Composer’s actress girlfriend leaves him for rock star, Russell Brand. Composer goes to Hawaii to get over it, despite knowing ex will be there. Ex is there. Russell Brand is a tame version of himself, talking like Davie Jones of the Monkees. He’s a rock star because that means he can do comedy songs to make screen time pass a bit more quickly. The songs are quite funny.
The receptionist at the hotel is attractive and is clearly the second love interest from the moment she appears onscreen - thus all will-she / won’t-she drama is squibbed. Nothing really happens for an hour. Then the end happens.
I know you shouldn’t go looking for enlightenment in a Judd Apatow film, but you’d have thought you might get a few belly-laughs.
That chubby stoner from Knocked Up is here as a stalker-like fan of Brand’s band, Infant Sorrow. He isn’t really given any material you’d call ‘comic’. The one black character - a big, fat barman - is meant to be an amusing character, I think, because all he does is list things. Which isn’t very funny. There’s a thread about a wimpy newlywed on honeymoon who’s scared of sex, but that one failed to raise a smile. The surfing stoner played by the husband in Knocked Up kept forgetting things. I think he was also meant to be funny. It’s quite tricky working out what you’re meant to be laughing at which, for a comedy, poses a problem.
Russell Brand does his usual schtick, but a diluted, American-family-friendly version of it, so all potential for cheekiness and irreverence is snuffed out. Brand with a script isn’t quite the same beast as the sex-freak with the haircut when he’s allowed to improvise. He’s a little bit wasted here, but you’d imagine it’d be a challenge to give him a role in anything, being as he’s developed his own persona. In a way, he’s stuck with himself, much like Frankie Howerd or Kenneth Williams were.
The only remarkable aspect of the whole film is the fact that you see the leading man’s penis on two occasions. The comedy reveal of his winky is another failed laugh-prod, ultimately feeling like a pretty desperate attempt to shove in something for bloggers to talk about - like the ‘crowning’ scene in Knocked Up - another example of a tacked on shocker.
All in all - not as annoying or rubbish as Knocked Up, and without the occasional quality gags.
Apatow’s surely had his time… while the likes of Stiller, Ferrell and Sandler have all long outstayed their welcome. Can Hollywood do us some decent comedy now, please?
91 Comments
I’ve got the new Fall album on my iPod dock at the moment.
I’M A 50 YEAR OLD MAN, AND I LIKE IT.
It’s ace.
So what do you rate as decent comedy?
Good to see all the stereotypes are out in force in that film. Do they have an Asian guy who’s really good with technology as well?
Hedcase - do you want a list?
George - there are lots of Hawaiins (sp?) who do the hula.
Has anyone seen the trailer for Stiller’s new film, I think it’s called Tropic Thunder - Hollywood comedy has hit an all time low. Seriously, watch the trailer if you’ve not seen it already.
I did quite like The 40 Year Old Virgin though, Steve Carell just has a likeability about him.
Actually, I like the look of Tropic Thunder, which discredits my entire argument.
Look - a shiny new poll on thje sidebar.
Yes - ‘thje’.
Idiot.
I like the look of Stepbrothers, and Anchor Man 2’s on the way, which makes me all moist at the tip.
Who’re you calling an idiot, Dave? Me?
Ironic, isn’t it?
What is, exactly?
You.
I’m so glad we’ve had this meaningless conversation in which you, an unread, ugly, racist twat called me an idiot without provocation. Get fucked.
Where’s the irony?
You were correct on one of the three counts you charged me with, and there was no provocation, you arse, because I was taking you up on a typo, even though I make more typos than any other fucker on the planet.
What an over-sensitive petal you are, you insecure, failed fuckwit.
There was no irony. That’d be the irony.
Being a bit ornery today, ain’t ye, ye varmint?
I was having a poilte laugh. Swineshead took it the wrong way. Sorry.
Dave - so you agree with racist and unread?
Fair enough - beauty is subjective. And you can’t really argue with a man who uses the word ‘wog’ in normal conversation and who doesn’t get anyone reading his shit being racist and unread…
Now piss off.
You can’t count, or use the word unread properly. Plus, I’m no more racist that the stereotype you mention in your review. Stop being outraged on other people’s behalf. Ever consider it could be a cultural reference, and not all black people are American, or listen to hip-hop, so therefore it can’t sterotype all black people? Pfft, what a patronising arse.
