OneTrueFan
Wednesday 22 September 2010
The One Where Other Guys Can't Step Out Of Anchormans Shadow - And That's Your Fault
Anyone on twitter that remembers the infamous night Anchorman night, knows twitters never been the same since.
I tried to pin point it, and I actually think that night was a turning point on twitter for me.
Everyone was quoting Anchorman, and quotes were then getting re-tweeted. And favourited.
It inspired me to try and remind people Will Ferrell had made other movies. HERE.
It was like the world didn't know that.
So... is The Other Guys going to have a quote night in a few years time? Is it good enough...?
Well, I thought it was OK.
JMcG may chime in later, as I saw this with out him. It's been a while since a Tag Team review hasn't it?
For me, though, it can't touch Anchorman or Talledega. The debate over which is better between those is for another time. And it is a debate. More likely here, you would debate Step Brothers and Other Guys.
That's your four Adam McKay/Ferrell team ups - sorry MC, Blades Of Glory isn't worthy of being talked about amongst them.
I need to put my stall out, and say that I think Step Brothers is really underrated. I didn't mention it in that other piece, just to wind Davie Legend up (as we'd been chatting about it that day).
It's excellent. A real grower. I would love to see a proper extended cut of the film, because bits in the red band trailer never made their way in - which is the way with comedies like that.
I loved it though.
Following on from Anchorman and Talledega though. Well, it will always be seen as second or third best.
Other Guys is exactly the same.
I probably liked it less than Step Brothers, but I've seen Step Brothers a lot, and I do find Ferrell films grow on me. So maybe it's a Blu purchase and a lil bit of patience.
What I did like was seeing Mark Wahlberg start to rebuild his career. He was the best thing in Date Night, by a mile, and continues to take the piss out of his hard man image here.
Eva Mendes too is excellent. The scene where her Mum has to sneak out and relay messages to an isolated Ferrell is genius.
My biggest frustration though, was that it never went far enough for me.
They went for safety with the certificate, for a start.
Then, instead of pushing boundaries (kicking dogs off bridges, Cohens gay scenes in Talledega), they play that safe too.
What it needed was less convoluted plot elements, (Coogan is wasted), and more time to let the laughs play out.
Maybe they tried to fit too much in?
In the end, it reminded me a lot of Hot Fuzz. Lots of laughs, some good performances, but unlikely to ever be held up alongside it's bigger, better (step) brother.
In the end, that will only do one thing for me. I'll like it more. Let the hype die down, and see then if it holds up.
Some trailers are saying it's Ferrells best since Anchorman. And that just 'aint so.
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2 comments:
Guess who...?
Right, Anchorman and Step Brothers are on a par, with Anchorman just pipping it. And Other Guys needs to be compared with Talladega. That's just the way it is, FACT.
I agree with you... I watched this and laughed a lot. Mendes was brilliant, and I enjoyed watching Marky Mark in a comedic role (he is one of my favourite current actors). I thought the Rock and Sam L bit was genius... I wasn't expecting that at all.
But this did not pass my Will Ferrel test. The test is to watch it twice in a week. I watched Step Brothers twice in the cinema and was laughing just as hard the second time. I watched Anchorman twice and was laughing MORE the second time. I was a bit sleepy during the second viewing of The Other Guys and that has nothing to do with me being hungover (I ate a big red candle).
I will get this when it comes out... But that will be only for the Gag Reel and Line-O-Rama segments on the Special Features (the best bits on Talladega, Semi-Pro and Blades of Glory).
I like the twice in a week theory.
And I *will* get it. But I suspect the extended cut will be the reason. There's a better film fighting to get out.
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