Eagle Eye

Director: D.J. Caruso
Starring: Shia LeBeouf, Michelle Monaghan & Billy Bob Thornton

An entertaining thriller that just about makes up for its preposterous plot and lack of originality by delivering plenty of effective thrills and action sequences.

Reuniting director D.J. Caruso and actor Shia LeBeouf, Eagle Eye is a fairly entertaining action thriller that, like the pair’s previous outing Disturbia, takes a Hitchcock-style premise and adapts it for the Blockbuster generation. Where Disturbia was loosely inspired by Hitchcock’s Rear Window, Eagle Eye owes inspiration to Hitchcock’s North By Northwest in its innocent man on the run for something he didn’t commit with a larger conspiracy at play. However, as many a discerning filmgoer can imagine, no-one can match Hitchcock for building and maintaining suspense and while the set up for Eagle Eye is very strong, the execution and resolution is certainly less effective.

Despite some highly enjoyable action sequences (mostly all chase scenes too), the identity of the mastermind behind why copyboy Jerry (LeBeouf) has been framed as a terrorist and driven on the run along with distraught mother Rachel (Monaghan) is built up to be so powerful that much of the plot itself makes no sense until the end and even then still defies much logic. The necessity that Jerry be drawn into the plot the way he is, makes little sense due to how it draws attention to the mastermind’s plans by government agents Morgan (Billy Bob Thornton) and Perez (Rosario Dawson) and even the why as to why Jerry is picked rather than someone else only begins to make sense much later and stretches the plausibility as to how much Jerry and his, recently deceased, brother are/were alike.

Still, despite the need to suspend a lot of disbelief, the already mentioned chase scenes/action sequences are well executed and certain to satisfy fans of the action/thriller genre. In terms of characters, whilst only Jerry is given any real character development of insight into his past, most of the characters serve their purposes and are helped by the performances of the actors playing them. Billy Bob Thornton delivers a good performance as FBI Agent Morgan, Rosario Dawson is able as Agent Perez although has a certainly less developed role than Thornton’s. Michael Chiklis plays against type as a Secretary of Defense that actually seems to care about lives while Michelle Monaghan is strong enough to generate empathy for here character whilst also being forgettable enough as to not distract scenes away from the film’s star Shia LeBeouf. LaBeouf further demonstrates his likeability as a leading man, though this time around his character is somewhat less enjoyable that previous performances which may be due to his usual nervous wisecracking being toned down for this role. However LeBeouf still manages to carry the film well and is also able to point out the various improbabilities in the plot in a way that makes them a little more acceptable.

Overall, while Eagle Eye suffers under its own attempts to deliver a high-tech, modern blockbuster equivalent of a Hitchcock classic, the execution of the action is enjoyable as are the performances. Enjoyable if not particularly memorable, Eagle Eye is a decent enough film provided you are able to suspend your disbelief.

Rating: 3/5

Burn After Reading

Director: Joel & Ethan Coen
Starring: George Clooney, Frances McDormand & Brad Pitt

An entertaining, drama/comedy from the Coen Brothers which is enjoyable but less so than many previous efforts.

After the grim, gritty (and later to be award winning) crime drama of No Country For Old Men, it wasn’t too surprising to find the Coens following this up with something lighter as the Coens followed Blood Simple with Raising Arizona and Fargo with The Big Lebowski. This time around they’ve mixed drama and comedy again for a plot involving the CIA, lost documents, inter-marital affairs and internet dating whilst casting big Hollywood names like George Clooney and Brad Pitt into roles where intelligence rarely applies.

