Folks, I would write up a review praising the living hell out of this movie EXCEPT... when I saw the film, the sound was such that I couldn't hear hardly any of the dialogue. BUT the movie was soooo visually funny that there were moments where I was doubled over in laughter. Hallenbeck saw this at a screening, with full sound and everything, so I told him to write this one on up, which he was Oooooooh so excited to do because it is a GREAT COMEDY coming from UNIVERSAL. Let's just hope that A)The Cut A Great Trailer and Advertising Campaign... B) They Move the Release Date either up two months or back four... This movie really puts THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY to shame, it's HILARIOUS!!!
PORKY'S. REVENGE OF THE NERDS. NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE. LOOSIN' IT. SKI RESORT. HOT DOG: THE MOVIE. FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH. 16 CANDLES. WEIRD SCIENCE. MEATBALLS. I can recall a time when movies like these were a'plentiful...before the advent of P.C. and before that wretched PG-13!!! When a teenage sex romp meant teenagers baring it all(both male and female) in the good name of raunchy humor. Some of these flicks were made for just pure laughs, while a few others actually managed to have a heart to them. Fast Times is the perfect example of a GREAT teenage sex romp. It was witty and raunchy, yet it had great characters you can relate to. You cared about them. You laughed and you cried. Who can forget the infamous "Pool Scene?' Or, the tender moment at the abortion clinic? This was a great movie from beginning to end. I have longed for another teenage sex romp to come around and blow my socks off like this one did. I am proud to say we have a WINNER!!!
Can't Hardly Wait was charming, but lacked in style and laughs. It was the closest thing we've had to a TSR(teenage sex romp) in years. While the original script delivered on the immature laughs, the final product turned out flat. I was somewhat devastated. Can't Hollywood make a great TSR anymore?! Have we gotten too PC to push the boundries of bad taste in the name of humor? Thank God "Mary" came out and was a hit! It showed everyone you can have stupid raunchy humor and manage to deliver a great flick that earns major coin. Plus, it was rated "R!" I was so happy about the successs of that movie, yet disappointed about BASEketball's failure.
Oh well. That was last year. We're talking about this year. This year we have the great bad taste movie and the awesome TSR we've been waiting for all rolled into one! The movie I'm referring to was originally titled: UNTITLED TEENAGE SEX COMEDY THAT READERS WILL HATE BUT EXECS WILL LOVE BECAUSE IT ONLY COSTS $10 MILLION AND WILL BE A HUGE HIT...or something like that. (Please, if anyone recalls the exact title enlighten US ALL!). The movie has gone through a few titles since then, but no matter what you call it the movie just fuckin' ROCKS!!! Right now it's called GREAT FALLS. Will this be the final title for the movie? I doubt it. Your Marketing boys over at Universal probably HATE the title and will change it to the name of some POP Song. Like I said, it doesn't matter what it's called because the movie is simply amazing (Hell, you can call it ISHTAR: THE EARLY YEARS or HIGH SCHOOL: The QUICKENING -- THE RENEGADE VERSION and I'll still love it!).
Great Falls is one of them flicks that made me go out and dance a Jig after seeing it. Come the end of this year I'll be surprised if this wonderful little film isn't on my Top Ten List somewhere.
Let me try and break it down for you...HALLENBECK STYLE:
THE PLOT: Four High School Seniors make a pact to loose their virginity by Graduation. BOOM! 'Nuff said! In the hands of a capable writer and director this premise could be dynamite. In the hands of a schmuck with a degree in Business this plot could turn out as interesting as a Dawson's Creek episode(whiney little fucks!). I am glad to announce it's the former.
THE DIRECTOR: If I'm not mistaken, the film was directed by Paul and Chris Weitz...two first time directors who wrote the script to the witty animated romp ANTZ. There ability to milk a joke and time out a gag is uncanny. It's like watching the late John Landis and John Hughes do their magic. Timing is the key to comedy(that and fake dogshit). These magnificent bastards managed to hit every single joke. They never miss a beat. Directing comedy is almost as hard as writing it. It takes a warped person to make jokes like these work. The Farrely Bros. know. Old Mel Brooks knows. ZAZ...well, at least one of the Z's still knows. Hell, even Stone and Parker know! Now, the Weitz Brothers know! I'll be first in line to see their next project.
THE WRITING: Adam Herz (first timer if I'm not mistaken) has cranked out a Cameron Crowe worthy scrrenplay about teen angst and sexual frustration. He has concocted some of the funniest, depraved, grossest scenarios to come down the film pike in quite some time. I counted at least "5" CLASSIC MOMENTS!!! Most movies don't even have one and this puppy has five! "Mary" had three...Dumb and Dumber had 2(in my eyes), but Great Falls has FIVE!!! I won't ruin any of the great jokes for you, but I'll say the "Hair Gel" Award goes to Mom's Homemade Apple Pie. Trust me when I write this -- You'll never be able to look at apple pie the same way again.
