By: Gary Kramer - gkramer@aroundphilly.com Gary M. Kramer is a Philadelphia-based film critic who thinks Sandra Bullock mambos. He likes eating ethnic food and watching ethnic movies—though not necessarily both at the same time or from the same country.
PICK OF THE WEEK The Hangover
The plot of Todd Phillips (Old School) comedy looks good on paper: four guys having a bachelor party in Vegas are slipped some roofies, and wake up in a hotel suite with a chicken and a tiger on the loose, along with someone’s baby, something burning, and lots of broken. Throw in Mike Tyson, a stripper/escort (Heather Graham), and an angry Chinese mobster named Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong) and hijinks ensue. Recovering from this night they can’t remember are Phil (local boy Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Alan (Zach Galifianakis), since Doug (Justin Bartha) has gone missing on the morning of his wedding. Yet despite an amusing performance by Galifianakis—bearded, often pantless guy and too polite to swear—too much of The Hangover’s potential humor falls flat. Too many of the gags are obvious, such as the running joke about a beloved Mercedes convertible, that will of course, be destroyed in inventive ways, or what part of the body Phil will get Tasered by a grade school kid with a grudge. In addition, much of what happens in Vegas—finding condoms in odd places, seeing an ugly old man naked—is vulgar without being funny. But what really bristles is the racist, effeminate character of the “villain” Mr. Chow. While there a few good unexpected gags—like what’s in the trunk of a car—the biggest laughs come during the end credits when the images found on a camera tell the story of what really happened in Vegas. The Hangover is hit or miss comedy, but maybe after enough drinks it’s less insufferable.
ALSO OPENING
Easy Virtue
A big screen adaptation of the Noel Coward play starring Jessica Biel and a bunch of British actors (Kristin Scott Thomas, Colin Firth, etc.) playing characters who mostly dislike her.
Il Divo
A fascinating, if frequently confusing portrait of Italian Prime Minister Guilio Andreotti (Toni Servillo). The film’s audacious style—which is at odds with its reserved subject—keeps the action interesting even though too much information is thrown at viewers in its first half . This brash biopic takes place in Rome in the early 1990s, during the Prime Minister’s 7th term. A controversial politician—he is suspected of having mafia ties and believes in the will of God (not chance)—Andreotti is described as a “cold organizer.” He suffers from migraines and insomnia, and his long-suffering wife is the only one who seems to “know” him. (Though one significant shot suggests perhaps she doesn’t). Many episodes showcase Andreotti’s manipulation and power; he thinks he the God of the title. An execution is flashily cross cut with the politician attending a horse race, screaming “Go, get him!” When a journalist asks the Prime Minister unpleasant questions about the rumors of his corruption, Andreotti answers with the cold hard fact of saving the reporter’s career. Il Divo benefits immensely from Toni Servillo’s magnificent portrayal. His body language is fantastic—hunched shoulders, slow gait, and playing with his hands to signal his approval or boredom. He is mesmerizing to watch, even when viewers need a scorecard to follow all the other players.
Land of the Lost
Will Farrell stars in this big screen version of the old campy TV series in which man co-exists with dinosaurs.
My Life in Ruins
The latest film by Nia Vardalos (of My Big Fat Greek Wedding fame) is a comedy about a travel guide who finds romance in Greece.
Tennessee
A road movie that co-stars Mariah Carey in a supporting role about two brothers who travel to the title state to get bone marrow from their abusive father.
