overcome constant knee trouble and an unhealthy
attraction to his old flame Lynn (Maura Tierney) who’s now with someone
else.
Jackie, who seems modeled upon legendary baseball showman Bill
Veeck and daredevil Evel Knievel, is constantly thinking of marketing ploys,
some of which are manifestly stupid or dangerous. To get fans in the seats,
he offers free corndogs to all ticket holders if the team scores 125 points,
and then does his best to sabotage his teammates. Another stunt is offering
an oversized $10,000 check to a spectator who makes a basket at a distance
greater than half-court. When a homeless stoner (Jackie Earle Haley) sinks
the ball, Jackie cooks up little tricks to avoid the payoff. Unwisely, Jackie
also wrestles a bear in another stunt that goes horribly wrong.
“Semi-Pro” is full of caricatures of athletes, but
not all of them come across as pure comedic figures. To be sure, Jackie Moon
is all over the map as a buffoon, flailing wildly at the impossible task of
putting together a championship caliber team. On the other hand, Monix and
Coffee Black become the underdog heroes who are destined to succeed in a feel-good
sports story, because after all that’s what you have to expect from
teammates on the verge of reaching the comeback status.
The funniest characters are not even on the basketball court,
turning up instead in the broadcast booth. Will Arnett’s Lou Redwood,
a former player, is the color commentator with a colorful, and often profane,
manner. His partner is Dick Pepperfield (Andrew Daly), more mild-mannered
but equally adept at tossing sarcastic dialogue. When announcing the game,
these two hurl insults at each other, but more often they snipe at the team
and its fans. These guys are so funny that you get the sense they could easily
be adlibbing their dialogue.
Feeling often like an improvised script, “Semi-Pro”
may not be the best Will Ferrell comedic vehicle, but it certainly beats films
like “Kicking & Screaming” and “A Night at the Roxbury.”
Though not consistently shooting three-pointers, Ferrell hits the mark often
enough with his silliness to make this film fun for anyone enjoying this type
of comedy. Indeed, there are plenty of laughs.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
Horror films take on a life of their own when going into DVD release. “Automaton
Transfusion” is a shockingly grisly zombie horror flick that follows
three teens brazen enough to fight back a town full of swarming zombies. Maybe
you caught this film at Screamfest 2006, but if not, now’s your chance
to load up on extremes of gore and bloodshed. “Awake” allows one
to experience the pain and terror of “anesthetic awareness,” which
happens when a man remains conscious but paralyzed throughout an operation
and is forced to endure excruciating pain.
EXPLOSIVE “VANTAGE POINT” JUMBLED BY SCADS
OF PLOT TWISTS
A Film Review by Tim Riley
VANTAGE POINT (Rated PG-13) Harkening back
to the 2004 terrorist bombings on commuter trains in Madrid, one has to wonder
what the Prime Minister of Spain thinks of “Vantage Point,” which
puts the Spanish town of Salamanca in the crosshairs of a terrorist plot during
a landmark summit on the global war on terror. Gathering the heads of state
in any one location runs a great security risk, and “Vantage Point”
is only too willing to explore the possibility of a serious breakdown in the
protective guard that surrounds high-profile events of this kind. For good
measure, the film taps into sensible paranoia of the modern age.
The action-packed thriller owes much of its perspective to the
classic Japanese film “Rashomon.” The innovative effort of legendary
director Akira Kurosawa created an unusual narrative structure that attempted
to arrive at the truth of a brutal crime by demonstrating the differing accounts
of several witnesses. While the Japanese classic was heavy on the psychological
overtones, “Vantage Point” leans to the point of view of various
players, from the innocent bystander to the active participants in the plot.
Hence, the psychology is colored by the level of self-interest of the individual
witness.
At the film’s opening, the audience relives the assassination
attempt on the president of the United States (William Hurt) from so many
angles that it is easy to lose count. The film’s advertising says that
eight strangers with eight different points of view try to unlock the truth.
As the president’s motorcade works its way to the site of the summit
in the town’s central square, the first view is from the American cable
news network covering the historic event, mostly from the perspective of frenzied
TV news producer Rex Brooks (Sigourney Weaver), who working from inside a
trailer located on the perimeter has probably the least advantageous observation
point.
Other than the actual perpetrators, two Secret Service agents
assigned to President Ashton probably have the best view, since they are most
attuned to this sort of danger. This is particularly true for agent Thomas
Barnes (Dennis Quaid), who previously took a bullet about a year before while
protecting the Commander in Chief. Other agents have doubts that Barnes is
ready to enter the fray once more, and even Barnes’ partner, agent Kent
Taylor (Matthew Fox), is dubious. However, Barnes is the key player because
he is more tenacious than a pit bull in doing his job. Under fire when the
assassination attempt goes down, Barnes dispels any notion that his psyche
is too wobbly for effective action.
