I’m finicky about my comedies. I’ll be the first person to tell you it's probably a bit rediculous. Most of the time I feel as though it’s a bunch of ridiculous caricatures of people running around in preposterous situations and trying way too hard to get me to laugh. I admit, more often than not, dry subtlety will have me rolling in stitches long before an overly-physical gimmick.
When I saw the preview for Year One I caught myself giggling with gusto. I promptly elbowed my husband and told him we would need to see it. My excitement for Michael Cera’s deadpan delivery overshadowed my hesitation of seeing a Jack Black movie (which usually I won’t touch with a 39 ½ foot pole.) Over the next weeks after that, each preview I saw only got funnier.
Some of my coworkers went to see the movie opening weekend. Apparently they made it about 30 minutes and walked out on moral pretenses. For you to fully understand what I am about to say would take too long to explain, so I will leave it at this: Their moral offense made me want to see the movie all the more. I was so excited, a comedy that I actually wanted to see!
When we finally got settled in at the theatre with popcorn and Dr. Pepper in hand, my expectations were this: Jack Black would be ridiculous, over-done and irritating as usual and Michael Cera would have me snorting with laughter. I would have been 100% happy with that.
Unfortunately, there was an unforeseen annoyance to bring my feelings down to a shaky 65%… David Cross as Cain. As in Cain and Able. First, let’s talk about Able. If you’re going to cast Paul Rudd in a movie, why in the world would you kill him off after thirty seconds of screen-time. He always brings the perfect amount of believability and talent to his roles, a tip that David Cross could have done well to have applied. Second, I was actually offended by the stupidity of the infamous brother-ocide scene. After smashing Able’s head in with a rock (sounding rather gruesome with some decent work by the foley department) he turns to the Heavens, shouting “What have I done?” Able sits up, clearly, not dead. Again, Cain hits his brother, and again, is overwhelmed by the severity of his crime. This happens four times.
And that’s where they lost my respect. I’m fine with funny, I’m fine with gimmicks, I am not fine, however, with the writers/producers/directors treating me like I, myself am a cave person. I appreciate smart humor.
Like Lillith. Cain’s father (who biblically is Adam, but with no reference to it in the movie) offers for Jack Black to share his daughter Lillith’s bed. Of course, Jack Black’s character tries to seduce her, until she stops him by telling him that she is a lesbian. Lillith the lesbian. That’s smart humor.
More than anything, though, I was disappointed by the overall character development. I understand that’s not the reason people line up to watch a Jack Black movie, but it wouldn’t have taken too much. As Oh (Michael Cera) and Zed (Jack Black) are beginning their journey, Zed makes a comment about how Oh is the smartest guy in the tribe, because he invented using a gourd as a water bottle. Then there was no other reference to his brains or his creativity ever again. There were a few points in the movie that I was hoping he could whip up some invention and get them out of a sticky situation. Alas, nothing.
The second thought that comes to mind is when the plot really takes a refreshing breath, and Zed prays for help. It showed vulnerability and made me believe that he might have truly had a heart as a character. However, though his prayer is exactly answered, he does not pray again, or make reference to his prayer. It would have simply brought a fulfillment and a good emotional pay off.
It just felt as though there were several balls tossed into the air and most were dropped.
I’m not touching the fact that their timeline smooshed characters together that we spread out by hundreds of years in the bible. I’m willing to follow them pretty far, and not only suspend my disbelief, but also suspend everything I’ve learned since Sunday school. I just wish there would have been a bit more to it.
Verdict:Funny, fluffy, slightly profane, mediocre. And that’s how your brain will feel when you’re done watching the movie.
When I saw the preview for Year One I caught myself giggling with gusto. I promptly elbowed my husband and told him we would need to see it. My excitement for Michael Cera’s deadpan delivery overshadowed my hesitation of seeing a Jack Black movie (which usually I won’t touch with a 39 ½ foot pole.) Over the next weeks after that, each preview I saw only got funnier.
Some of my coworkers went to see the movie opening weekend. Apparently they made it about 30 minutes and walked out on moral pretenses. For you to fully understand what I am about to say would take too long to explain, so I will leave it at this: Their moral offense made me want to see the movie all the more. I was so excited, a comedy that I actually wanted to see!
When we finally got settled in at the theatre with popcorn and Dr. Pepper in hand, my expectations were this: Jack Black would be ridiculous, over-done and irritating as usual and Michael Cera would have me snorting with laughter. I would have been 100% happy with that.
Unfortunately, there was an unforeseen annoyance to bring my feelings down to a shaky 65%… David Cross as Cain. As in Cain and Able. First, let’s talk about Able. If you’re going to cast Paul Rudd in a movie, why in the world would you kill him off after thirty seconds of screen-time. He always brings the perfect amount of believability and talent to his roles, a tip that David Cross could have done well to have applied. Second, I was actually offended by the stupidity of the infamous brother-ocide scene. After smashing Able’s head in with a rock (sounding rather gruesome with some decent work by the foley department) he turns to the Heavens, shouting “What have I done?” Able sits up, clearly, not dead. Again, Cain hits his brother, and again, is overwhelmed by the severity of his crime. This happens four times.
And that’s where they lost my respect. I’m fine with funny, I’m fine with gimmicks, I am not fine, however, with the writers/producers/directors treating me like I, myself am a cave person. I appreciate smart humor.
Like Lillith. Cain’s father (who biblically is Adam, but with no reference to it in the movie) offers for Jack Black to share his daughter Lillith’s bed. Of course, Jack Black’s character tries to seduce her, until she stops him by telling him that she is a lesbian. Lillith the lesbian. That’s smart humor.
More than anything, though, I was disappointed by the overall character development. I understand that’s not the reason people line up to watch a Jack Black movie, but it wouldn’t have taken too much. As Oh (Michael Cera) and Zed (Jack Black) are beginning their journey, Zed makes a comment about how Oh is the smartest guy in the tribe, because he invented using a gourd as a water bottle. Then there was no other reference to his brains or his creativity ever again. There were a few points in the movie that I was hoping he could whip up some invention and get them out of a sticky situation. Alas, nothing.
The second thought that comes to mind is when the plot really takes a refreshing breath, and Zed prays for help. It showed vulnerability and made me believe that he might have truly had a heart as a character. However, though his prayer is exactly answered, he does not pray again, or make reference to his prayer. It would have simply brought a fulfillment and a good emotional pay off.
It just felt as though there were several balls tossed into the air and most were dropped.
I’m not touching the fact that their timeline smooshed characters together that we spread out by hundreds of years in the bible. I’m willing to follow them pretty far, and not only suspend my disbelief, but also suspend everything I’ve learned since Sunday school. I just wish there would have been a bit more to it.
Verdict:Funny, fluffy, slightly profane, mediocre. And that’s how your brain will feel when you’re done watching the movie.
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