Yes, an empty chair in Florida commands him to tell Barack Obama to perform unspeakable acts on himself. Yes, he crankily told a vast Superbowl audience that it’s only halftime in America. Bill Hader does a hilarious imitation of him on Saturday Night Live, and at this point more of us want to think of him as the cranky old bastard in Gran Torino than the essence of cool he was as The Man With No Name. But honestly, Clint Eastwood is one of the last truly grand old Hollywood screen icons. And when he appears in a movie, it’s worth at least taking notice. He is capable of creating indelible film moments, and for that, some of us will always love him on screen.

Unfortunately, his notable return to movies this time is in the frustratingly underwhelming Trouble with the Curve. Clint stars as Gus, an aging talent scout for the Atlanta Braves who is considered almost irrelevant by some members of the management staff (in particular, a snotty character played by Matthew Lillard). But John Goodman’s Pete, as one of Gus’s allies in the organization, contacts Gus’s daughter, Mickey (portrayed by a tenacious Amy Adams). Pete’s been noticing something wrong with Gus and wants Mickey to intervene on an upcoming scouting trip he’s making to check out a talented new hitter in North Carolina. It turns out Gus is “blind as a slab of concrete,” which poses obvious problems for being able to assess new talent. But Adams’s character has a promising law career of her own, with which this trip interferes. Also, her relationship with her dad is rocky at best. Still, she plays the dutiful daughter and follows Gus on the trip. While there, she also meets a charming Justin Timberlake, as a former ballplayer turned aspiring sports broadcaster who is also scouting the talent.

Will the father and daughter be able to repair their broken relationship? Will Adams and Timberlake act on the obvious sparks that are starting between them? With his daughter’s help, will Gus be able to continue with the career he loves? Unfortunately, this is where the script by Randy Brown and the directing by frequent Eastwood collaborator Robert Lorenz truly seem to fail the actors on screen. All of these plot points are so ploddingly predictable it’s painful. Every story point you can see coming a mile away, and every emotional beat plays out exactly as expected. The player being scouted is predictably obnoxious and unworthy. The budding romance is fraught with clichés. And even the late “surprise” talent that’s discovered late in the film you can predict about an hour before it happens. Without spoiling it, let’s just say the resolution of finding a new player falls under that old theatrical chestnut that says if you introduce a gun in the first act, you can be sure someone will use it in the third act. In this case, it’s a talent instead of a gun—but you get the idea.

A prime example of the obviousness that taints the film comes out in an early graveside scene. Gus’s wife has been dead for over 25 years, and he is visiting her headstone. He pours both her and himself a beer. While talking to her grave, he quietly says “You are my sunshine.” Now, that would have been sweet and moving by itself. Understated, sad, fine. But no, he keeps going: “my only sunshine, you make me happy…” He recites the WHOLE song at her grave. The audience knew what he was quoting. We didn’t need the whole thing. This potentially moving character moment slops over into embarrassing over-sentimentality (in fact, at the preview screening there was quite a bit of unintentional laughter during this scene). There end up being countless instances like this throughout the film. The ideas are good, but they beat you over the head with them.

It’s too bad, too. Eastwood appears here for the first time not directing himself since he starred in In The Line of Fire back in the ’90s. And, as always, he’s a solidly engaging presence. Gus is gruff and cranky, but likeable. And Amy Adams is much better than the material she’s given. Trouble With The Curve is at its best when the two of them are on screen together. Both are stubborn. You genuinely believe that they are father and daughter (though in real life Clint is 82 and she’s supposed to be 33 in the movie, which means he was a pretty old dad even when she was born).

When watching Trouble with the Curve, I had a very similar reaction to when I first saw that first Stephen Sommers’ Mummy movie with Brendan Fraser in it. I remember thinking “Boy, Raiders of the Lost Ark is a good movie.” The Mummy felt like an inferior Indiana Jones ripoff, where all the tension in the action scenes is gone due to overuse of frenetic CGI and noise. It made me appreciate more Spielberg’s ability to create tension in his films. And when watching Trouble with the Curve, I thought “Man, Million Dollar Baby is a good movie.” The powerful understatement that Eastwood can bring to a film—in this cases, a character-driven sports drama—is absent in this one, which is SO on the nose that at one point a character STATES the title of the film itself. (Yes, it’s a metaphor. We get it.)

Still, this film might make a good rental for the acting alone. Amy Adams is a treasure and Clint is always at least watchable. I just wish the material itself were better.

Final Grade: C

There was a pivotal moment in Adam Sandler’s career in 2002, when he starred in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch Drunk Love. Anderson took the volatile, unstable behavior Sandler exhibited as immature, comedic fodder in such films as Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore and channeled it into a volatile, unstable character, damaged at the core, but starving for acceptance. Sandler’s wacky antics were distilled into meaning and purpose, instead of childish mannerisms played for laughs. It was a moment that could’ve marked a new and interesting direction for the veteran Saturday Night Live comedian. Instead, Sandler would follow up Punch Drunk Love with the return to immature antics in such films as Mr. Deeds and Eight Crazy Nights.