There is plenty to like about Burn After Reading. In true Coen style, the plot takes some unpredictable turns, mixes dark moments of humor and violence and features a strong cast delivering, generally, strong performances. The storyline’s central plot involve a fired CIA analyst (John Malkovich) and a copy of his memoirs that turns up in a local gym where two dim-witted employees (McDormand & Pitt) attempt to blackmail the analyst. Meanwhile, a treasury officer (Clooney) who is having an affair with the analyst’s wife also begins dating McDormand’s character. What occurs as a result is a mixture of mixed signals, paranoia, blackmail and murder. Additionally, as the big picture of what is occurring where and to whom, is seen by no one in particular, there are some amusing asides as we meet two CIA chiefs (lead by J.K. Simmons) trying to make sense of everything that occurs and failing (a sly stab at the actual Intelligence operations of the United States on the behalf of the Coens).

While there is much to enjoy, Burn After Reading also has its problems. For all its characters and the sometimes clever juggling of their storylines, Burn After Reading lacks an identifiable central character with which to root for. Is it Clooney’s womanizing treasury officer? McDormand’s slighty-dim if charming gym employee? Malkovich’s spurned analyst? Is it hard to really say, and with most of the characters bearing more unlikable traits that loveable ones, it is somewhat harder to root for any of them as you would have The Dude in The Big Lebowski or Everett in Oh Brother Where Art Thou?

The cast in Burn After Reading is impressive but also somewhat distracting at times. Clooney is entertaining but seems to have chosen to resurrect the same persona he used in Oh Brother Where Art Thou? and Intolerable Cruelty and, while it helps establish his character as a womanizer and sleaze, it also threatens to undermine some of the more dramatic scenes that occur later in the film. Pitt, too, is entertaining, letting loose as the gym trainer who lacks the mental stamina to match his physical training. Again, Pitt is entertaining but his status in Hollywood means his presence is often amusing but also distracts from the drama at times. More dependable are McDormand, Malkovich and Tilda Swinton (as the analyst’s ice queen wife) who are more well suited to the roles they perform while J.K. Simmons deadpan performance as a CIA chief is one of the film’s most enjoyable.

Overall, Burn After Reading is a good film and should entertain most audiences whilst satisfying most Coen fans, however, coming so soon after No Country For Old Men, and compared to many of the Coens previous efforts, Burn After Reading is also a little disappointing.

Rating: 3/5

Righteous Kill

Director: Jon Avnet
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino & John Leguizamo

A fairly predictable, cop-thriller that stands out because of the opportunity to see two great actors, DeNiro and Pacino, work side by side on screen. However, while somewhat enjoyable, the experience does not quite live up the expectations.

In 1995, director Michael Mann made movie history with the crime thriller Heat, which was not only an excellent crime film, but boasted the first, shared, on screen appearances of Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino. DeNiro and Pacino, still considered to be two of the finest actors ever produced, received excellent reviews and after an already long wait to see them on screen together, audiences have been waiting for them to reunite again. In 2008, with Righteous Kill, audiences get that reunion only this time, while enjoyable, it doesn’t quite live up to expectations.

In an effort to come up with material worthy of starring both DeNiro and Pacino, Righteous Kill seems to try and be too clever for its own good. After the success of films like The Usual Suspects, Fight Club and The Sixth Sense in the 1990s, all films that had memorable twists in their endings, there have then been many imitators, most of which, sacrificed good stories and good characters for a big twist at the end and trying to capture the success of those films who began the trend. Righteous Kill broadcasts its intentions early on. With a, supposed, confession from one of its lead characters, Righteous Kill then proceeds to throw in additional suspects for the identity of a serial killer hunting criminals. In doing so, it undermines an otherwise interesting beginning that had potential to be a subtle character piece and builds it up for an expected twist that may, or may not come.

While the film takes a somewhat predictable course, there are still the performances of DeNiro and Pacino to enjoy and they are enjoyable. However, both DeNiro and Pacino have seen better days and neither has had the best record of quality films/performance post-Heat that they had pre-Heat. Both DeNiro and Pacino give decent performances in Righteous Kill and they are certainly enjoyable to watch working together onscreen but the flaws in the film’s script denies them the material with which to deliver a truly memorable performance though DeNiro certainly has more scenes and events to work with than Pacino. DeNiro and Pacino are also, ably, supported by John Leguizamo and Donnie Wahberg as fellow detectives, DeNiro’s love interest in the thrill seeking Carla Gugino and Brian Dennehy fills the stereotypical role of grizzled police captain with ease. The supporting roles are performed well enough without distracting from the central performances of DeNiro and Pacino which is the true attraction for audiences.

