tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post6989561048607399608..comments2024-03-05T21:05:36.848-05:00Comments on CommentaramaFilms: Film Friday: Fun With Dick and Jane (2005)AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-23478755947604013432014-08-01T10:12:50.978-04:002014-08-01T10:12:50.978-04:00The Dissolve (my new favorite movie website) did a...The Dissolve (my new favorite movie website) did an interesting <a href="http://thedissolve.com/features/forgotbusters/686-the-unforgivable-missed-opportunities-of-2005s-fun/" rel="nofollow">piece</a> on this movie today. Thought you'd be interested... :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-62413711079428124532014-06-02T12:59:20.184-04:002014-06-02T12:59:20.184-04:00Follow up article - "Compare and Contrast: Ju...Follow up article - "Compare and Contrast: Judd Aptow and Seth MacFarlane". Discuss.djskithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13497045723185560102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-46713645787390282502014-06-02T00:32:29.168-04:002014-06-02T00:32:29.168-04:00Koshcat, I have the same problem, but that's t...Koshcat, I have the same problem, but that's the new thing - to have the hero create some modern weapon made of wood and steam and whatever to impress the audience. I think it's pathetic.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-71208606572462907552014-06-01T19:43:16.362-04:002014-06-01T19:43:16.362-04:00A little off topic but in reference to suspending ...A little off topic but in reference to suspending reality, I really despise period films that introduce technologies not yet invented. Last night we watched Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters. No where in the movie do they state the date but one gets a feel that we are talking somewhere between the 16th and 18th century. these two "heroes" use multiple different guns using copper jacketed bullets and a gatling gun; both designed in the late 19th century. It just doesn't fit the dress and period pieces very well. I had a difficult time getting past it. My wife on the other hand liked the movie. {I think she has been taken over by a body snatcher.}Koshcathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00552108950848576633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-70442739571979565562014-06-01T16:53:32.575-04:002014-06-01T16:53:32.575-04:00Koshcat, That is the problem with Apatow. This fi...Koshcat, That is the problem with Apatow. This film had many, many points where it could have been a very interesting film, but Apatow doesn't recognize a single one of those points. To the contrary, he rushes over those points because he doesn't see anything he can do with them. Then he fills in with mindless stupidity and over-the-top nonsense to prop up the story.<br /><br />In terms of not being realistic, as I say, not everything needs to be realistic in a film. BUT when you get things wrong that have average people (non-experts) shaking their heads, you quickly run the risk of taking people out of the film. And when you do it over and over and over at every single turn, it becomes jarring and eventually makes the whole movie feel faked.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-33419687929529860182014-06-01T16:37:54.353-04:002014-06-01T16:37:54.353-04:00Apatow aside this movie started off with an intere...Apatow aside this movie started off with an interesting premise. With many of our lives precariously placed in an upside down triangle, what happens when the bottom falls out? Setting aside realities is a part of movies; please don't get me started on medical shows. It doesn't bother me that no show would put a graph in the upper right. What is critical is that here is someone in his peak and given a huge promotion just to be used as a scapegoat.To find out you were chosen to be ridiculed because you are really a nobody is crushing. To make it more realistic just have the top brass leave the country for France or Panama. The mistake is in trying to explain some sinister greedy cause for the drop rather than just taking what you can and flee the sinking ship. Make the cause as simple as the product is deeply flawed and the finances were shaky anyway.<br /><br />Going forward with the premise that this couple doesn't want to give up their life is also interesting. So motivated to maintain the facade that they will do ridiculous things like stealing grass. Trying their hand at crime can also be interesting and funny.<br /><br />All this would be ok but then the movie goes off the rails and right into stupid land (well, stupider). They decide to because super criminals to steal the CEOs money and this will make everything ok? NO, NO, NO you f***king hack. I want to root for this couple. How about they learn that it is ok to have a simpler and more honest life? Money and things are not everything. Perhaps they reconnect with family and friends who really love them for who they are? Sort of the ending of It's a Wonderful Life. Why do we love that movie? Because we all know that George is a good man. He is just so hung up on what he doesn't have that he can't see what he has. Timeless. Classy. Anti-Apatow.Koshcathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00552108950848576633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-41177926848245596232014-06-01T13:46:39.895-04:002014-06-01T13:46:39.895-04:00John, I've liked Carrey a good deal, though hi...John, I've liked Carrey a good deal, though his films seem to be getting worse over time. I thought <i>The Truman Show</i> was brilliant actually. So I wasn't sure what to expect from this one except that it would probably be middling. It wasn't. It was horrid.<br /><br />On Carell, sometimes I like him, sometimes I don't. Strangely, he's consistent, but his films are inconsistent.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-16107861045454184712014-05-31T19:39:15.596-04:002014-05-31T19:39:15.596-04:00...and Dan in Real Life...and <i>Dan in Real Life</i>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18105609617071999765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-20991799492517924482014-05-31T19:34:06.685-04:002014-05-31T19:34:06.685-04:00Despite liking some Jim Carrey (in infrequent dose...Despite liking some Jim Carrey (in infrequent doses) the closest I've ever come to watching "Fun with Dick and Jane" is picking up the DvD cover when I was trawling the bottom shelf of the comedy section, desperate seeking some mindless entertainment, reading the blurb, and thinking "Nahhh".<br /><br />i guess the only Apatow film I've seen is <i>40 Year Old Virgin</i>, which is only good to the extent that Steve Carell is good (in which respect <i>Date Night</i> and <i>Crazy Stupid Love</i> are much better).<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18105609617071999765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-16603552758738952502014-05-31T01:40:04.581-04:002014-05-31T01:40:04.581-04:00And yeah, it doesn't surprise me at all that A...And yeah, it doesn't surprise me at all that Apatow would steal something right out of the opening gates. I have yet to see anything original from him despite however many films he's made.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-58563972850636072102014-05-31T01:38:29.855-04:002014-05-31T01:38:29.855-04:00Scott, I'm really depressed by the state of co...Scott, I'm really depressed by the state of comedy today. I can't think of what the last good... solid... funny comedy was. Almost everything now is Apatow-like.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-64353238028386327222014-05-31T01:06:02.086-04:002014-05-31T01:06:02.086-04:00Andrew -