*started typing a response but can’t be arsed beyond: *
Get fucked Dave, you boring, fat, ugly, ignored Scully-wanker.
Almost forgot: Racist.
I’d like to teach the world to sing, I would. Now I’ve got long hair, I want us all to love one another, man.
‘Ever consider it could be a cultural reference, and not all black people are American, or listen to hip-hop, so therefore it can’t sterotype all black people?’
Now that I’ve read that properly - you’ve missed the point completely. I wasn’t making any point whatsoever beyond there only being one black character in the film.
It must be weird being ugly AND thick.
Bigot.
Dave have you been eating lead?
‘American Comedy’ is one of least favourite genres, I’ve not seen the 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, anything with Will Farrell (he annoys me on sight) I get confused between Stiller and Sandler which isn’t a good thing… but I do like Russell Brand and for that reason alone I’m intrigued to see how he fares in this.
Having said that, it seems to me the premise of virtually all American ‘Comedy’ is a male underdog (ie., stoner, loser, geek, retard) trying to either win back his bird or ‘get laid’.
Some of these buggers films are alright. I liked the golf one, and Semi-Pro’s fun. I wouldn’t recommend You Don’t Mess With The Zohan, mind. I watched that the other day and it was worse - WORSE - than Russell Brand’s dire Radio 2 show.
Is the golf one Happy Gilmore? I made 15 mins of that before plunging a tiny knife into my end
Jim Carrey, in his 94 peak, was alright though - wasn’t he? In Living Colour was genius too, better than SNL.
I think that’s it. I watched it drunk, so I’m no Barry Norman when it comes to analysing its true merit. I like that comb-over bowling film with Bill Murray. Mainly for Murray’s comb-over.
I quite like a few films by this lot - I didn’t make any statement saying that all their output is shit. Unless you believe Dave the racist’s line of argument.
Happy Gilmore is alright, if we’re talking golf ones.
I like Russell Brand’s radio show on the podcast - on a Saturday night it’s too long and too matey, matey. He’s an acquired taste, to be sure.
Kingpin, Napoleon. A fine, fine film. I like the bit where he milks the horse.
Jim Carrey has never been alright. Ace Ventura was alright, watched once, if you were drunk out of your mind.
Straining to think of anything he’s done well since. He very nearly ruined that arty thing he did with Winslett with the very long title.
I think I saw Kingpin and liked it, did he get laid in the end?
Kingpin, indeed. Why did it fail at the box office?
Let’s see if he got laid in the end first…
I didn’t like that Winslet thing with the really long title one bit. I didn’t mind the one he was in where he was a telly star but didn’t know anything about it. And there was another one where he runs a cinema with amnaesia that was half-watchable.
Swineshead- Jim Carrey did Dumb and Dumber, The Mask (hated by comic purists, I grant) and Cable Guy (made by Mr Unfunny Benjamin Stiller). Sunshine was almost ruined by the arse though, I agree. I love the Kaufman brothers. Perhaps they should have cast Nickle-Arse Cage.
Brilliant in The Cable Guy though
(Eternal sunshine of the I couldn’t be arsed either and The Trueman Show which was passable)
…oh, apparently Carrey is hung like a donkey
Eternal wotsit, that’s it/ Bored the living shit out of me, did that. Nowhere near as good as Rocky III.
Dave - Get fucked.
Nicholas Cage is good in The Rock with Sean Connery and Ed ‘Gruff’ ‘Arris.
I thought the Truman Show was godawful, personally. It’s the only film I’ve gone to see where I’ve found myself puking up before falling asleep in the cinema. I used to love Famous Grouse.
He’s acerz in ‘Wild at Heart’
Ed Harris is in the Truman Show.
SH, ‘Grouse is my dads fave
When it comes to blends I’m more of a Bells chap meself
Bells doesn’t do it for me, if I can’t have Grouse I’ll have Teachers.
Not that I drink or anything.
I prefer urine
Bells, Grouse, Teachers? Bloody hell, I’d have thought you’d have had more taste. The smokey tang of a fifteen year old Laphroaig’s what you need when it comes to a spot of the good stuff. Bells, indeed.
We’re talking blends, NC. Read before commenting - many thanks.
My apologies, I missed that bit. Still don’t know why you’d want to drink blended scotch, mind.
FREE PETER SUTCLIFFE!
A measure of Laphroaig with three drops of water is close to god…
Not that I drink.
