Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009
"year one"
Harold Ramis, the writer/director of this film, is a man of extremes. On one extreme, Ramis has directed comedy classics such as "Caddyshack," "Nation Lampoon's Vacation" and "Groundhog's Day." On the other extreme, this actor-turned-director has helmed the monstrously bad "Stuart Saves His Family," "Bedazzled" the very forgettable "Analyze This," and the worse sequel, "Analyze That." To say the least, you could get a classic from Ramis or you get a waste of two hours. "Year One" is neither. Jack Black and Michael Cera are an odd pairing - Black offering the over-the-top one-liners and Cera coming off like a young, funny Woody Allen or a talented actor making fun of a caricature of Woody Allen. The plot is reminiscent of a Mel Brooks film, having characters rotate in and out of different biblical situations. It is high farce with David Cross, a vehement atheist, playing Cain, of Cain and Abel fame. There are moments here that are extremely lame but there are also handfuls of memorable lines and just goofy situations that will make you laugh. Not to mention, the linaroma, gag reel and special features are as good as the movie. Definitely worth the rent.