Mr. Woodcock (2007)

Tags

Billy Bob Thornton, Comedy, Movie, Mr. Woodcock, Seann William Scott, Susan Sarandon

No jokes about my name...

PG-13

Seann William Scott, Billy Bob Thornton, Susan Sarandon

John Farley: You have a father?
Mr. Woodcock: Of course I have a father, Farley, I’m not Jesus.

John Farley (Scott) writes a book about overcoming your troubled past and is to be honored in his small home town.  Upon returning home, he learns that his mother is going to marry Mr. Woodcock (Thornton), the high school gym teacher that John blames for many of the psychological problems he suffered as a child.  Of course, John wants to stop this marriage from happening.

This is one of those comedies where it seems like they just didn’t have many jokes written.  I guess they assumed people would be laughing at the name Woodcock, but that wasn’t even really funny the first time, much less the next 100 times it’s said.

It’s not a hatefully bad movie, it’s just boring.  It was good to see Seann William Scott playing a more reserved, normal character than he usually does, and I give Thornton props for maintaining his character throughout the movie.  But, a comedy depends on funny dialogue, and this movie hardly even makes an attempt at it.

Susan Sarandon is good as Farley’s mother, and she’s probably the main reason the movie is at least somewhat palatable.

I think the script needed somebody funny to take another look at it and write in some more jokes here and there.  There’s way too many times when you’re watching the plot unfold and you realize, “shouldn’t there be more jokes here?  This is a comedy, right?”

10 – 5 for missing the funny + .2 for the performances = 5.2

Role Models (2008)

Tags

Comedy, Elizabeth Banks, Movie, Paul Rudd, Role Models, Seann William Scott

"We're selling them nuclear horse piss for six bucks a can..."

R

Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott

Wheeler: “Question, maybe a stupid one, but I’m just spit-balling here.  The get out of jail free card…is that based on something that exists, or…?”
Beth: “…That wasn’t a stupid question.”
Wheeler: “It’s real…”
Danny: “It’s real in the game of monopoly.”
Wheeler: “Yeah, it’s based on true events.”
Danny: “Ho-, well, whaddya mean?”
Wheeler: “…Chance.”

After having a bad day, Danny (Paul Rudd) kinda loses it, breaks a few laws, and involves Wheeler (Seann William Scott) in it too.  They either have to go to jail or do community service.  Their service entails being big brothers to kids who need a good father figure in their lives.  Naturally this results in comedy and mayhem.

Rudd and Scott may not have a lot of range in their comedic repertoire, but what they do, they do well.  They get to play to their strengths in this movie, and I think that’s why it works.  At least, for me it does.  The two kids are good too, though I would’ve liked to see more backstory on Ronnie, the kid assigned to Wheeler.  There’s a lot more emphasis on Augie, Rudd’s kid, which is ok, but it seemed like it could’ve been more balanced.  Maybe there’s a longer version out there with more about Ronnie’s past…

As most movies like this are, it’s a very predictable, by the numbers story, but it’s done well enough that I was involved throughout.  It had me actually kinda cheering on our heroes in the final epic battle scene.  Yes, there is in fact an epic battle in the finale.

I liked how many characters got to have funny lines/moments.  It wasn’t just a case where they had their two stars supply all the humor.  That’s always a sign of good writing to me.  Elizabeth Banks has some good moments.  Jane Lynch is a little bizarre, but funny, as the head of the Sturdy Wings program.  Then there’s a whole bunch of funny people to be seen in Augie’s live-action role playing group.

So yeah, funny movie, for the most part, with only a few lulls here and there.

10 – 2 for not developing Ronnie’s backstory more – .5 for a few dull spots + .5 for using an ELO song – .2 for going for easy laughs by having a little kid use a bunch of obscenties = 7.8