It has been a decade since the Farrelly Brothers have made a comedy worth watching. After late-nineties hit Something About Mary the guys tried their hand at some PG-13 comedies to try and win over a younger audience. But as these boys mature so must their humor. So after a couple big whiffs the boys returns to where they belongs, to a theater where kids under 17 need to be accompanied by an adult.
Your interest in this movie depends entirely on your attitudes towards vulgar comedy. Personally I love watching movies where our hero gets his balls zippered above his penis but that's me. So if you are not into that sort of thing then it is time to move on because this won't be a movie for you. But for those that enjoy dick jokes read on.
Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis star as Rick and Fred respectively. These two
suburbanites while lovingly faithful to their wives, can't help but ogle the women around them. Finally, their wives fed up with their frat boy thoughts, give their husbands the week off of marriage to do what that want, no penalties attached.
The story is rather flat, there is not a whole lot going on past the initial explanation. It is almost as if the plot is used as a way to get from joke A to joke B. Not that there is anything wrong with that. There are some hearty belly laughs during this movie. The laughter was often so loud through the theater that it was tough to hear the next several lines of dialogue. It came in all forms, from the spoken zingers to the physically outlandish. And call me crazy but I see some potential in some of their new made up terms. I don't think they'll be used by too many but keep an ear out for fake chow.
To that point Jason Sudeikis proves he can be the leading man. Anyone who saw his stint on "30 Rock" has probably known that for quite some time, but now it is shown for all to see. He shows off confidence in the role and gets many of the big laughs in the movie. He switches from creep to caring almost effortlessly. His delivery isn't quite deadpan because he always has that smile on his face, and that’s part of his charm and why he never loses the sympathies of the audience even when he is doing his best to debase the other sex.
Since Sudeikis gets to be the sidekick that means that Owen Wilson needs to play the straight man. His role in this movie is very similar to his role in The Wedding Crashers but just not as loose. Most of his humor comes from his awkwardness; with his character having been domesticated as long he has Rick no longer knows how to act when let off the leash. Having been around parents I know what a life full of Disney and Dora will do to you socially, so it makes sense for the character. It is just unfortunate as Owen Wilson can be so versatile when he is allowed to create the situation rather than just react to it which is what this role calls for.
Their wives aren't left out of the picture as the trailers may have indicated. The ladies also are out on the prowl, and they appear much less confused on how to handle a similar situation. Maybe more could have come out of this storyline but when the pens are in the hands of men, it is easier to write for their gender. Lucy and Ethel they ain't, instead they are used as foils to their husbands' stories. Also under utilized are the guys’ friends. Richard Jenkins, Larry Joe Campbell, and Stephen Merchant have some great moments in the movie but are only in scenes used to show the evolution, or devolution, of our protagonists.
This movie is at its best when it is at its raunchiest and that is why I liked it. There is a lot of lull in the story between the big laughs. It is still worth the viewing if that's what you are in the mood for. The Farrelly Brothers have had some big whiffs recently but these guys just enjoy making a movie and it shows. And I enjoyed watching it. B
Your interest in this movie depends entirely on your attitudes towards vulgar comedy. Personally I love watching movies where our hero gets his balls zippered above his penis but that's me. So if you are not into that sort of thing then it is time to move on because this won't be a movie for you. But for those that enjoy dick jokes read on.
Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis star as Rick and Fred respectively. These two
suburbanites while lovingly faithful to their wives, can't help but ogle the women around them. Finally, their wives fed up with their frat boy thoughts, give their husbands the week off of marriage to do what that want, no penalties attached.
The story is rather flat, there is not a whole lot going on past the initial explanation. It is almost as if the plot is used as a way to get from joke A to joke B. Not that there is anything wrong with that. There are some hearty belly laughs during this movie. The laughter was often so loud through the theater that it was tough to hear the next several lines of dialogue. It came in all forms, from the spoken zingers to the physically outlandish. And call me crazy but I see some potential in some of their new made up terms. I don't think they'll be used by too many but keep an ear out for fake chow.
To that point Jason Sudeikis proves he can be the leading man. Anyone who saw his stint on "30 Rock" has probably known that for quite some time, but now it is shown for all to see. He shows off confidence in the role and gets many of the big laughs in the movie. He switches from creep to caring almost effortlessly. His delivery isn't quite deadpan because he always has that smile on his face, and that’s part of his charm and why he never loses the sympathies of the audience even when he is doing his best to debase the other sex.
Since Sudeikis gets to be the sidekick that means that Owen Wilson needs to play the straight man. His role in this movie is very similar to his role in The Wedding Crashers but just not as loose. Most of his humor comes from his awkwardness; with his character having been domesticated as long he has Rick no longer knows how to act when let off the leash. Having been around parents I know what a life full of Disney and Dora will do to you socially, so it makes sense for the character. It is just unfortunate as Owen Wilson can be so versatile when he is allowed to create the situation rather than just react to it which is what this role calls for.
Their wives aren't left out of the picture as the trailers may have indicated. The ladies also are out on the prowl, and they appear much less confused on how to handle a similar situation. Maybe more could have come out of this storyline but when the pens are in the hands of men, it is easier to write for their gender. Lucy and Ethel they ain't, instead they are used as foils to their husbands' stories. Also under utilized are the guys’ friends. Richard Jenkins, Larry Joe Campbell, and Stephen Merchant have some great moments in the movie but are only in scenes used to show the evolution, or devolution, of our protagonists.
This movie is at its best when it is at its raunchiest and that is why I liked it. There is a lot of lull in the story between the big laughs. It is still worth the viewing if that's what you are in the mood for. The Farrelly Brothers have had some big whiffs recently but these guys just enjoy making a movie and it shows. And I enjoyed watching it. B
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