Overall, fans of DeNiro and Pacino should be happy, if under whelmed, by this second chance to see these two icons sharing screen time but it is a shame that the material is not worthy of either actor, even in their recent, less outstanding periods in their careers. A decent but disappointing thriller.

Rating: 3/5

Taken

Director: Pierre Morel
Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace & Famke Janssen

A decent action/thriller that owes most its success to a suitably gritty performance by its star, Liam Neeson.

Taken is another action/thriller from the studios of Luc Besson, but where other efforts have focused on bigger action and featuring less established stars, Taken is a somewhat darker affair and benefits from the lead performance of Liam Neeson, well known as a talented oft-award nominated dramatic actor, who adds much gravitas and credibility to his role as an ex-CIA operative on the hunt for his kidnapped daughter.

The plot of Taken is fairly straight forward, an ex-CIA operative (Neeson), estranged from his ex-wife and daughter, finds his daughter kidnapped while in France leaving him with days to use his skills to locate her or lose her forever. With a lesser known actor, or one with less experience in drama, the abilities and weariness that Neeson infuses the character of Bryan with, might have come across as too forced or unbelievable but, with the credibility that an actor like Neeson brings and the decision to keep the action sequences smaller (i.e. guns but kept close quarters and with few explosions) adds to a genuine feeling of danger and of Bryan’s desperation.

Neeson is excellent choice to play Taken’s lead role, able to add feeling into his character’s expressions and body language to support the dialogue. In supporting roles there are decent, if one-dimensional, performances from Famke Janssen as Bryan’s bitter ex-wife and Maggie Grace as Bryan’s good natured, if spoilt daughter. However, while Taken has a strong hero/anti-hero in Liam Neeson, it is not so well served in the villain department. With no overall mastermind to the operation that kidnaps girls abroad, including Bryan’s daughter, we are left with many, faceless, goons working in various operations. All are dubiously portrayed as ‘foreigners’ (Eastern European or Arab) exploiting young women which, while also somewhat morally unethical, leaves no real impact as Neeson’s Bryan works his way through them one, or a few, at a time.

So, while the performance from Neeson is enjoyable, as is the execution of several action sequences, the overall storyline is less satisfying in its lack of ambition or originality. The dialogue is also somewhat lacking, with only Neeson getting any decent moments to deliver memorable speeches.

Overall, while not particularly original or memorable, Taken is still worthwhile entertainment if only for the strong performance of Liam Neeson who makes an unlikely yet enjoyable action hero.

Rating: 3/5

Appaloosa

Director: Ed Harris
Starring: Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen & Renee Zellweger

A decent, if unambitious, Western that offers some decent scenes and performances but it is a little too laid back for its own good.

There is nothing really bad to say about Appaloosa, the western adapted by Ed Harris from the Robert B. Parker novel, but there is also nothing particularly great or memorable about Appaloosa either. When viewing Ed Harris’ adaptation (in which he also stars), there is almost the feeling that this is a period Harris himself would like to have lived in as he and his co-star, Viggo Mortensen, take a laid back approach to their characters and their tale. This laid back atmosphere results in some of Appaloosa’s strong moments such as the casual witticisms exchanged between its two leads but also contributes to the film’s weaknesses, in that, when something important does occur in the film’s story, it is over quickly and our characters are soon back to sitting on the porch of their office. At first this feels somewhat refreshing, a natural, realistic approach to confrontations by two men who’ve seen a lot and are too weary of it to give it much energy but as the lengthy runtime continues on, it contributes to the feeling that not enough occurs in the film to keep your attention.

