STEP BROTHERS
US, 2008, 97 minutes, Colour.
Will Ferrell, John C. Riley, Richard Jenkins, Mary Steenburgen, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, Seth Rogen.
Directed by Adam Mackay.
This is a Will Ferrell comedy so that you know what you are in for when you buy your ticket. If you don't like it or find some of the crass jokes too crude, you will know to leave Will Ferrell comedies alone.
Even though many of the jokes and routines are childish, corny, bodily-function-oriented (with few inhibitions about naming body parts), many of the jokes can be very funny and Ferrell at his best and John C. Reilly who is good at both serious roles and comedy (they clicked well in Talladega Nights) are good comedy performers. Blades of Glory was very funny.
However, the premise of Step -Brothers, while funny in itself, is a risky undertaking.
These days we are used to the phrase, especially from the American television series, 'Arrested Development'. The problem is: when did the development become arrested, at what age and at what stage of mature growth. The two step-brothers here are certainly ultra-arrested but, one suspects, there has been minimal development. Though they are both 40ish, they haven't left home, have never really had a job and their behaviour veers from that of a 6 year old to that of a 13 year old (at their worst!). While the stars do their utmost (crass and not-crass), such behaviour is so childish that it is too often too stupid rather than funny. The film is like a collection of sketches of dopey doings.
On the other hand, Mary Steenburgen and, especially, Richard Jenkins, veterans of many films and television shows who are very good actors prove themselves to be very good sports here for taking the role of the parents who fall in love and marry and inherit the other's son. Adam Scott is also convincing as Ferrell's smarmy younger brother.
Ferrell devotees will want to see it and gauge its place in the hierarchy of his comedies. Sensitive viewers check in your sensibilities at the ticket office.
1.A slacker comedy? The stars, the jokes, the crudity, the parody?
2.The title, Brennan and Dale, each in their own life, with each parent, pampered, childish, their age? Arrested development – at what stage? The behaviour at the wedding, together in the house, the resentment, suspicion of each other, the fights, the bond with the singing, doing everything together, the plans, the disaster with the boat, their parents’ divorce, their work, clashes, final success?
3.Will Ferrell and John C. Riley and their comic styles, screen presence? Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins as serious? The satisfactory blend of both for comedy?
4.The tone of the film, the adults as children, childlike, childish, stupid, funny?
5.Nancy and Robert: in themselves, the meeting, the work, Robert’s speech, the marriage – and the boys’ interruptions? Moving in, Brennan in the car? Nancy with Brennan, soft with him? Robert and Dale, their life together as men, Dale’s description of men’s behaviour and Robert saying they had never done that? The blend of hard and soft? The increasing ultimatums, the bunk, the permissions? Demanding the interviews for work? The boat, Robert’s anger? The tension between Robert and Nancy, Robert going down to the bar? The separation? Together at the function, dancing, Robert encouraging Dale and his gift, his own story about the dinosaur?
6.Brennan, Will Ferrell and his softer style, the mummy’s boy, no jobs, childish, the way of talking, blurting things out, activities, his singing in private, the flashback to Derek humiliating him, the clashes with Derek, Derek’s visits, playing Dale’s drums, denial, the fight, sexual behaviour, singing and the bond with Dale, like-mindedness, activities together, the bunking, the preparation for the interviews, the stupidity of the interviews, the plan, the video and the crashing of the boat, the sleepwalking, Christmas, the fights? The parents separating and their blaming each other? Brennan asking Derek for a job, his becoming more adult, organising the party, the crisis, his singing – and the beauty of the singing?
7.Dale, self-image, at home, with his father, not working, his drums, his office, sexual activity, the tree house, the magazines, sleepwalking, the issue of the bunk, his tantrums? His going for the catering job?
8.Derek, the past, his smarmy manner, relating well to Robert, talking about sport and fishing, calling him Dad? Nancy’s surprise? The clashes with Brennan? His wife and children, the singing in the car? Giving Brennan the job, the possibility of failure, success? His underlings and their reactions? The final awkwardness with the hug?
9.His wife, singing in the car, off-key, her come-on to Dale, the spoof of the sex, the break-up at the cliff edge?
10.Brennan and the therapist, his advances, her resistance – and the ending?
11.A funny idea – the blend of the funny and the stupid?
