Debbie Schlussel: Weekend Box Office: Hilarious Anti-PC Comedy vs. Horrid Fonda Incest Comedy, 28 Days Sequel
New releases at theaters, this weekend, include possibly the best, most anti-PC comedy of the year, as well as the worst comedy of the year, starring Hanoi Jane. "Delta Farce" was not made available to critics for review:
* "The Ex": This comedy, while weird, is hilarious. It's being panned by most movie critics. But not me. As a conservative, I especially appreciated it, since it's possibly the most anti-PC comedy I've seen in ages. Hippies, new-agers, vegans, psycho-babblers, marriage therapists, and the disabled who try to get special preferences--they're all lampooned and made to look ridiculous in this flick. You can be sure that disabled activist groups will be howling and whining by the end of the weekend. Even though I dislike all of the actors in the movie, I still liked the movie--produced by Mark Cuban--overall.
Zach Braff plays a chef in New York City who gets fired from yet another job. No matter what profession he tries, he can never conform. He and wife Amanda Peet have their first child, and she plans to be a full-time mother, quitting her job as a lawyer.
Braff agrees to move to Ohio, where Peet's parents (the always annoying Charles Grodin and Mia Farrow) live and where Grodin gets Braff a job at the advertising agency at which he's a top executive. There, Braff is secretly sabotaged by his wife's former high school boyfriend, a pandering Eddie-Haskell-esque wheelchair-bound advertising exec played by Jason Bateman, who plots to win Peet back from Braff.
The ad agency--owned by a pretentious, mountain-biking, new-age hippie who dresses like a yogi--is full of sycophants who buy into liberal pyscho-babble. Employees at the agency are "Assistant Associate Creatives." They throw around and catch an imaginary "Yes ball" to give each other positive energy. Instead of apologizing for mistakes or wrongs, they write silent post-it notes, called "mishuwaka" (Japanese). One male employee even wears a fake, clip-on ponytail to fit in.
Meanwhile, Braff's wife encounters a former high school classmate who invites her to her new age baby classes, where she's instructed to ask her new infant for permission to change diapers and to fake laughing.
The ending is a little too tidy. But overall, I found this to be a funny, entertaining diversion--what movies are supposed to be. Since there are sexual themes and language, this ain't for kids. I'd say 16 and up is okay. The film reminded me of the Farrelly Brothers genre of comedies.
* "Georgia Rule": This "Feel-Good Child Molestation, Seduce-a-Virgin-Mormon-Missionary Movie of the Year" is a vile "comedy" starring Hanoi Jane and alcoholic/drug addict Lindsay Lohan. It's a shame it's being falsely advertised and marketed as a Mother's Day bonding movie. It ain't. Skip at all cost. Read my complete review.
* "28 Weeks Later": This sequel to "28 Days Later" bears no resemblance to the original. Starring different actors and taking place after the ostensible eradication of a human-eating zombie virus that plagues Britain, this movie is extremely, bloody, gory, cold-blooded, murderous, and cannibalistic for no reason. The original is far less bloody and gory, far more thoughtful and enjoyable, and far more exciting.
So needlessly disgusting and bloody that many walked out of the promotional screening I attended. I wish I'd followed suit. A sequel without a point and not meritorious of your $10 and 2 hours. Skipworthy. Rent "28 Days Later," instead.
Posted by Debbie on May 11, 2007 01:36 PM to Debbie Schlussel