Speaking of never smiling, the occasion...Andrew - <br /><br />Speaking of never smiling, the occasional smile is pretty much all I do with Apatow's movies. I remember when my local paper gave <i>40-Year Old Virgin</i> 4 stars (!!). My reaction after seeing it was basically, "It was okay... I only wish I liked it more."<br /><br />And not only that, but that movie opens with a "trying to piss with an erection" gag, which was done much better years earlier in <i>Me, Myself, and Irene</i>. It's like, "Really? This is the new comedy god of Hollywood? It's five minutes in and he's recycling already!"<br /><br />I know, it's all old news to you. But it would be nice to see a wider variety of comedies out there... most of what's made is "Apatow-esque."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-78248285636243992962014-05-30T17:58:32.193-04:002014-05-30T17:58:32.193-04:00Scott, Whenever icons die, every POS in Hollywood ...Scott, Whenever icons die, every POS in Hollywood rushes out to praise them and try to wrap themselves a bit in that person's legacy. Personally, I doubt Ramis would even have watched an Apatow film.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-73291629182507013192014-05-30T17:55:39.273-04:002014-05-30T17:55:39.273-04:00wulfscott, I concur with your take on the original...wulfscott, I concur with your take on the original. And I totally agree that the real fun in this idea is watching rule-bound middle class people opening their eyes to this broader world and learning bit by bit how to pull it off. Add a cop trying to catch them and you have a tremendous basis for a comedy.<br /><br />Apatow skipped the heart of this thing.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-35709341781028574552014-05-30T17:52:49.450-04:002014-05-30T17:52:49.450-04:00Collin, I've seen all of them, I think. I ten...Collin, I've seen all of them, I think. I tend to see everything, whether I want to or not. And I really have no respect for Apatow. He's just not clever or funny or interesting. This one is a good example. I laughed... never. I smiled... never. I saw flaws in every scene and almost every line of dialog. This was a chore to watch.<br /><br />Interestingly, it's not just bias either. I've seen several films that I didn't even know he was involved in and had the same feelings.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-51018416077024769602014-05-30T17:50:22.928-04:002014-05-30T17:50:22.928-04:00Backthrow, I don't dislike Leoni. She's n...Backthrow, I don't dislike Leoni. She's never really caught my attention, but as you note, she's been in a series of roles that aren't right for her and aren't memorable.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-52216493314614001242014-05-30T16:09:17.635-04:002014-05-30T16:09:17.635-04:00ScottDS-
Thanks!ScottDS-<br /><br />Thanks!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00608625547096317677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-40056909188533614242014-05-30T16:00:02.018-04:002014-05-30T16:00:02.018-04:00Collin -
This is 40 had one great line, said by t...Collin -<br /><br /><i>This is 40</i> had one great line, said by the Asian girl about Fox' character:<br /><br />"Everything that comes out of her mouth is a lie. Everything that goes into it is a d--k." :-)<br /><br />[sigh] Ya know, when Harold Ramis passed away (one of my heroes), everyone and their mother chimed in with praise and tributes, including Apatow... except Ramis would NEVER have made a movie like <i>This is 40</i>: a self-indulgent exercise in navel-gazing. <br /><br />Apatow's films have gotten so "inside baseball," with his characters working as album producers and E! hosts, it almost makes me appreciates Seth Rogen. At least he's still playing regular schlubs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-49722753184099739892014-05-30T15:35:45.853-04:002014-05-30T15:35:45.853-04:00The best part of the original was exactly what you...The best part of the original was exactly what you mentioned, Andrew, the middle class couple learning to rob banks and getting good at it, and then keeping up and expanding their lifestyle without being able to mention to the neighbors what they do for a living. Tyranmax, the movie is depressing, but that matches the times - firmly in the Carter years. That said, there were other problems with the original: the ending felt tacked on, like the writers didn't know where to go with the concept; George Segal was only an ok lead for a mediocre movie, no charisma or presence at all; Jane fonda gave one of the most forgettable performances of her career - I had to look at IMDB to remember who played that role. Hmmm, for Ms. Fonda, being forgettable is probably her 2nd best performance of her career...<br />So the concept could be quite good with a decent script and good leads. I liked the idea of a remake. The trailers and advertising made me think, though, that this one was a good film to skip. And from your review, Andrew, sounds like one I shouldn't waste time on.wulfscotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01753817510942803189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-13917383730833300412014-05-30T15:26:27.946-04:002014-05-30T15:26:27.946-04:00I've only seen one Judd Apatow movie - This Is...I've only seen one Judd Apatow movie - This Is 40 - and I HATED it. Every single character was unrelatable and their problems could have easily been resolved. The only character that I genuinely like was Megan Fox's character. When you make Megan Fox, whose only other good performance was Jennifer's Body, which was I also not fan of, the only good person, then your movie has failed. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00608625547096317677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-64182134163474592072014-05-30T14:28:41.380-04:002014-05-30T14:28:41.380-04:00Ugh. Apatow brings so much pain.