Water? In a single malt? Christ! I hope no Scotch folk are reading this - they’ll splice you to the mainbrace for sacriligious comments like that.
Would they? Well fuck them, then.
On a different subject, what’s the most inappropriate songs you could put on when you’re ablout to make love to your good lady wife? I reckon I’ve Got A Brand-New Combine Harvester comes pretty close to being the ultimate passion-killer.*
*On the opposite end of the spectrum, why not get her in the mood (and spell out to her exactly how the evening’s about to pan out) with Bad Company’s ‘Feel Like Making Love’? Or Color me Badd’s ‘I Wanna Sex You Up’?
Laphroaig, Christ yes.
With regard to your question NC, ‘There’s no one quite like Grandma’ is totally fucked up
Listening to little girls singing about grandmas just as you’re about to slip your wife the length? Yes, that would be strange. Another inappropriate number to put on would be ‘Matchstalk Men & Matchstalk Cats & Dogs’.
How about this for pre-coital japes?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KCdhMN1ZCO8
God almighty. I’d say the missus would have every right to leave me if I put that sucker on as a prelude to doing the dirty.
You may well be the only man in the world to remember that song, by the way.
I’m trying to think of more passion killers.
Anything by Leo Sayer, obviously.
Good to see you’re all using the new poll feature on the right hand side of the mainpage.
BASTARDS
Ayye dydn’t knowe there waff wonne, Goodman Swineshead.
I voted Salad Fingers, Swineshead. What do you think of that?
You are .1% redeemed, David.
SH, you’re not going to Adam and Eve it, that fucking tune was going about my head on Sunday afternoon, out the blue. I couldn’t get rid of the fucker AND NOW IT’S BACK
AAARGGHHHHHHHHH
How about this for a passion killer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFacWGBJ_cs
Aaaah - Joe Dolce. I bet many an 80s child was conceived to that tune.
Here’s one to stop you before you start:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNFd4GX3QPM&feature=related
How’s abou this lot? The only girl group I know that included its very-own ardour-dampener among the ranks in case you were tempted to wank along to the video?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naXCGpABh9I
WoW!!! I had completely forgotten about “The Double Deckers”. Just played the link and it all came back to me.
Great fun and a good one for the bedroom!
Forget Wilson Phillips - if you’re able to knock one out over ANY of the girls in this lot, you’re ill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKX1EY6dkIY
Where’ve you been, Mikey? Sly liaisons with DigitalSpy, n’doubt.
Christ dreadful, dreadful
This could lead to violence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41APzy5kqBU
Badger Madge has been touting her reviews shamelessly there!
Piqued - there’s nothing wrong with Sir Mixalot. That is, in fact, a classic tune.
And it’s not sexist, neither.
Right - I need to get involved with that, Mikey - thanks for the tip.
Always gives good traffic, does Digispy.
I always had a soft spot for that big arses song. The Vanilla thing’s hideous. There’s no way I could hammer one out to those girls.
I only recently discovered “digital spy”. They even have jobs going!
And my contribution but it is actually a serious one…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc2S3wnuulc
Digital Spy just asked me for a fiver to register. Shysters.
I like the big arses song too but, and the point of it’s posting if you remember the original ‘inappropriate’ dictum’, is that announcing to your arse conscious missus (when she’s been down the gym for the past year and eating nothing but celery for two) that you like big arses just as you’re about to do the nasty may not be the best course of action.
Fair enough Piqued, I see where you’re coming from.
*disrobes enormous back side*
*jiggles*
Christ!
*eyes pop out of head*
*gets hit by tomato*
Yeah, you’ve got a point there. I can’t see my other half going for the big arse song in that situation. Nor would this get her in the mood …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5XX9LX2es4
… though I wish it would.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB0UZN83N-w&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9NxlkP60oE&feature=related
They loves this, thems bitches
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-aIyN80BbI
We’ve degenerated into youtube clippery.
WASP, godawful
(apparently stands for We Are Sex Perverts)
This is the only website I comment on, oh apart from a couple of comments on BMTV.
Don’t try to sugar the pill, Mikey - you’ve let us all down.
Jesus Mikey
Boooooooooooooooooooo
according to some very primitive grafitti on my old school yard (mid-eighties) WASP stands for “We Are Satan’s People”. Kiss (the rock band) on the other hand stands for “Knights In Satan’s Service”. All according to old norse metal wisdom.