The characterization in Appaloosa is fairly strong. Little real details is given on the backgrounds or motivations of any of its characters with most willing to describe themselves as experienced guns for hire and allowing audiences to come to its own conclusions. The interplay between characters though is quite strong, especially between Harris and Mortensen and, even though these are men of few words, the sense of a shared history is strong and believable with the already mentioned humor between the two being one of the film’s strengths. Jeremy Irons and Lance Henriksen appear as villain and competing gunman respectively and likewise feel suited to their roles while Timothy Spall leads a group of three bumbling town elders as a sort of comic relief with mixed results.

However, Renee Zellweger’s performance as Allie, the woman who comes to Appaloosa and turns many heads, has the toughest role in the film playing the somewhat flirtatious Allie who will cast a seductive glance the way of whichever man is best suited to look after her needs. Zellweger’s performance is a decent one, portraying Allie’s flaws quite well but is less convincing in demonstrating what makes her character worth the attentions of Harris and Mortensen’s gunmen.

Overall, Appaloosa is an average western. The performances are good though not particularly memorable and the storyline plods along at too sedate a pace, but there is some enjoyment to be had in its dry humor and in the relationship between its two lead characters.

Rating: 3/5

Tropic Thunder

Director: Ben Stiller
Starring: Ben Stiller, Jack Black & Robert Downey Jr

An entertaining, OTT comedy satirizing Hollywood and the war movie genre with jokes that, thankfully, hit more than they miss.

Ben Stiller returns to the director’s chair for Tropic Thunder with all the OTT sensibility that made Zoolander so entertaining but with a far bigger budget. The budget is put to good use, this being a send up of war films, with huge explosions, gunfire and helicopters. Tropic Thunder is certainly one of the most impressive looking comedies of recent years. The comedy however is a mixed bunch. Tropic Thunder works best when it is satirizing the conventions of the Hollywood industry (especially Hollywood agents), helped significantly by several inspired casting decisions.

Stiller himself stars as action star Tugg Speedman, looking for a big hit after a recent attempt at ‘serious’ acting backfires (a hilarious, if controversial stab at Hollywood’s admiration for acting roles involving characters with disabilities). Stiller is entertaining as Speedman, though his role is very familiar to many he has played before playing a dim-witted, machismo fuelled movie-star who refuses to believe, when he and his co-stars find themselves in an actual war-zone, that his reality is anything other than a movie set prepared for his benefit. His commitment to this character helps make his character’s commitment to his reality more entertaining as a result. However, while Stiller is the star, he is outperformed by several other performances.

Robert Downey Jr gives a stand out performance as Kirk Lazarus, a multi-award winning actor, whose commitment to character involves him having his skin surgically dyed to play the role of a black Sergeant. The role itself is hilarious, avoiding offending African-Americans by satirizing how far some actors go to get into character and helped by having African-American actor Brandon T Jackson play another actor to point out the ridiculous lengths Lazarus has gone too. Downey Jr plays the role with confidence and conviction, perhaps satirizing his own commitment to playing a method actor. Another stand out performance is an, initially uncredited, appearance by Tom Cruise as top Hollywood producer Les Grossman. Cruise, almost unrecognizable with a bald-cap and fat suit, seems to relish in the opportunity to play the foul-mouthed, power-crazed producer with scenes involving threatening heroin dealers and dancing to rap music amongst the film’s highlights. Tropic Thunder also has strong support in smaller roles from Matthew McConaughey as Speedman’s over-earnest agent, Steve Coogan as Tropic Thunder’s suffering (in one scene literally) director, Nick Nolte as a gruff former P.O.W. and Jay Baruchel as a young, rookie actor who is perhaps the film’s most sane character and it’s heart.