I have to stick ...Ugh. Apatow brings so much pain.<br /><br />I have to stick up for Leoni, though. Not in this film, but she's one of the major squandered talents in Hollywood today. Besides her beauty, she excels at deadpan, low-key, dry, sophisticated humor. That's why people remember the otherwise-forgotten, one-season <i>Flying Blind</i>. But, of course, that's not what the industry typically gives her to do. Instead, she's either cast as a tightly-wound neurotic (<i>Spanglish</i>, <i>Jurassic Park III</i>, a host of others); a manic, 'wacky' Lucille Ball wanna-be (<i>The Naked Truth</i>); a serious, bland non-entity (<i>Deep Impact</i>); the wife (this movie, <i>Family Man</i>) --or else she's barely in the story at all and given little to do (<i>Ghost Town</i>). The latter film allowed her to play to her strengths, but I think she had maybe one brief scene to shine in...she was a minor subplot.<br /><br />She got good notices early on in <i>Flirting With Disaster</i>, but I haven't gotten around to that one yet. The one good movie where she's great is John (<i>Red Rock West</i>) Dahl's gangster comedy <i>You Kill Me</i> (2007), and she co-produced that one, so it stands to reason.<br /><br />If they were making movies like <i>The Thin Man</i> or <i>The Lady Eve</i> these days, and if they were popular, she'd probably be a big star. I could also see her do well, on a smaller scale, if she was in a Coen Bros comedy or a Christopher Guest mockumentary. Unfortunately, she's instead starring in a new drama series, <i>Madame Secretary</i>, which at first blush looks like it might be a heavily-glamorized, proxy campaign advertisement for 'Hillary in 2016!'. Ugh.Backthrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02289433396695381105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-70102875032276042572014-05-30T10:31:57.856-04:002014-05-30T10:31:57.856-04:00PikeBishop, LOL! Uh... no, not quite.PikeBishop, LOL! Uh... no, not quite.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-68224274082260500062014-05-30T10:31:21.045-04:002014-05-30T10:31:21.045-04:00tryanmax, My mistake, I don't mean to imply th...tryanmax, My mistake, I don't mean to imply that the original was very good. I didn't think it was good either, and for the very reasons you say. That said, I do think the idea has a ton of potential. Apatow just doesn't come anywhere near unlocking that potential.<br /><br />It strikes me as fairly obvious that the real humor in this idea will come from seeing the middle class couple learning how to rob banks and then doing it... a fish out of water story. But that's actually the one thing Apatow wants no part of. He spends an hour getting there, gives us an unfunny montage of it happening, and then moves on to a form of heist film.<br /><br />In effect, he spends all the time on footnotes and skips the one thing the film should be focused on. And even then, he can't even milk the footnotes for anything funny because he does nothing unexpected or clever or interesting to pull any of them off... and that's when he's not just writing: "Let Jim do Jim for five minutes."AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-34910184319747221632014-05-30T10:17:16.328-04:002014-05-30T10:17:16.328-04:00Scott, You're asking the wrong question....
F...Scott, You're asking the wrong question....<br /><br />First, as an aside, note one of my first comments that it doesn't all need to make sense, <i>but it's can't all be nonsense</i>. So the answer is that some is forgivable.<br /><br />BUT... what you're missing is the bigger issue. This film is unfunny <i>because</i> it's all nonsense. Think of it this way. If he had played within the confines of real life, then he would have needed to look more carefully for humor. That means taking much more care in finding things that will actually make people laugh. Instead, he keeps using the lowest of low hanging fruit in every scene: let's think of something bad that we have happen to them now.<br /><br />It's what he thinks is the grown up equivalent to the football to the crotch over and over and over and over. And he doesn't even understand that the footballs he's throwing are fantasy.<br /><br />If he had some discipline and needed to be more real, he would have seen that he couldn't do this and he would need to look elsewhere for his humor.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-33535916507401289152014-05-30T09:47:55.338-04:002014-05-30T09:47:55.338-04:00Andrew, I'm getting the feeling you are a grea...Andrew, I'm getting the feeling you are a great admirer of Apatow's genius, but you feel that this may have been a slight mis-fire on his part. is that correct?PikeBishophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05761380937971970762noreply@blogger.com