With the occasional hiccup, it seems Sandler is set on making what has become a brand: The Adam Sandler Movie. With his latest, That’s My Boy, you get exactly what you’ve come to expect from Happy Madison (Sandler’s production company): immature, degrading humor. Sandler has even seemed to regress to speaking in the same mentally stunted speech pattern of an alcoholic-meets-retired-boxer. Then, to add effect to grandeur, Sandler sports a wig that looks like it was run over by a Zamboni and then cleaned by a cat. I suppose the two elements work together to create a motif, in a character who, as a teenager, had sex with his teacher, became famous for it, and then milked it for all its worth until there was no more celebrity left to bleed.

Sandler plays Donny Berger, who, after having sex with his teacher and knocking her up, was then was forced to raise the child when the teacher was sentenced to thirty years in prison for statutory rape and not having any remorse over it. The set-up is absurd, yet what’s truly strange is how close to reality it really is. At first I thought maybe that was the point, but by the end of the film I firmly believe the only point is to be absurd. The story really takes place years later, as Berger’s child has grown up, departed from his father’s presence and is attempting to live a somewhat “normal” life. Han Solo Berger (Andy Samberg), as Donny named him, has since changed his name to Todd Something, made a name for himself in the world of hedge funds, and is engaged to be married to a woman named Jamie (Leighton Meester). I use the words “a woman named Jamie” for a reason, because that’s all we ever know about her. Well, that, and a devious activity she likes to take part in.

In fact, we never really get to know any of the women in the film, which, to me, is the film’s worse atrocity—not completely because we never get to know them, but more so because of the characterizations the women in the movie are subjected to. Whores. They’re either a good whore, or a bad whore. Okay, so maybe I’m being a bit hyperbolic; however, they are only there to service the men, in one way or another. Most of the film’s female characters come from a strip club—complete with the rather conservatively clothed for a strip club stripper (with a heart of gold?) who seems just right for Mr. Han Solo Berger, and the old granny who’s ready to fulfill fantasies. This is a boy’s film. And I emphasize the word boy. As the famous Bechdel Test goes—the test being to meet the following criteria: 1. at least two women with names 2. talk to each other 3. about something either than a man—this movie fails. I don’t even think two women have a conversation with each other at all in the film.

Now, let’s step back from the critical analysis for a moment and remember what it is we’re talking about: an Adam Sandler movie. He’s packaged this subjugating humor as his forte. Even his earliest films blatantly parade a series of sexiest and homophobic jokes. His films provide the kind of humor a lot of straight (not sexuality), uptight, middle America can release their prejudices with. It also provides humor that I find myself laughing hysterically at. After just being this critical of Sandler’s films’ shortcomings, I still find myself always enjoying one before it’s over. Well, okay, not ALL of them, but they have a strange way of putting you in a good mood. Removing you from the humdrum of whatever and installing, for a few minutes, a sense that stupidity is just fine. That’s what happened with me here. As offensive and degrading as the humor in this movie is, I found myself laughing quite a bit at a good portion of the movie. Yeah, I know. I’m a terrible person.

Sandler, who is basically playing an older Billy Madison, actually kind of grew on me as the film progressed, and before too long I was rooting for him. Andy Samberg is reserved for the most part and suits the role just fine. And then there’s the film’s shiny, saving grace, Vanilla Ice. Ice actually has a substantial role and provides a hefty amount of laughs, but really just him being there was enough for me to enjoy his scenes. I guess I’m that easy. But then, we are talking about an Adam Sandler film.

Final Grade: C

Spencer interviews director Matt Piedmont and writer/producer Andrew Steele from Casa de mi Padre.

This segment is also available on Stitcher, iTunes and YouTube. The audio version can be downloaded directly from here.

Also, be sure to check out our review of Casa de mi Padre from SXSW.

Maybe I should open this review with a disclaimer. I work in education. I’m not a classroom teacher, but my days for the last five years have revolved around teenagers, and goals for their “success,” and all that sort of thing. I work with a lot of people who really care about what they do—and so do I. Yet, if you’ve watched videos I’m in or read my articles on this site, it probably won’t surprise you to know that I’m not among the most…how should I say…sunny of the faculty at my school. So perhaps I went into Jake Kasdan’s Bad Teacher with a slightly different kind of anticipation than some people will. A female-driven comedy that aims to have some fun with the “inspirational educator” genre? Yes, I’ll have some of that.

