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Capone says the top-notch comedy cast doesn't quite deliver THE GOODS!!!
Hey, everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
I'm going to level with you, seeing a film like this makes you really appreciate the level of sophistication at which Judd Apatow works. As weird as that statement sounds, there's finesse to the way his actors tell dick jokes that is miles above the manner in which everybody else works in the R-rated comedy realm. I'm not even saying that these other, non-Apatow films aren't funny here and there, but Apatow seems to have a filter. He knows when four-letter words will be at their most effective and when they are just crass. As much as I ultimately enjoyed THE HANGOVER, the characters tended to fall back on "fuck" so often, it stopped being funny and started being repetitive. Or worse still, watch (if you dare) THE UGLY TRTH, a movie that hasn't got a clue when crude is funny and when it's just plain dumb. So now we have THE GOODS, which I would place just a peg below THE HANGOVER, but miles above THE UGLY TRUTH on the comedy meter (which I just invented). The film's plot is almost invisible, with the emotional depth of a wading pool that's been sitting out for a week in the blazing son. However, the strength of many of the comedy performers kept me laughing about 75 percent of the time, and that's not bad.
Jeremy Piven stars in THE GOODS as Don Ready, not a car salesman in the strictest sense, but a guy who other car salesmen call in when vehicles aren't moving the way they need to. In the case of this story, James Brolin's Ben Selleck calls in Ready and his crew, which includes Ving Rhames, David Koechner, and the scene-stealer Kathryn Hahn, who uses nasty sex talk to make her sales. It goes without saying that I never tired of watching her do her job well. Ready and his team blaze into Selleck's California town ready to move cars over the 4th of July weekend and save the dealership from financial ruin. The heroes and villains in THE GOODS are painted in extremely bright colors, and the father-son team of Alan Thicke and Ed Helms are like a couple of magpies waiting to pick on the scraps of whatever is left of the dealership when the Selleck family loses it. In a weird device that I never really bought, Selleck's daughter (Jordana Spiro) is engaged to Helms' character (whose other job is being in a boy band). Naturally, Don Ready not only wants to save the dealership; he wants to save young Ms. Selleck.
THE GOODS moves at an almost frantic pace, barely allowing the characters or us time to breathe between gags, which might work to its advantage since some of the gags aren't that funny, and we aren't given much time to reflect on the duds. Still, I expected something a little bit more satisfying from director Neal Brennan (a co-writer with Dave Chappelle of HALF BAKED and a writer-director on many episodes of "Chappelle's Show"), especially with this above-average cast of talented comic actors, including Ken Jeong, Rob Riggle, Craig Robinson, and a cameo by one of the film's producers (I'll let you look that one up yourselves). I suppose the biggest problem I had with the movie is that it's wildly uneven. Anything that takes us aware from the salesmen and women doing their job seem peripheral and not especially engrossing. The love story angle is laughably bad, except I wasn't laughing, nor was I moved or convinced that this relationship would survive five days after the movie ended.
I would consider myself a Jeremy Piven fan. I watch "Entourage" loyally every week, but I've dug the guy for years, going back to his memorable runs on "The Larry Sanders Show," "Ellen" and the original incarnation of "Cupid," as well as films like VERY BAD THINGS, PCU, GROSSE POINTE BLANK, OLD SCHOOL, SMOKIN' ACES, and ROCKNROLLA. Piven is very much in Ari Gold mode in THE GOODS, but slightly nicer and more disturbed, and it suits him. But about half the time, it feels like he's delivering lines to the balcony. When he dials it back, Piven is unstoppable. Unfortunately, this is not the film to see Piven really do his best work, although you will undoubtedly laugh at a lot of what he's up to here. In the end, I can't quite recommend THE GOODS, but if in 9-12 months or so, you catch it on cable, you could stumble upon worse films to watch.
-- Capone
capone@aintitcoolmail.com
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I want to see a Jeremy Piven movie ala PCU, I loved that movie.
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NOT REALLY
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Thats actually a really good percenatge, if a comedy movie makes you laugh 50 % of the time thats fair. Plus Apatow has only directed 3 movies, 1 of whish was funny, wrote 7 movies and about 4 were funny the rest were meh, so comparison is not really trackable. Not only that, doesn't anybody proof read before they post their blogs or at least have spellcheck work, and were supposed to respect your opinion as a critic?
