Contributed by:
Eric J. Lubbers/YourHub.com
Article Contributed on: 9/6/2007 11:56:11 AM
Will Arnett,
Will Forte and
Bob Odenkirk combined have had their hand in three of my favorite comedy phenomenon of all time:
Arrested Development,
Saturday Night Live (and new-
SNL haters, don't even bother trying to tell me it sucks. Last season had some misses, but its hits have been some of the best of all time.
To wit.) and
Mr. Show, respectively.
So if there's a movie starring both Wills, directed by Bob and written by Forte, I should have no problem liking it, right?
But something about the promotion for
The Brothers Solomon wasn't sitting right. Maybe it was the use of the St. Elmo's Fire theme so prominently in the trailer that had me worried they would shoot for the low-hanging fruit and miss.
About 20 minutes into the advance screening last night at the UA Pavilions, I was cursing myself for ever doubting them.
The story of two Arctic-raised, homeschooled manchildren in a desperate attempt to have a baby to give their comatose father (
Lee Majors, of all people) reason to live is well-paced and doesn't compromise. Ever.
The movie takes some of the most well-trod romantic comedy cliche territory and warps it into a deformed, hideous mess of a joke that you can't stop laughing at. For example, Forte had no problem penning a 12-minute joke based around a skywriting banner and you know what? It totally works.
| Box o' links |
The Brothers Solomon -- trailer (
link)
Local showtimes -- (
link)
Other reviews:
3:10 To Yuma (
link)
The Ten (
link)
|
Between this film, the
Judd Apatow/
Seth Rogen comedy juggernaut (
Superbad,
Knocked Up) that came into its own this summer and the rise of more independent comedies (
Hot Rod, The Ten), it's safe to say we're finally emerging into a new golden age of comedy. (
Side note: You know who was in all but two of those films? Bill Hader. Is he America's greatest living actor? I don't want to be hyperbolic here, but yes.)
All you have to do is watch the outtakes at the end of
The Brothers Solomon to realize why movies like this one are great: Everyone involved seems to be enjoying themselves. A lot. It seems like they are making the movie simply to make each other laugh, and the American public is lucky enough to see it. And god bless 'em for it.
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Eric J. Lubbers is a YourHub.com community journalist and a digger of hep flicks. Got something on your mind? Leave a comment below.