Directed By Peter & Bobby Farrelly
Written By: Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly, Scot Armstrong, Leslie Dixon, Kevin Barnett
Based on the Short Story “A Change of plan” By Bruce Jay Friedman
Based on a Original Screenplay By: Neil Simon
Cinematography By: Matthew Leonetti
Editor: Alan Bumgarten & Sarn Seig
Cast: Ben Stiller, Malin Ackerman, Michelle Monaghan, Rob Corddry, Jerry Stiller, Carlos Mencia, Danny McBride, Scott Wilson, Polly Holiday
The film is a example of doing comedy just for shock value. It seems to start off as a basic romantic comedy then all of a sudden it springs these wild and crazy shocking scenes that seem to come from nowhere.
At first it seems like a return to form for the farelley brothers reuniting with Ben Stiller , but where as most of the farelley’s seem to be disgusting they come form a original place and beneath all the gross stuff is usually a sweetness. It’s missing here and when it does rear it’s head like the rest of the film it feels artificial. The comedic scenes seem like they would be great bits in another comedy with a better story. But here it seems like the film is throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks.
None of the side characters are truly funny so it seems like everything falls on Ben Stiller’s shoulders to react to all the craziness. Even Danny McBride brings nothing to the table. while Malin Ackerman gets all the over the top comedic stuff to do. Where it seems to play at her beauty. Here is this beautiful woman doing all this gross stuff and bad things happening to her (A part I’m sure Jenny McCarthy would kill for in her prime) Unfortunately Ms. Ackerman seems limited in her ability to sell the comedy.
One of the things that I will credit the filmmakers is that where Ben Stiller’s wife in the film is a blonde bombshell supermodel looking type. The woman he falls for is a curvy brunette more realistic looking. In the original film it was the other way original. This film has the same problem I found with the original film though in that I don’t have any sympathy for the main character though the film wants us too. We watch and wonder how far he will go for his own selfishness though trying to paint himself as a nice guy. This film tries harder to make us sympathize with his character I was still left cold by him. Just like the original it has a ending where he get’s what is coming to him.
The film does have bits that work but not enough to save the film. As usual, It’s nice to see Ben Stiller work with his dad. Let’s face it in this film you will see Ben Stiller in his straight man who talks a lot Phase. Not that there is anything wrong with that but how many times must we see it before it gets old?
It totally feels like a different film then the original. Which is good because it makes you want to watch the original but why bother even remaking it
What also fascinates me is that it takes so many writers to come up with such mediocrity.
Wait For Cable
Grade: D+
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