Unfortunately, between the superb performances from Downey Jr and Cruise and the headlining antics of Stiller, Jack Black is sidelined for most of the film and provides moat of Tropic Thunder’s least entertaining gags. Playing a low-brow comedy star on drugs, Black is reduced to a mainly one-note performance playing it twitchy and providing the film with fart and toilet jokes whenever required. With little else to do and many other, more impressive, performances in the film, Black is often an unwelcome presence when he is able to make an impression at all. This is perhaps a casualty of Stiller cramming too many ideas and gags into Tropic Thunder than it can handle. While there are many great gags and inspired scenes and set pieces, Stiller also over-extends himself on some occasions. Tropic Thunder is perhaps 30 minutes too long with gags involving Speedman’s past performance as a mentally-disabled farm-boy becoming excessive and several scenes between Speedman’s capture by Heroin dealers and his rescue that are unnecessary and less funny.

Overall, Tropic Thunder is certainly very funny. Worth seeing for Robert Downey Jr and Tom Cruise’s performances alone, the film also boasts some very funny action scenes and plenty of successful jokes at the expense of Hollywood. Jack Black might be wasted and the film overlong, but Tropic Thunder is still very entertaining.

Rating: 3/5

Pineapple Express

Director: David Gordon Green
Starring: Seth Rogen, James Franco & Danny McBride

Reuniting Seth Rogen with his Freaks & Geeks co-star James Franco, and Superbad co-writer Even Goldberg, results in Pineapple Express, a truly funny and unique twist on the buddy/action movie.

There have been many films that have starred drug-smoking lead characters, Cheech & Chong and Harold & Kumar all being examples. All of these films though have been screwball comedies with little ambition beyond making as many drug-fuelled gags as possibly, usually with actual story content and characterization being of secondary concern. Trust Seth Rogen, star, writer and producer of hit comedies such as Superbad and Knocked Up. Taking his laid back, likeable loser persona and placing him a storyline that finds more comedy in the effects of weed on its users and filtering it through an action/thriller plotline that also exposes the humor to be found in the conventions of the action genre (much like the film Hot Fuzz) and still manages to include a genuine and touching tale about friendship between Rogen’s likeable loser and his well meaning drug-dealer played by James Franco.

While directed by David Gordon Green, an independent director not known for comedies but for introspective character pieces, Pineapple Express is nevertheless a very funny comedy/action film that likely owes most of its success to its star’s, Seth Rogen, talents as a writer and comedic actor. David Gordon Green is known for getting good performances from his actors though so his presence is likely more felt in the development of the supporting cast and in also providing a more grounded perspective that allows this ‘stoner’ action film to feel more true to life an not straying so far into OTT situations that the story can’t find its way back to its characters.

While not going into the histories of its characters or giving many of them chances to develop on screen, Green nevertheless, with help from Rogen & Goldberg’s script, breathes life into most of the film’s characters including minor ones, through half mentioned comments of past shared experiences and mannerisms that demonstrate the kind of comfortability people develop with others over time. Henchmen, Matheson & Budlofsky (Robinson & Corrigan) demonstrate as much shared history and chemistry as lead characters Dale (Rogen) and Saul (Franco) and even the film’s villain, drug Kingpin Ted (Gary Cole) takes time to joke around with his partner in crime (Rosie Perez) after talking business. The care taken to subtly flesh out its cast elevate Pineapple Express above the average ‘stoner’ and action comedy making most characters a pleasure to watch rather than merely performing to type and filling screen-time between scenes starring its film’s stars. Pineapple Express also benefits from a strong cast with roles and cameos featuring veteran actors such as Gary Cole, Nora Dunn and Ed Begley Jr and its lead actors, Seth Rogen and James Franco, demonstrate great chemistry developed from their previous collaboration on TV series Freaks & Geeks. While Rogen entertains with his usual likeable onscreen persona, James Franco really impresses as perpetually stoned, yet good at heart, drug dealer Saul. Franco, who has usually played straight and serious lead roles in films such as Annapolis and the Spider-man films and often suffering in comparison to his co-stars who have more interesting and charismatic roles, Pineapple Express feels like it has provided Franco with the opportunity to free himself from stereotype and actually have some fun on screen and demonstrate the skills for comedy he possessed as a TV actor that he has been unable to show in his big-screen roles to date.