Cameron Diaz plays Elizabeth Halsey, a middle school English teacher who begins the film on the verge of leaving the school she’s been at for just one year, because she’s bagged a rich guy and no longer has to work. As often happens with engagements for money, in the movies and in life, things don’t work out, and she’s back in her class come fall. More unhappy to be there. More disbelieving in her own cruel fate. More inclined to say “fuck it.” And that she does. Opening her first class of the year with the amusing question “Who’s seen Stand and Deliver?”, Elizabeth proceeds to teach a class (and yeah…she seems to teach only the one class…) that consists of days upon days of watching those classic teacher movies. Meanwhile, she reads magazines/naps/has a drink from her secret stash in the false bottom of her desk. You know, the usual.

If at this point you’re wondering why Elizabeth ever even became a teacher, you’re not going to get an answer to that.  For the sake of sympathizing with the character, we must assume that it was an unjust punishment that was thrust upon her at some unsuspecting moment of her life. But there are plenty of people around who don’t seem to think being a teacher is so bad; in fact, all of Elizabeth’s colleagues like their jobs just fine. Some of them LOVE their jobs—like Amy Squirrel (Lucy Punch), the most conveniently-perfectly-last-named character ever, who, as Elizabeth’s “across the hall mate,” cannot abide by the bad behavior on display. What goes mostly unnoticed by the rest of the faculty becomes Amy’s obsession. She will crush Elizabeth.

The rivalry takes on some extra twists with the arrival of Scott (Justin Timberlake), a new teacher in whom each of the women becomes interested. Of course, Elizabeth only cares about him because she thinks he has family money, while Amy might actually be his match made in heaven, her psycho pep mixing beautifully with his blissful amiability. Our triangle becomes a zig zag when the gym teacher, Russell (Jason Segel), himself a bit more sly and crass than the accepted image of their colleagues, pursues Elizabeth. But we should never forget that Elizabeth’s mission is not to find love—it’s to find money. So the real complications come along when she finds out she has a chance to wring $5700 in bonus cash out of the place (an investment in a boob job that she figures will lead to exponentially more money than that), if only her students perform well on a state exam. Will she take the high road and teach her students to love literature? I’m not sure Elizabeth knows there is a high road. Unless by “high” you mean…

(Cont.)

[And yes, I know John already posted a review – I’m just reinforcing his thoughts on it, since I read his after I wrote mine up. John’s is actually a better review, damn him! Haha]

Here is what I knew about MacGruber before going to see this film: MacGruber is a character from an SNL skit (I haven’t seen SNL in more than 15 years) and MacGruber is a spoof of MacGyver (I haven’t seen MacGyver in more than 15 years). I wasn’t familiar with the skit and I hadn’t even seen a preview, I’d only heard people say “it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be.” Where I come from, that’s usually means I should see this film.

[Side note here: I wondered if my theater ran some sort of special night for whores on Thursdays, but it turns out it was just the opening night for Sex in the City. I still don’t understand why ladies would tramp themselves up for this premier – it’s a safe bet any guy in the theater in line for SITC isn’t going to be interested in a female in the first place, right? Just sayin…]

MacGruber’s wife has been killed at the altar by Dieter Von Kunth (and yes, they say his last name as many times as humanly possible in this film). Kunth is played by who I initially thought, “Wow, Brad Pitt has really let himself go.” Sadly, Kunth is actually played by Val Kilmer, who has also let himself go – but I’ll be honest, is still a good looking guy that makes me miss Willow. Kunth is now an arms dealer and has gotten his hands on a nuclear missile and plans to blow up Washington DC. The US military has asked MacGruber, the world’s top special ops killer, to take down Kunth and get his final revenge.

MacGruber resists at first, but eventually caves and assembles a team of top thugs and then proceeds to accidentally blow them all up. The brass try to pull him off the case but MacGruber sets up another team, including Ryan Phillippe and Kristen Wiig, to go after Kunth. MacGruber isn’t the awesome fighter/mastermind people assume him to be, but he’s got a pretty high opinion of himself, which is hilarious/pathetic at times.

Then… there are the love-making scenes. I’m convinced they were written by the writers of Family Guy, since they went on just long enough to make you uncomfortable and then annoyed, and then it comes around back to being funny again and finally stops. MacGruber has sex with Wiig and then out of guilt goes back to his dead wife’s grave and then has sex with his dead wife’s ghost. It’s ridiculous, but again, somehow ends up being enough to get a laugh.

The funny part for me is that MacGruber doesn’t use guns (but only because he doesn’t know how). He does the MacGyver thing and makes things out of bubblegum and tennis balls that never work, and he also has his patented move – the throat rip. He grabs bad guys’ throats and then rips out their windpipe. It’s hilariously gruesome and I love it.