What I loved about this script amongst all this raunchy depravity the writer managed to throw in a lot of humanity...but not make it sappy! There is a certain honesty to the whole film. You rarely find that in ANY KIND OF MOVIE, let alone a TSR! At its core the movie is about that loss of innocence and becoming an adult. However, it's not the sex that gets you there. It's the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual growth that these characters(or some at least) achieve that sets them on to that right path. Like Fast Times, it's HELLA-ENTERTAINING, but beautiful at the same time. Is this award winning material?-- HELL NO!!! Is it a funny, emotionally involving piece of entertainment? -- HELL YEAH! The reason being has to do with the following:
THE CHARACTERS: Does this film contain a Bluto, a Booger, or even -- dare I say it -- a Jeff Spicolli? AS IF! No one really sticks out in this film. I doubt you'll remember any character names upon first viewing(I barely do), but that's not to say the characters aren't great. They are, but in a more realistic way. You can relate to these guys. You have friends just like this. You even have the same conversations they do. Yes, this is a guy flick, but chicks will love it just as much because it is a GOOD FLICK!!!
JIMMY - actor's name escapes me. This is a crime because I see a bright future ahead for this talented gent. He has the looks of Adam Sandler but the charming personality of a Mathew Perry. If I would have to pick a fav, this would be my guy. He's directly involved in 3 of those classic scenes. I fell in love with this movie the same time I started liking this guy -- the first minute. If you're not laughing your ass off in the first 2 minutes of this film then get up and walk the hell out of the theater. Jimmy's da Bitch! (HARRY NOTE: The Actor's name is JASON BIGGS, and he is fucking incredibly funny in this movie)
Pretty Boy - can't recall his name, nor his character's name. This is the dude with the hot girlfriend. He's sort of the leader of the bunch. He has a lot of charm, but his comic ability pales in comparison to Jimmy. That's not to say he's not good -- HE IS, but his character is more of the straight man of the bunch. He handles his emotional scenes better than the rest. Where others' strengths fail, his rise. He comes to a profound realization near the end of the movie that every guy should ponder over. He might be a pretty boy, but he ain't dumb.
Oz - may not be the spelling of his name, but it's good enough for me. This is the jock of the bunch. He may not be bright, but he has a heart of gold. His relationship is the most touching of them all. Chicks will be drooling over this dude. He has a Keanu Reeves presence on screen, but not nearly as annoying. To put it lightly -- I didn't want to slap the shit out of him!!!
Finch - the priss of the bunch. He drinks Mocha-cino's and golfs at school. He refuses to use the school's rest rooms(a scene that is 100 x's funnier than a similiar one that appeared in Dumb and Dumber) and insists on drinking only the finest of liquor. With his hound dog eyes and droll delivery the guy reminded me of a young Nic Cage.
Eugene Levy - My God, is this dude funny! I've missed him so much! His timing is uncanny. He pauses at the right moments and stutters perfectly when needed. Only truly gifted comedians have this knack and Mr. Levy is one of them. As Jimmy's frustrated Dad he steals the show whenever he's on screen. Like Bill Murray, I just look at his goofy mug and bust a gut. This is exactly the kind of role he needs to get back into the Hollywood game.
THE MUSIC - temp tracked with a lot of today's hottest songs. Great music, but will be changed for the most part when the movie comes out. If I were a top and/or aspiring band I would sign on to do an original song for this film. It will pay off BIG TIME!
Okay, the following is for you boils and gulls over at Universal Marketing.
CHANGE THE FUCKIN' RELEASE DATE!!!! You are planning on releasing this great TSR on May 28 up against Beavis and Butthead 2 and a week after "THE MOVIE." Are fuckin' insane?! It will be killed! You don't release a movie like this on a weekend like that! School is just ending. Kids are concentrating on passing finals and getting laid at the Prom. They don't have time to go see a movie staring a bunch of nobodys! If they do have time to see a flick they'll check out a little space opera movie or an animated film about two dipshits. Here's the deal: Release it in mid-July. Everyone will be in the movie going mood. AP2 and Big Daddy will have made their run. "The Movie" will have already been seen by 3.2 billion people and WWW will be slowing down. You have EWS coming out on the 16th. Release this film on the 14th. Pre screen it on the 4th weekend and the weekend after it. You have no stars. You have no following. You have NOTHING!!! This movie will be a bitch to market, I know...trust me. It will need great word of mouth to get people to see it. If you were to hold 2 screenings weeks before the release then you'll be able to build awareness. The key here is to screen it in advance on the 4th weekend. It will sell out EVERYWHERE! Create an awareness for the film without spending a fortune on marketing. Word of mouth has always been and WILL always be the best marketing tool! DON'T FUCK THIS ONE UP!!!
T.T.F.N.,
Joe Hallenbeck
NEWS FLASH....THIS JUST IN: GREAT FALLS now has a new title. It's latest title is: AMERICAN PIE. Just between you, me and our PC's I want to say YEAH, BABY!!!! I LOVE THE NEW TITLE!!!! It's so apropos in SOOOOOOOO many ways! It's PERFECT!!! KEEP IT!!!
Wait a second. I just realized something -- They named it after a song afterall. Not just any song, though..."THE" SONG. MY SONG. MY ABSOLUTE FAV!!! I wonder if Uni will cut a new version of Mr. McLean's classic tune. I won't dig it, but maybe the kiddies might begin to appreciate GOOD music. Just don't have Marylin Manson croon out the tunes.