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Wasn't funny the first time I saw...nor the next 200. Fucking they show the same 2 clips for that movie over and over again. Sandler asking Seth to kill him and Fat Boy making fun of Schwartzman's grandfather dying. For 2 and a half hours of movie you'd think there'd be more to show.
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Aug 14, 2009 9:02:41 AM CDT
Now I'm a little depressed. I was looking forward to a laugh.
by juansanchez
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AHH No matter how many times I see that harry potter phd joke I still guffaw..classic
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How about if makes you laugh or not? Granted , I have my doubts about this, but has Apatow become the gold standard that all comedies must now be judged?
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THE HANGOVER was a killer comedy...following the guys along as they try to unwind a crazy-ass night of binge drinking and drugs that just gets weirder and weirder - all while trying to figure out where the heck their friend got to - was one of the year's best. I saw FUNNY PEOPLE and thought it was anything BUT funny. It was lame and felt ad-libbed much of the time. The jokes and dialogue absolutely fell flat. There were a few brief moments of cuteness or funny (most were in the trailers and actually played better in the trailer), but my wife and I both walked out of the theater in doubt as to whether we'd recommend it. In the end, we decided it's not recommended. It's just too uneven and mostly what I would call anti-funny. It just didn't work. The laughs were strained and the drama was forced and dark, making an odd, disjointed movie at odds with itself. If THE GOODS is even close to THE HANGOVER, it's definitely worth a look-see and a far more worthy movie for your dollars.
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Aug 14, 2009 11:01:57 AM CDT
Series7, I haven't seen Funny People but I have seen the ads
by big jim
with the Harry Potter joke - I had assumed it wasn't supposed to be funny, that the character was trying out new material on his friends and bombing. I figured the joke was here's a guy who wants to be funny but, despite trying too hard and trying to be topical, just isn't funny.
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If you watch the movie, you'll see that the Harry Potter joke is only funny cause Hill breaks it out during an extremely awkward moment he just happened to walk into it. Judging movies based on trailers is retarded.
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Apatow is a POS. His only funny movies were riding on the coatails of Steve Carell and Will Ferrell. Is this review for real? Apatow as some sort of test for what's acceptably crude/funny in movies? Yeah that's true in the same universe where Seagal is the litmus for the threshold for reality/cool in martial arts. I'm glad we have these 2 visionaries marking the trail for us... without them we'd be as lost in the desert as the ancient Hebrews without Moses. In other news sorry that Hangover offended your sensibilities but it was actually funny, which you cant say for Apatow's last 5 movies. Jeremy Piven, is funny, but half of his schtick is the irony that he's more of an douchebag IRL than even his characters are.
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Funny people. People...acting funny. Hmmmm...
We're all just floating. -
...its because its uncomfortably similar in premise and set-up on an actual lost 80's comedy, Used Cars, starring Kurt Russell and directed by then-unknown Robert Zemeckis. I say uncomfortable, because flattery (with citation and credit of concept) is one thing...outright lift and reversioning (w/out recognition) is another. Don't get me wrong...I'm a big Jeremy Piven fan (the guy is the king of snark), but (no pun intended), couldn't we get a fresh or original vehicle for the guy to star in here?....sheesh.
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As the man who ate Odie's tongue?? Shaaaaaaaame, Capone.
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Its such a weak thing to make fun of. Uhh, there's been 6 movies. Only 6 movies. The kids started when they were 11. They don't look very much like someone in their mid 20's. A joke isn't funny if the humor depends upon the teller being a fucking moron.
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ITs the same reason Creed sold a zillion records: because they were the only ones doing what they were doing at the time. Now, in hindsight, people realize they sucked balls. The Hangover will be the same way. If you wanted comedy, where else were you supposed to go? It will be like Austin Powers II: everyone was so hyped and brainwashed to think it was funny, they would have laughed at a Bergman movie in the theater.....now give it 6 months of perspective and no audience to laugh with, and it will be crickets chirping on DVD at home.
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If you expect someone to take what you say seriously, you should probably spell check your comment. As for the Harry Potter joke in Funny People, it wasn't funny. It wasn't funny out of context, but as someone said before, in the movie it works.
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These reviews are just far too pretentious for the films being reviewed.