In addition to finding comedy in the clumsy attempts of its stoned lead characters attempting to escape a drug kingpin after Rogen witnesses a murder and leaving evidence behind to link himself and Saul (Franco) to the incident, also finds comedy in subverting action movie clichés as our two leads, having seen many action films and television shows themselves, find situations rarely going to plan. Pineapple Express also being a film starring and co-written by Rogen, a lot of comedy is found in the witty dialogue, much of it ad-libbed and most (though not quite all) generating strong laughs. The moments of fake attempts at machismo between Dale (Rogen) and Saul’s friend Red (McBride) in particular are highlights of ad-libbing leading to hysterical and unpredictable lines and put-downs.

However, because the cast are so good at portraying just how likeable and inept its lead characters are, it ultimately means the climax of the film suffers slightly at how well Dale and Saul are able to solve their predicament relying too much, perhaps, on dumb luck. While the ending does have some moments of predictability, brought on by the required and inevitable ‘happy ending’, even the climax is filled with successful jokes and sight gags that it still remains satisfying.

Overall, Rogen, with help from his director, co-star Franco and co-writer Goldberg, manage to blend action movie and stoner comedy together with much success resulting in a film that certainly entertains on many levels.

Rating: 4/5

RocknRolla

Director: Guy Ritchie
Starring: Gerard Butler, Mark Strong & Tony Kebbell

After the critical and commercial failures of Swept Away and Revolver, Guy Ritchie is back, returning to his roots but with added confidence and maturity. The result is RocknRolla, possible his best film to date.

While some critics and audiences might be quick to dismiss RocknRolla as Guy Ritchie taking the easy option of returning to the genre that originally brought him success, after two box-office failures and accusations of losing his way after achieving fame and fortune, those critics are going to miss out on a very good crime caper. RocknRolla isn’t so much about the kind of gangsters seen in Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels or Snatch, but it does deal with dodgy dealers and small time crooks involved in the kind of complex story of interweaving plotlines that Ritchie is known for and comfortable with. However, while there is humor, this time around Ritchie has dropped the cheeky, somewhat smug, tone of his earlier films and the glamorized violence for something that feels altogether more grown up, possibly like Ritchie himself.

The plot, more relevant to today than that of Ritchie’s previous efforts, deals with back door property dealings, rich foreign investors, a few small time crooks caught in the middle and a, presumed dead, rock star living the rockstar (dubbed ‘RocknRolla’) lifestyle. After scamming two ex-crooks, One-Two & Mumbles (Butler & Elba), out of money who wanted to get onto the property investment ladder, and with an eye to likewise scamming a rich Russian investor also looking for land deals, underworld property dealer Lenny (Wilkinson) and his right hand man Archie (Strong) find themselves in a predicament when the investor’s money is stolen as is the ‘lucky painting’ the investor left in Lenny’s care. From here develops a number of plotlines involving dodgy accountants, Russian hit-men, Lenny’s rockstar step-son Johnny Quid (Kebbell), an informer turning members of the cast in to the police and plenty of memorable characters and performances.

Ritchie seems to be back on form with RocknRolla, juggling the many plotlines and characters but with more focus with humor occurring naturally from events in the plot rather than distracting from it and also leading to some interesting twists, turns and moments of philosophy. While RocknRolla is an improvement on his earlier efforts, there are a few elements that that demonstrate Ritchie’s tendency to let his ambition overcome him as there are certainly a few characters, while pleasant, that are surplus to requirements (Piven & Bridges band managers) and the ending wraps up a little too nicely and consequence light as Ritchie sets things up for a sequel (Ritchie has expressed an interest in making a trilogy involving RocknRolla’s cast and characters) but the film is still a very satisfying affair and one that re-establishes Ritchie potential to be one of Britain’s top directors.