There are other perspectives to the crime. In the crowd is ordinary
American tourist Howard Lewis (Forest Whitaker), who thinks he’s captured
the shooter on his camcorder while videotaping the event for his kids back
home. A Spanish police officer (Eduardo Noriega) suspects that his girlfriend
is cheating on him and then stumbles on something far more insidious. Not
to be left out of all this is the president himself, who has to cope with
trusted aides while pondering whether to launch an air strike on a terrorist
camp in Morocco.
As each vantage point is explored, it is incumbent on the audience
to pay attention to the details, catching a glimpse here and there of potential
clues, no matter how remote or obscure. In some ways, the storytelling is
akin to peeling layers off an onion, and the mind races to figure out whether
discovered tidbits lead to a grander revelation. But you can’t get too
comfortable mulling over the various options, because then the movie cranks
up the action in a series of gun shots and bomb blasts topped off by a terrific
car chase.
ROMANCE SPARKS A FEW LAUGHS “OVER HER DEAD BODY”
A Film Review by Tim Riley
OVER HER DEAD BODY (Rated PG-13) We’re
still coping with the post-holiday movie blues, where new films just aren’t
that good, and now Valentine’s Day looms on the horizon. That can only
mean more formulaic romantic comedies are on the way, and “Over Her
Dead Body” is the latest entrant from the date movie factory. There’s
some mildly good news to this situation. If you survived “27 Dresses,”
chances are you will find “Over Her Dead Body” more bearable,
if only because the romance sparks a few good laughs.
Eva Longoria Parker, famed for her role in “Desperate
Housewives,” is required to do little more than act like an annoying
shrew in the role of Kate, the future bride killed on her wedding day by a
falling ice sculpture of an angel without wings. “Over Her Dead Body”
opens as Kate obsesses over every small detail during the chaotic wedding
preparations before her accidental death. Her Bridezilla-like attempt to make
everything perfect is driving everyone crazy.
The mystery of the pending marriage is that Kate’s fiancé
is the placid Henry (Paul Rudd), an easy-going veterinarian who seems ill-matched
to such a control freak. In any event, Henry is so traumatized by the loss
of his future bride that the story jumps to a year later when Henry is unable
to move on with his life. His reclusive state elicits concern from his vivacious
sister Chloe (Lindsay Sloane), who determines that he needs permission from
the dearly departed Kate to start life anew.
At Chloe’s urging, though skeptical about psychic powers, Henry reluctantly
agrees to meet Ashley (Lake Bell), a medium who happens to also run a catering
company with her gay best friend Dan (Jason Biggs). The initial reading doesn’t
go well, and while remaining more skeptical than ever, Henry is intrigued
by Ashley, perhaps because she’s pretty and refuses payment, though
not necessarily in that order.
Meanwhile, Chloe does not give up on her brother, deciding that
a little harmless subterfuge may be the best approach. She steals Kate’s
diary so that Ashley could have some inside information that might convince
Henry that her psychic powers deserve a second chance. Ashley, of course,
uses the diary’s tidbits to pretend that she’s channeling Kate’s
spirit.
The ruse works better than expected, and yet unintended consequences abruptly
follow. Kate’s ghost materializes but only to be seen by Ashley. Revealing
that she’s not changed in the afterlife, she’s disgruntled and
possessive, unable to let go of Henry. Not surprisingly, Kate is upset that
Ashley has designs on her former fiancé, and as a result, the ectoplasmic
shrew goes on the warpath against her romantic nemesis.
What’s a disturbed ghost to do? The only option is to
turn Ashley’s life into a living hell by using her ghostly powers to
torment and humiliate. Relentless efforts to sabotage the budding romance
between Ashley and Henry are intended to evoke the spirit of screwball romantic
comedy, and there are moments when this is executed to humorous satisfaction.
“Over Her Dead Body” makes a far better showcase for the talents
of Paul Rudd and Lake Bell than it does for the titular star. Eva Longoria
Parker seems ill-suited for romantic comedy, as her nasty shrewish behavior
is more fitting for her TV character. It was also disconcerting to see that
her skin color was a strangely orange-brown hue, an unnatural look for a ghostly
apparition. Displaying his customarily dry sarcasm, Rudd comes off the best
with snappy patter and wry, humorous observations. In addition to her beauty,
Lake Bell’s bubbly, cheerful spirit brings welcome relief.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
It seems only fitting that at a time of year when there are more movies than
usual geared to a female audience, Sony Pictures decides to release “The
Jane Austen Book Club” for home entertainment. Based on the Karen J.