It was a fantastic comedy, and should absolutely be put on the top of your watch list. -
Aug 15, 2009 4:27:50 AM CDT
Couldn't be any unfunnier than The Hangover..could it?
by isleptwithkathybatesandallthatigotwasthi
Maybe it can. Shit!
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There are many kinds of comedy, and many kinds of movies, and some, like, say, REPO MAN, exist as an entity unto themselves because they defy classification. Such is THE GOODS. From moment one, it is unapologetically, unabashedly, entirely its own thing. It strikes a sublime, impossible balance between the crude, the absurd and the endearing. It tells a complete story, all the characters have arcs and through-lines, and yet it also manages to reach heights of silliness and raunch the likes of which have never been combined--all to supreme comic effect. The casting is ideal, the score is surprisingly effective. Quite simply I have never, ever laughed this hard at any movie in my life. I laughed at this the way I was **TOLD** I would laugh at THE HANGOVER--which I enjoyed, but which can't compare to this true comic masterpiece. It's not for everyone. Some folks just won't "get it". That's OK. But when I'm on that desert island trying to find somewhere to plug in my DVD player, THE GOODS will be there with me, along with the aforementioned REPO MAN, THE JERK, CADDYSHACK, HEATHERS, STRANGE BREW, CABIN BOY, UHF, and several others--yes, it belongs in that lofty company. So don't believe the hate, especially from those who have only seen the tv spots or trailers. And ABSOLUTELY do not believe those who are trying to make PC arguments against the film, because the very issues they raise are immediately addressed in the film. Just go see it.
Or as I told all my friends immediately upon getting home: "OMFG. See the Goods. See the Goods. I'm not kidding. SEE THE GOODS. I have NEVER seen a funnier movie. I have NEVER laughed that hard at a movie. I can't even put it into words. If you don't see it ASAP, you can't be my friend any...more. Seriously. I will hire midgets to beat you up. I will have **** **** your Significant Other. Get it? Understand? You're scum and I hate you if you don't see it! NOW!!!! This movie is why God has allowed humanity to exist for this long, so it could get made. It renews my faith in humanity and the future. I hope this is understood."
I really think that says it all.
But I'll add this anyway: I have enjoyed a lot of the Apatow/Rogen/Stiller/Ferrell/etc comedies that have dominated this decade; but frankly, they've become overwrought, too high concept, and sometimes forget that they're just supposed to be FUNNY. This is a low budget, quick and dirty, get-to-the-joke-and-get-out COMEDY in every sense. It is thoroughly unpretentious, completely guileless, and thoroughly sincerely. So don't believe the hate. Go see it. -
And i'm a guy who's fav. comedy of this decade is "Old School".
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One of the best in Hollywood. There's no leading role here if he doesn't get them.
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Aug 15, 2009 10:01:06 AM CDT
Somebody please prune tensticks' bush
by isleptwithkathybatesandallthatigotwasthi
That's one hairy plant!
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In ten years of occasional posting here this is the first time I've EVER been accused of being a plant! I feel accomplished all of a sudden! Thank you Islepwithkathybates! And I suppose the part where I say "Nope, I'm just a dude who saw this movie last night with a friend and we BOTH loved it so much we had to enthusiastically gush to everyone we could" won't carry any water? Well, so be it, I don't really care. But thanks for the benchmark in my life!!!!
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Aug 16, 2009 12:27:14 AM CDT
Of course the relationship wasn't gonna last, Capone...
by hardcorerocker
...that's why at the end of the movie, they say the two characters split up, lol. It's acutely aware of this fact.
Did you care if Ron Burgundy got together with Veronica Corningstone? Of course not. -
What's the truth you're tryin' to avoid Lloyd?
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I'm surprised there haven't been more comparisons to "Used Cars" because when i first saw the trailer, that's what I saw. Sadly, few people saw Used Cars when it premiered due to a botched marketing plan that put the film up against Airplane in the theaters.
Used Cars didn't have the same appeal as something like "Ghostbusters" but it was a silly movie starring a lovable con man that did far better business on TV and video than at the box office.
If you rent it, be sure to catch the commentary track where the producer, Robert Zemeckis and Kurt Russell spend 90 minutes laughing hysterically about all the things they did wrong making the film. Only the Spinal Tap commentary track is funnier. -
Kurt Russell commentary is always gold. Used Cars, Escape From New York, The Thing, Big Trouble In Little China....you name it, if Kurt does a commentary, it's a must buy DVD.
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