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Reviews
Balls of Fury (2007)
Balled Up Humor Needs a Better Bounce
I went into the theater expecting total stupidity but tempered by Walken's artistry. That's not to say Walken wouldn't act silly (Mouse Hunt, Hairspray, Click) but at least he can pull off some believable antics. Sure enough Walken's Feng is a eccentric yet powerful villain that can make you shudder (when you think if he was real life) yet also make you laugh.
What surprised me was the high production values of the film. Music was fun, effects were well done and hardly hokey. Yet in contrast the script, pace, and plotting left something to be desired. Not to mention Fogler himself. For a leading actor, Fogler often came out stilted in line and action delivery, breaking the pace of the film.
The actual direction and editing of the film cuts too fast leaving me wanting a smoother transition. Some gags were funny like Master Wong's chopstick maneuvers and Maggie's kiss that ends with her hanging on to Randy's waist with her thighs. Some segments like using a wooden spoon as the ping pong paddle were clever twists as well.
If this was supposed to be a stupid movie then I would say the filmmakers partially failed. The high production values detract from the stupidity and only made me see the stupidity as a glaring inconsistency. Or maybe more aptly it's the performance that needs work. By delivery and overall feeling: Walken was great, Fogler sucked, FBI agent could be better, Maggie didn't have enough scenes so when she does come on and display her prowess she seemed out of place, Master Wong on the other hand was delightfully amusing.
The ping pong action is incredible and I wonder how much of it was real. I'm not sure if Walken was ever a ping pong master for instance. ;) The bouncing off of objects technique by Randy was fun to see and made for an interesting showdown that I think could have been played out more.
I don't have anything against stupid films but when you have a high production stupid film, that stupidity should be acted out well. When the lead actor trips then no matter how well the others do, the film suffers. My impression is Fogler needs to feel his character out more or there was some incompatibility. Whatever the case, Balls of Fury is a good ride but the flames aren't fanned to full blast.
The Brothers Solomon (2007)
Forced Humor But Some Good Moments
Brothers Solomon for me is filled with many conditional likes.
I wouldn't call this bad but for a comedy some of the humor seemed really forced as if the actors themselves don't even truly believe everything they say. The leading duo Arnett and Forte do have good chemistry and have some good deadpans. But I think they could deliver the lines more naturally or at least more fluidly. They try for energy to show the characters' eternal optimism but often end up only pulling some gags to the extreme and losing some of the visual quirks that can be expressed with less time and effort.
Plus the absence of even ambient soundtrack for most of the film actually detracts from the film's world than focus. I get a feeling of dead space. Added to the soundtrack quirk, the strange semi-graininess of the film print gives the impression that the film should be set in the 1970s more than the 21st century (whether that was intentional I don't know).
*spoiler* The one that steals the show more but don't see as often is the surrogate mother Janine (Wiig), who's best scene I think is when she stands up for the brothers to get the girl Tara (played smoothly by Ackerman BTW) off her ass and go out with the brothers to celebrate. When the girl refused, she turns around and sticks her tongue out at the snobby girl and leaves. This scene though simple and obviously would look boring on paper is important to the plot of the mother accepting the brothers and so naturally played out by Wiig that I the viewer fully believe and agree with her. Plus the subsequent scenes with Forte's Solomon hearing it on the baby monitor and later confronting lovestruck Arnett's Solomon is one of the dramatic highlights. Maybe they should do drama instead. ;) *end spoiler*
Ultimately, I love the chemistry and the concept but feel a little forced to accept the film's reality instead of sliding in and enjoying the whole atmosphere. The brothers were meant to be cheerful optimists but I get more the feeling of ludicrous jumping beans... with a lot of heart.
I put aside my disbelief at their actions and enjoyed the show. If you do the same you'll enjoy it too. On 3...