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Labels: Bruce Greenwood, film, Lucy Punch, movie trailer, Paul Rudd, Ron Livingston, Steve Carell, Zach Galifianakis

Telling me Russell Brand is part of the cast isn't doing yourself favors. I think films should advertise when he's not involved.

This trailer isn't doing too much. So, this is a knockoff of Spy vs. Spy in 3d? The ad doesn't give any reason to see the movie. Their selling point is that Steve Carell is providing his voice to the production. The least they could have done is insert a laugh or two into the pitch.

Perhaps there is more to the movie, but no one will know watching this trailer.








Screenwriters: Ken Daurio (Horton Hears a Who!) and Cinco Paul (The Santa Clause 2)
Director: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud and Sergio Pablos
Actors: Julie Andrews (The Sound of Music), Ken Jeong (The Hangover), Jason Segel (I Love You, Man), Steve Carell (Get Smart), Kristen Wiig (Extract), Will Arnett (Blades of Glory), Danny McBride (The Fist Foot Way) and Miranda Cosgrove

Labels: Danny McBride, film, Julie Andrews, Ken Jeong, Kristen Wiig, movie trailer, Steve Carell, Will Arnett

Granted, I went into this thing expecting the worst. This is pure Hollywood fluff. Its the cinematic equivalent of a Twinkie. I have to say, it wasn't awful. I actually can recommend it and no one is more surprised than me.

This obviously isn't a great film but it does work on many levels. The success primarily falls on the casting of Steve Carell as bumbling Agent Maxwell Smart. Carell conjures up a sympathetic charm that is fun to watch. This charm can be seen in other films like Evan Almighty and Dan in Real Life. Unlike those film, this outing gives him strong, albeit very simple, setups and payoffs to to display his talents. The rest of the cast Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Terrance Stamp and Alan Arkin likewise do well in their supporting roles and add to the production. The only trouble spot is Anne Hathaway as Agent 99. Hathaway doesn't have the comedic timing, or at least its not as acute as her fellow cast members. This difference sticks out and she comes across as flat. Luckily, her character is the straight-man so her delivery is passable.

The script penned by Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember (Failure to Launch) has a number of genuine laughs. Even if it only had one that would be one more than I was expecting. While they stumble around in the middle trying to find their footing, due to a lack of a urgent central conflict, the pair manage to find good humor in most of their scenes. They also do well establishing their secondary characters quickly, giving them easily identifiable traits and then pitting those traits against one another.

Taking this film for what it is, mindless comfort cinema/mindless corporate rehashing of long dead product lines, this is well done. This is a good fall back pick if you're not that discerning of a moviegoer.



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Labels: Alan Arkin, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, film, movie review, Steve Carell

Labels: film, John Goodman, Morgan Freeman, movie trailer, Steve Carell

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Labels: Alan Arkin, film, Greg Kinnear, movie review, Steve Carell, Toni Collette

There is no greater recycler in the universe than Hollywood. Get Smart, which was popular thirty years ago, is getting a big screen update starring Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway. The comedic novelty item from Buck Henry and Mel Brooks had some charm way back when, will the modern day version be as likable? Well, its written by the guys who wrote Failure to Launch and directed by the guy who's responsible for The Longest Yard, 50 First Dates and My Fellow Americans. - If you're wanting to get to this one in the theater, I'd go see this one on opening weekend, there may not be a second.

Me thinks it'll stink. How about you?




Screenwriters: Tom J. Astle (Failure to Launch), and Matt Ember (Failure to Launch)
Director: Peter Segal (The Longest Yard)
Actors: Steve Carell (Evan Almighty), Anne Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada), Dwayne Johnson (Walking Tall), Alan Arkin (Catch-22), and Bill Murray (Caddyshack)

Labels: Alan Arkin, Anne Hathaway, Bill Murray, comedy, Dwayne Johnson, movie trailer, Steve Carell

Labels: animated, Dr. Seuss, family film, Jim Carrey, movie trailer, Steve Carell

Evan Baxter (Steve Carell) begins his new position as a Senator. After moving his family into a posh development he gets visited by God (Morgan Freeman). God asks him to build an ark and to warn the world of an impending flood. The remainder of the piece focuses on Evan building his ark while also deciding if he should sign piece of environmental legislation being pushed by the senior senator from his state (John Goodman). Evan begins to take on the physical appearance of Noah while animals begin to swarm around him and his ark.

This is simply a bad movie.

This is the costliest comedy ever made with a budget upwards to $175,000,000.00. This proves that all of the money in the world can’t fix bad ideas. This piece is poorly written, poorly constructed and poorly directed. Even as a simple distraction, a cinematic bauble, it fails to please. I’ve seen screen savers with more narrative punch than this tone-deaf waste.

The premises are interesting but left relatively untouched. Instead of playing off of the comedy that is inherent in a materialist being confronted by God, the film delves into poop humor and groin shots. Its not that I’m completely against a good, solid groin shot gag or a poop joke for that matter. These things do have their places. In this instance however, its just too much salt for the soup. Furthermore, they make strange decisions such as Evan taking on the physical appearance of Noah as he continues to work on the ark. There’s no reason given for this transformation and it comes across as a forced gag that doesn't resonate. It’s a hollow joke which doesn’t play – in other words it matches the rest of the piece.


Worldview: The central question posed is how one can find happiness. In the beginning, Evan is consumed by his position and material goods (including his looks). Under the gentle coaxing by God, Evan reconnects with his family and nature and finds real happiness.

This overarching concept is then buttressed by an environmental subplot involving Evan signing a piece of legislation that would open portions of the national parks to developers. All of this is handled with some caution until the final act.


In the end, the ark is built just as a damn breaks and floods the valley where Evan lives. The ark is then shuttled by the flood to a balcony of the Senate where the questionable bill is about to be signed. God allows the flood to occur to stop bad law making. It is important to note the flood is not one of vengeance but one made by man. This of course then puts the question of how far does our free will extend into play.

Jesus is not present in this piece nor is he referenced. Given the story and how it is expressed, this is not a “Christian” movie. This is more of a “Jewish” one. There are Biblical elements at play but they are not fully realized and come across as concessions more than lessons. This is a “spiritual” film, meaning it wants to appear Biblical without the commitment.

This film has caused quite a stink in Christian circles because of the presence of God (Morgan Freeman) on screen. Many have quickly dismissed this film based on the low brow humor of its predecessor Bruce Almighty. Others have claimed this piece runs afoul of the Second Commandment:

Exodus 20:4-6 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

While having Morgan Freeman on screen portraying God in a dumb comedy may make some uncomfortable, I don’t believe it breaks the law. We are not asked to worship this image. While he imparts wisdom not spoken by God, we understand he is Morgan Freeman and not actually the real deal.

Another concern is the revisiting of God being involved in a flood when he promised not produce another one. In the context of this film he doesn’t make the flood, we do through our actions. Problem solved.


Cautions: Given their lack of depth combined with their need to be completely family friendly, the filmmakers go wall-to-wall poop jokes in this film. Why is it that family films always have to have poop and fart jokes these days? This goes hand in hand with the sexual innuendos that most family fare now has to contain in order to amuse the adults. While this film avoids sexual humor, you will gag on all of the feces gags.

The language is tame and there isn’t a butt or nipple to be found. This film is safe for all ages but certainly not all sets of I.Q.s, Children will probably become bored, as will the adults, with the long spans of needless talking (without being funny).


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More Steve Carrell Movies:
The 40-Year Old Virgin (2005)
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Labels: comedy, Evan Almighty, family film, Morgan Freeman, movie review, Steve Carell