The movie is filled with all kinds of slapstick prop humor (like shoving celery up their asses) and dressing Wiig up like MacGruber in one scene (where she flips out in a coffee shop and it actually IS funny) and then dresses her (poorly) as one of the criminals. At one point, he ends up using Phillippe as a human shield for a long period of time and somehow it is much funnier than you’d expect. But the film is also filled with occasional brilliant writing. The acting is supposed to make you uncomfortable and isn’t supposed to be good. Plus, Chris Jericho (whom I used to be mistaken for when he had hair) is in the film, so you know it’s quality casting, right? It helps that there are a handful of other wrestlers in the film – no wait, it doesn’t help.

So, despite it being a 90-minute SNL skit, it still ended up getting more laughs than I thought it would… including from me, sadly. At the beginning of the film, there were stupid bastards laughing at everything on the screen, like they were FORCING themselves to laugh at this low-brow humor. For some reason this always annoys me – maybe they’re warming up their laugh muscles for when it ACTUALLY is funny. I’ll laugh if it’s funny, but I won’t laugh just because I paid money to be entertained. About half an hour in and I found myself laughing as well. I guess I’m a stupid bastard now. Sigh…

(3 out of 5 fus)

There are many reasons why MacGruber shouldn’t work.  It’s a Saturday Night Live spin-off movie, the original skits were parodies of a TV show that ended in the early 90s, and every minute long skit ended with the main character being blown up.  But in spite of those seemingly insurmountable odds, MacGruber ends up being an extremely funny movie that easily sustains itself for 90 minutes.

For the last 10 years former special op MacGruber (Will Forte) has been living peacefully in an Ecuadorian Monastery.  He’s lived in seclusion ever since his fiancée was killed by his arch nemesis Dieter Von Cunth (Val Kilmer) on their wedding day.  But when Cunth steals a nuclear warhead with intent to launch it against Washington DC, the government knows that the only way they can stop him is to call MacGruber back into active duty.

Backing up MacGruber are his former teammate Vicki St. Elmo (Kristen Wiig) and rookie Dixon Piper (Ryan Phillippe), who MacGruber hates just because he’s never been in the shit before.  These three form an unlikely dream team and head out on a mission to pound some Cunth.

When you look at that synopsis, it doesn’t sound exactly like what you’d expect from a lowbrow spoof of MacGyver. If you put someone like Chuck Norris in the lead role, you’d have any number of 80s action movies.  And that’s exactly the tone that the makers of MacGruber go for.  But instead of an unstoppable bearded action hero, they give us a guy with a mullet who’s full of himself in spite of his incredible lack of skill and intelligence.

For a character that previously existed in only a few minute long skits, MacGruber easily entertains enough to keep you engaged during his feature film debut.  You never really get the sense of him as a real person or get some deep character development, but that’s not the movie’s MO.  It just wants you to laugh at someone who’s so convinced that he’s the best person on the planet at everything (be that making homemade weapons, ripping out throats, or lovemaking) that he can’t realize that he’s also maybe the worst.  Will Forte is an acquired taste, but he really owns the movie and the part.  I’m definitely interested in seeing what he does after this, whether it’s more in the same positive direction or back to dreck like The Brothers Solomon.

The other actors all do a good job, but the big laughs are reserved for Forte and in the end they’re just back-up.  Ryan Phillipe hasn’t really been in any comedies prior to this, but he’s great as the straight-man reacting to MacGruber’s shenanigans.  Kristen Wiig reprises her role from the MacGruber shorts as another former special op who long ago gave MacGruber her heart.  Wiig is funny, but the character is the least interesting of the main three so she just goes back to the same shtick she always does when the script leaves her without much to do.  Val Kilmer is clearly having a great time as the evil mastermind, finally showing off those comedic chops he nurtured back in the 80s with Top Secret! and Real Genius. Throw in appearances by Powers Booth, Maya Rudolph, and no less than six WWE wrestlers and you have one of the more unique casts in recent comedy memory.

Keeping all of this chaos in line is first-time director Jorma Taccone.  Taccone (who also co-wrote the film with Forte and John Solomon) is one of the masterminds behind the popular SNL Digital Shorts which have been one of the few bright spots in recent Saturday Night Live history.  He gets good mileage out of his 80s action milieu and stages some great comedic set-pieces.  The best involve a spin on the typical movie sex scene and the lengths with which MacGruber will go to get revenge on someone for making fun of his dated look.  He also lets the movie be unabashedly R rated with some good gross-out gags and the extremely crude MacGruber offending most anyone he talks to.

The movie isn’t perfect, but that’s usually what happens when you aim for consistent laughs with no depth or character development to hang them on.  The fact that MacGruber is anything less than a disaster is a sort of mini-miracle pulled off by the cast and crew.  The premise and previews made it out to be the next It’s Pat, a misguided attempt to cash-in on a nominal Saturday Night Live success that could only exist in one minute nuggets.  But luckily for us, the movie ends up being the best spin-off to come from SNL since the original Wayne’s World and one of the funniest movies of the last year.