RocknRolla also boats an impressive cast. Gerard Butler (300) is entertaining as lead character One-Two, an accomplished, if somewhat naïve, crook who further builds upon his leading man potential here and has strong support from Idris Elba (TV’s The Wire) and Tom Hardy as his friends Mumbles and Handsome Bob, the latter of which has an interesting and entertaining relationship develop with Butler’s One-Two. Also sharing the spotlight, and narrating RocknRolla, is Mark Strong (Stardust) as Archie, the number two man to Wilkinson’s underworld boss and a man who has been in the game long enough to see most of the angles. Strong delivers a good performance, one that acts as the balance between all the other characters and plotlines. Tom Wilkinson relishes in his chance to chew the scenery as Lenny, the underworld boss, likely the only character that occasionally veers towards caricature, and Thandie Newton provides the necessary sex appeal as the accountant that hires One-Two to rob her Russian investor client and helps kick start the escalating events of the film’s storyline. Finally, and standing out from the rest of the cast, is Tony Kebbell (Dead Man’s Shoes) as rockstar Johnny Quid, stepson of Lenny and presumed dead while in hiding and high on drugs. Kebbell gives an impressive performance taking shots at modern day rockstars such as Pete Doherty, while also demonstrating more intelligence and personality, waxing philosophical with regularity, even when under the influence of drugs than a whole rehab centre full of rockstars could accomplish combined.

Overall, RocknRolla is a very good film. With more confident direction and some excellent performances, it is Ritchie’s best film to date and will, hopefully, help calm the critics and make audiences as eager to see his next film as they were when Ritchie first made his directorial debut.

Rating: 4/5

Step Brothers

Director: Adam McKay
Starring: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly & Richard Jenkins

Will Ferrell reunites with fellow Talladega Nights director, McKay and co-star Reilly for an amusing comedy about sibling rivalry between two, immature, 40 years olds with much success.

How much enjoyment you get out of Step Brothers depends greatly on how much you like Will Ferrell’s man-child persona or John C. Reilly’s recent conversion from drama to comedy. If you’re not a fan of either then this film is likely not for you. If you are a fan then this will entertain and is of a much higher quality than some of Ferrell’s more recent efforts (Semi Pro and Blades of Glory) due to the chemistry between Ferrell and Reilly and with the supporting cast of Richard Jenkins (TVs Six Feet Under) and Mary Steenburgen as their parents.

Ferrell plays Brennan and Reilly plays Dale. Both a 40 year olds that never learned how to grow; Both stayed home, living with their parents and living off their charity but, when their parents meet and decide to get married, Brennan and Dale find themselves thrust together under one roof when see their lack of achievements reflected in their counterparts, and with the threat of losing their easy lives when their problems are highlighted to their parents forces these step-brothers to abandon their hate-hate relationship and unite. However, neither brother having learned how to fend for themselves, find their shared resources still amount to very little.

The comedy, while usually following similar methods despite changing intentions, is frequently amusing. Watching two grown men behaving and fighting like children has its moments of hilarity, though there are occasional gags that fall flat such as a repeating gag involving sleepwalking habits, but most succeed due also to their sheer lunacy (one testicle gag in particular generated a lot of laughs). There is are also amusing confrontations with a third brother, Brennan’s younger brother, Derek (Adam Scott) whose success and independence humiliates Brennan and Dales failures all the more even to the extent that Derek is able to conduct a family rendition of Guns N Roses hit “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” The efforts of the brothers, once they end their rivalry, to find jobs while prevent the selling of their home by their parents also entertains with many gags at the expense on the brother’s ineptness. A temporary change in tone for the third act though slows the gag rate down as the brothers are forced to accept reality and grow up which leads to a predictable resolution to their problems, including reuniting their parents who split over their attitudes to having 40 years old sons living at home, but there are still some worthy moments of laughter.

