Back in the day Will Ferrell was a genius, oh and so was Ben Stiller, and John C. Reilly was a reputable actor. Then came Semi-Pro (and to a slightly lesser extent Talledega Nights), and along came Meet the Fockers and Heartbreak Kid and I became disillusioned. Is this really what you are going to do from now on? Simple swear centered humor, that's embarrassing as hell. All the while John C. Reilly is starting to make movies like Dewey Cox (he was Happy Jack in 'Gangs of New York' for God's sake!) I felt as if I was in a vortex of absurd insanity. A world where a two minute online video about a child swearing from someone I used to respect would get as much press as a movie. A world where real actors realized that story line means nothing when the movie going masses are so simple minded. A world I was no longer proud to be a fan of comedies in; it made me sad.
After a self imposed ban on the two of them this year I decided I would give them one more opportunity to redeem themselves and I went out and acquired Step Brothers and Tropic Thunder. These were both movies that I was excited at the possibility of seeing, movies that I thought actually looked good. More importantly though these were two movies which, if they were not good, were going to be putting the proverbial nails in the coffins of two actors I used to absolutely adore.
Step Brothers is a generally hilarious, at times touching, at times not funny at all in the vein of Semi-Pro (although very rarely), and as close to an Old School as Will Ferrell is ever likely to make again. A buddy comedy about two really pathetic and endearing buddies that occasionally takes the cheap laughs route but more often is clever than anything else. John C. Reilly is definitely the highlight of the movie as Dale and although I didn't respect him as an actor per se after it, he guaranteed that I will hold said nails for now, no coffins getting shut after this movie.
Tropic Thunder is an oddity of a movie. It has been some time since Ben Stiller made a truly hilarious movie and Jack Black has done nothing but disappoint me since School of Rock. Robert Downey Jr. on the other hand has been doing awfully well lately with Iron Man coming out this summer and if you've read anything about him on my site you know how I feel about Jay Baruchel as an actor. Cast aside the premise was genius and for that reason alone there was little that could ruin it for me.
The first two thirds definitely made the last third look terrible and cheers to Matthew McConaughey for being great as the Pecker and thanks Tom Cruise for reminding me why I don't respect you at all. Ben Stiller made one creative movie and although it would have been exponentially more impressive if he hadn't gone for quite as many cheap laughs (Jack Black offering fellatio during a heroin withdrawl for example), he still managed to make a movie that I laughed at and wasn't that embarrassed by (which I certainly couldn't say after Along Came Polly).
Both Stiller and Ferrell have each afforded themselves one more opportunity with me and although I may not be the most important guy in their world maybe they should start thinking a little bit more about the movie going masses who aren't just asses and cater to them a little more; it can really pay off.