Fowler best-selling novel, the movie focuses on an eclectic group of Austen
aficionados who search for answers within six classic novels. Kathy Bates
has survived six divorces; Emily Blunt’s school teacher is crushed by
her husband’s insensitivity; Maria Bello sticks to dog breeding; Amy
Brenneman is horrified by her husband’s infidelity; Maggie Grace struggles
with sexual identity. Hugh Dancy is the lone male in the book club. Together,
they discuss the English writer’s beloved novels in search of answers
for the mysteries of love. “The Jane Austen Book Club” DVD, in
addition to the customary documentary features, includes seven deleted scenes.
NO LUSTER TO “FOOL’S GOLD” SEEKING
ADVENTURE AND LAUGHS
A Film Review by Tim Riley
FOOL’S GOLD (Rated PG-13) Once arrested on a charge of drug possession and resisting arrest, Matthew McConaughey, according to police reports, was naked and playing the bongo drums. Little did anyone realize that he was prepping for a future role in “Fool’s Gold,” which requires the actor to be bare-chested almost constantly, as if he were entered into a seaside beefcake contest. For most of the movie, the bronzed hunk looks like a surfer searching for the perfect wave, though he’s mostly in need of a shower and a clean pair of decent clothes.
“Fool’s Gold” is an appropriate title for the adventure
that compels McConaughey’s Finn, an affable treasure hunter, to be obsessed
with finding the legendary 18th century Queen’s Dowry, 40 chests of
priceless treasure that was lost at sea off the coast of Florida in 1715.
At least, Finn doesn’t end up playing the bongo drums in the nude. Mostly,
he’s preoccupied with saving his skin from assorted thugs who think
he might just be on to a huge treasure trove.
At the film’s opening, Finn and his Ukrainian accomplice Alfonz (Ewen
Bremner) are diving in Caribbean waters when their battered old boat catches
fire and sinks. This mishap doesn’t sit well with ruthless local gangster
Bigg Bunny (Kevin Hart), a hip-hop millionaire with a taste for treasure hunting.
The gangster has been financing Finn’s salvage operation, including
the boat now destroyed. For starters, Bigg Bunny dispenses his goons to rough
up Finn.
Meanwhile, Finn has to contend with some nastiness from his one-time mentor Moe Fitch (Ray Winstone), who is equally determined to find the buried loot. But the nastiest situation confronting Finn is that on the same day he finds an elusive big clue, he’s due in court for his divorce to Tess (Kate Hudson) to become final. Finn doesn’t want the marriage to end, but Tess has grown weary from the years of fruitless search for the Queen’s Dowry. Only now he has found a piece of a plate that proves he’s close to locating an untold fortune in gold and jewels.
As a matter of convenience, Tess is working aboard the mega-yacht owned by
billionaire Nigel Honeycutt (Donald Sutherland), anchored for the time being
in the waters off the Florida coast where Finn is pursuing his dream. Finn
maneuvers himself aboard Nigel’s yacht, and, using his roguish charm,
convinces the tycoon to join him on the hunt, much to Tess’ consternation.
Nigel appears to be roped into this adventure as a cure for boredom, if only
to make a shipboard visit from his airhead daughter Gemma (Alexis Dziena)
more bearable.
Dimwitted in the extreme, Gemma serves no useful purpose other than eye-candy,
seeing how she is constantly parading around in bikinis. For her part, Tess
is a stiff character overly dressed for the tropical climate, though she appears
once in a black bikini, which seems more like a perfect occasion for a photo
opportunity with her shirtless male co-star.
“Fool’s Gold” spends an inordinate amount of time speculating
about the origins of the Queen’s Dowry and where it is likely to be
found. One hopes in vain that they will get on with business in haste, but
the climactic action takes its time in coming. This film could take a few
cues on pacing from “National Treasure,” in which the revved-up
action easily masks any bland exposition.
Meanwhile, the tropical scenery is very attractive and appealing.
At this time of year, the clear blue ocean water seems more inviting than
ever. Yet, “Fool’s Gold” is as deceptive as fake shiny objects
at the bottom of the sea. The surface appeal isn’t worth a whole lot,
and “Fool’s Gold” is short on luster.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
The poignant, heartwarming family drama “The Martian Child” didn’t
seem to make a big impact at the box office. It may be worth a second look
on DVD, particularly if you like impressive performances by talented actors.
John Cusack delivers a touching performance as a recently widowed man who
hopes to adopt a fragile young boy who is quirkier than most.
The adopted boy believes he’s from Mars and spends much
of his time hiding in a large cardboard box. Assisted by his real-life sister
Joan playing his sister, Cusack’s widower embarks on a journey of self-discovery,
with a little help also from his quirky friend Amanda Peet. The DVD has the
usual deleted scenes, along with a featurette called “The Real Martian
Child.”