While Ferrell and Reilly perform to type, the supporting cast are of a high quality. Mary Steenburgen is particularly impressive, not known for appearing in comedies, least of all the type that Ferrell produces; she delivers a warm, charming performance as the boys’ mother and is likewise well supported by Richard Jenkins as their father who gives an amusing performance as a man frustrated by his sons’ ineptness. Most impressive is Adam Scott as the ultra-successful younger brother Derek who more than manages to hold his own when sharing scenes with Ferrell and Reilly.

Overall, this is a comedy that succeeds on the likeability of its stars and their ability to play to the kind of physical comedy that they are skilled in. While the plot itself is less impressive and the third act a little too slow and laughter free, the success rate of the gags in the rest of the film and the strong supporting cast make Step Brothers a superior addition to Ferrell’s comedy catalogue.

Rating: 4/5

Somers Town

Director: Shane Meadows
Starring: Thomas Turgoose, Piotr Jagiello & Ireneusz Czop

Following on from the critically acclaimed This Is England, director Shane Meadows follows its success with a smaller, quieter film about friendship across cultural differences that further demonstrate his keen eye for true-to-life characters and situations.

Originally meant to be a short film, created in part to commemorate the building of Eurostar’s international terminus at St Pancreas, whilst Meadows prepared for his next big picture, soon expanded into a touching film about two alienated boys developing a friendship despite different cultural backgrounds. Moving from his usual filming locations in the Midlands, Meadows shows he is just as comfortable working in the even more mixed neighborhoods of London as Nottingham runaway Tomo (Turgoose) forms a friendship with Polish immigrant Marek (Jagiello) who also finds himself often alone in London as his father works on building the terminus with Eurostar.

Meadows again tackles such topics as inner city, working class communities and the lifestyles of their residents with an eye to racial attitudes yet handles them in a natural, somewhat subtle manner. Marek is the son of a Polish immigrant who, while possessing a keen grasp of the English language, is something of a loner, spending his days taking photographs, mostly of the French waitress at a local café. Marek’s father, a single father, is rarely available, working long hours and more content with spending his free time with friends that his son, it is the lack of communication between father and son that distances them both. Enter Tomo; Tomo arrives in London having left Nottingham behind. Claiming to have nothing back there for him to return to he too is a loner with family issues. After a rough first night where he is mugged, his need for company and shelter leads him to seize upon Marek, initially in a bullish manner reminiscent of the attitudes of his attackers the night before (on a side note, the most negative aspects of the London neighborhoods appear due to English nationals, combating the accusations that immigrants face that it is they that harm communities). Tomo’s dependence on Marek for support soon changes those initial, negative, attitudes and the company he in turn provides for Marek develops into a friendship, albeit a secret one kept from Marek’s father.

Thomas Turgoose, having made his debut in Meadows’ This Is England, develops further as an actor here, coming more into the spotlight as the main, English speaking character. His performance is a strong one, displaying Tomo’s vulnerability as well as his need to convince himself and others of his ability to survive independently. Piotr Jagiello is likewise impressive as the quiet, unassuming Marek who has been forced to live alone but lacks the confidence to voice his feelings to his father or to share his life with others. Even Marek’s father is well presented by Ireneusz Czop, who knows he is neglecting his son but, like Tomo, has difficulty admitting his failures and reaching out to his son to give and receive support, instead throwing himself into his work. It is then the effect that Tomo and Marek have on each other that leads to a confrontation after Tomo introduces Marek to alcohol after the waitress they care for, and formed a friendship with, leaves them and unable to process their reactions soberly, drink and are found by Marek’s father. This, initially uncomfortable, confrontation becomes the incident that pushes all three characters to assess their lives and how they relate.

Ending on a sequence filled with hope, uncharacteristic for Meadows, Tomo and Marek end the film as stronger people and Eurostar get their sequence promoting their service’s ability to keep people connected. Overall, this is a short, yet strong effort from Meadows and demonstrates his versatility as a director. Its messages about friendship may be familiar ones, but they are well represented within Somers Town.

Rating: 4/5