Big-budget comedies strangle themselves. The characters are built on stereotypes; good guys and bad guys, mad guys and sensible guys, black guys and white guys, good choices and bad choices.
This is what the big movies often are; because they're trying to cater for everyone. If you make a movie for 80 million and only seventeen people understand it, you have a problem. The shortcut to everyone 'getting it' is street-wise black men, awkward white men, billion dollar problems and gorgeous woman. I'm 24 minutes into the movie and the beautiful women aren't here yet, but I know Eva Mendes is in it and I'm expecting her soon. The comedy is established, so the romance needs to be plugged in as a device to keep people interested.
The problem with making these movies in this way; is that the jokes have to be amazing and the actors have to be compelling. Wahlberg and Farrell are great at what they do - but the comedy thus far is Wahlberg accusing Farrell of being feminine, and that's about it, and it's old already.
So the film is about 'being a man.' But who relates to that premise? I like rom-coms and I think shooting guns is dumb and stupid. So the story isn't about me, but then who is it about? Who can relate to this stuff?
So we know what's coming. Two desk jockey cops need to prove themselves, overcome their limitations and probably get the girls. We know this story already. So we need something more. If we're not laughing hysterically or desperately concerned about the plight of those involved, then we're detached; we're back thinking about our personal problems and writing blogs instead of focusing on the movie.
They keep doing the joke about Will Farrell being a geek. He loves computers, he loves Photoshop, he loves bad movies, etc-- the joke keeps coming. If this was Billy Wilder he would only have made the joke once, and it would have been funnier.
So Eva Mendes is here now and she's talking about her breasts.
I'm bored, and there's over an hour left.
So I skipped to the end. And the two guys are holding their guns up to the bad guys, Wahlberg is being bad ass and Will Farrell is stepping out of his comfort zones. Don't worry about me giving away the ending, you've seen this film before.
The bad guys are in jail, and Farrell's geekery pays off, and Wahlberg gets the girl.
I agree with you, while watching this movie on a plane, I kept on thinking about going home and school etc. and ended up playing a game on my phone instead.
ReplyDeleteSadly all too true about these formula type of films.
ReplyDeleteWell put. I get so tired of the same recycled comedy plots.
ReplyDeleteOh man, the title of this post so should have been on the poster. That would never happen for obvious reasons. But still.
ReplyDeleteWahlberg is perfect in this role, and as always Ferrell is hilarious, but the film starts to lose it's comedy by the end, because it starts to build into odd satire. Good Review!
ReplyDeleteI didn't find this film funny at any point. I struggled to watch until the end. Total waste of time. :/
ReplyDeleteYeah, this movie was so average. I'm embarrassed to say my boyfriend and I actually saw it at the cinema last year because it was the only film screening that fit into a break between classes at uni. I tuned out after the first few minutes.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely hit it on the nail. What would you say is the last big budget comedy that got it right.
ReplyDeleteAwww, Kid! And to think you're usually so on it! Sorry to disagree, but I think The Other Guys is totally different to most of the below average crap that Hollywood calls comedy. Not since Superbad did I laugh so much in an American comedy (I only mention American as they have a very different tone to British comedies). Thank God this doesn't stoop to the levels of Hot Tub Time Machine or Get Him To The Greek or any number of other, high profile, star studded embarrassments. The Other Guys is like a ludicrous, but fairly standard cop action movie, compiled of tonnes of hilarious skits and sketches. The whispered fight at the funeral is absolute gold! It's the absurdity which makes it different. The jokes and scenarios are totally surreal and unexpected. I can totally understand that it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, and if you don't like it, you don't like it, we each have our preferences, but it definitely isn't the same as other action comedies, and it's particularly unjust to make that judgement having skipped through most of the movie!
ReplyDeletehey - glad many of you agree with me!
ReplyDeletealien - thanks for your feedback and of course, you're right; i'm judging something without seeing all of it and there is something wrong about that. but, i wasn't laughing for 30 minutes, and it was all stereotypes -- and i guessed what would come and, by skipping to the end, i saw i was completely right. it was a by-the-numbers film and, for my tastes, without laughs. but it's great that you liked it; and clearly many people did like it!
it's like i was trying to say; when a film panders to stereotypes and obviousness (i know we disagree about obviousness on this film, but i'm talking from my POV!) -- when it does that, the acting and comedy need to be AWESOME! and it seems, from your POV, they were, which is why it worked (for you).
hopefully i'll take you with me on my next review, whatever that may be. and hopefully i'll watch the whole film ;)
I saw this recently. I was completely bored by it. And perplexed by the pie charts at the end.
ReplyDeleteYou guys at least have SENSIBLE formula films. Our tamil films - OMG! The formula is abt 1 hero how he gets in love with this hot looking girl (who conveniently just has to come only to show off her clothes or lack of it) how her dad turns out to be a Rowdy/ thug or in some cases a bad minister. He will surely try to kill some1 in our hero's family . Hero will cry with his family abt this , take an oath to kill the baddie ( which his lover would HAPPILY agree for) and happily ever after , the police instead of arresting him would give him an award! Beat this! =P
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