Timely for Valentine’s Day, “I Could Never Be Your Woman,”
starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Paul Rudd, arrives on DVD.
The package includes three deleted scenes, which is interesting because I don’t remember this film when it was theatrical. In any case, it’s the charming story of the forty-something Pfeiffer’s television producer finding herself smitten by Rudd’s handsome young actor. Things get complicated when the two lovers confide their true ages. This could be an autobiographical exercise for director Amy Heckerling, who has written material for audiences many decades younger, as was the case with “Clueless.”
27 DRESSES (Rated PG-13) This column strives
to stay current on new film releases, as long as the studios are cooperating
by holding screenings for critics. That’s not always the case at the
start of the year, when so much of the new product is nothing more than cinematic
jetsam that studios are eager to dump. Spoof movies, particularly the “Scary
Movie” franchise, can be entertaining and erratically funny. So it seemed
“Meet the Spartans” could be mildly diverting, and 20th Century
Fox put me on a screening list after I made a request to see it. Yet, a day
before the event the invite was unceremoniously snatched away when it dawned
on somebody that a critic would get an advance peek.
The moral of this story is that any studio disdain for press
coverage is the surest sign that the film in question is an unmitigated train
wreck. The more charitable view is that certain films, perhaps the spoof movies
more than ever, are immune to criticism. So why bother spending money on promotions,
other than the requisite advertising? Now, I could rush to the theater and
pay good money to see “Meet the Spartans,” but that could be a
fool’s errand, kind of like buying season tickets for the Arizona Cardinals.
Let’s move on to another film from 20th Century Fox, the formulaic “27
Dresses” which is the kind of cute, predictable romantic comedy that
practically every guy in the universe would wisely avoid seeing under any
normal circumstance, unless of course his significant other insists on a date
movie. What we have here is a sappy love story that would more likely appeal
to the ladies, or at least that’s my educated guess.
“27 Dresses” is by no means dreadful, and if I can
survive it, then maybe the smart play for the guy is to make this a date movie,
as long as the relationship is secure. After all, guys, you don’t want
to be compared unfavorably to the hunky, toothy-grinned James Marsden, who
plays the cynical journalist so obviously destined to become the love interest
for the hopelessly sentimental Katherine Heigl.
If you can’t see the romance brewing between Heigl and
Marsden only minutes after they meet, then you should stay home and watch
endless repeats of the formulaic movies running on the Lifetime Channel. Heigl’s
Jane is the perennial bridesmaid, and she has 27 dresses in her closet to
prove it. One memorable evening, Jane manages to shuttle between wedding receptions
in Manhattan and Brooklyn, a feat witnessed by Kevin, a newspaper reporter
consigned to writing the bridal beat. Now he realizes that he’s got
a potential big story about a wedding junkie that could land him on the front
page.
When Jane and Kevin meet at a wedding, they lock horns as she
is repulsed by his cynicism. Meanwhile, Jane is in love with her boss, George
(Edward Burns), a colorless character who is seemingly oblivious. Jane’s
neatly-ordered life is upended when her flighty, flirtatious younger sister
Tess (Malin Akerman) arrives in town and sets her sights on capturing the
heart of George. Not surprisingly, Tess succeeds, in part due to her remarkably
shallow ability to feign interest in whatever George happens to like.
A whirlwind romance follows, and Tess and George soon announce
their nuptials, enlisting Jane of course to organize the whole affair, including
locating a 28th dress. Meanwhile, when not sulking about this turn of events,
Jane slowly becomes more attracted to the willing and available Kevin, at
least until his ill-timed expose of the perpetual bridesmaid surfaces in the
newspaper. Hey, what’s a romantic comedy without some conflict that
will eventually be resolved in the most satisfactory manner?
Katherine Heigl and James Marsden are charming actors who have
come off well in recent film roles. In “27 Dresses” they display
the right note of chemistry in their tangled relationship. It’s enough
to make the film bearable for guys stuck in the date movie mode.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
Chances are “Meet the Spartans” will hit the DVD shelves in short
order. Meanwhile, another spoof movie you may have missed at the multiplex,
“The Comebacks,” is now available in both unrated and theatrical
DVD editions. It holds some appeal, considering that it spoofs a wide range
of inspirational sports films, ranging from “Rocky” to “Field
of Dreams” to “Remember the Titans,” naming just a few.
David Koechner stars as out-of-luck coach Lambeau Fields, who is persuaded
to take to the field one last time and drives a rag-tag team of misfits towards
a football championship. “The Comebacks” is the “Scary Movie”
for the uplifting sports genre, and it packs a number of laughs.