November DVD Releases
Posted on November 1, 2011 by bob in DVD
Bad Teacher
Bad Teacher (R)
Cameron Diaz heads the cast of this darkish comedy as a gold-digging babe, killing time as a middle-school teacher while planning to marry a rich nerd. As her presumed last term ends, she’s off to her guy, with no fond farewells for her peers or pupils. But her fiancé realizes what she is, ending the gravy train. Next fall, she’s back in class, but undeterred in her quest for marrying into money. Justin Timberlake, as an unbelievably sensitive new teacher may be her next meal ticket. But he’s too touchy-feely, and another teacher may block her path to his side.
As the film progresses, we see how lazy and selfish she is, knowing she’ll have to turn it around, but wondering how it will happen…and whether we should even care. Following Billy Bob Thornton’s Bad Santa model is no guarantee of comedic success. The premise doesn’t fit as well here for a variety of reasons. The script is short on laughs. Given all the troubles our public schools are facing in the real world, the timing seems off for milking laughs out of a teacher who ignores her duties at the expense of the kids until she finds another selfish reason to do otherwise.
Some of the best moments come from supporting players like Timberlake, Thomas Lennon and Phyllis Smith (you likely know her best as Phyllis on NBC’s hit sitcom, The Office). One hilarious scene evokes comparisons to memorable moments from There’s Something About Mary and American Pie, but the film offers far less overall than either of those for either the audience or its eponymous star. (10/18/11)
Crazy, Stupid Love
Crazy, Stupid, Love (PG-13)
Here’s another summer romantic comedy with a fine cast, interesting premise and some clever moments, somewhat impaired by a director who doesn’t know when to trim the fat. Steve Carell is shell-shocked by his wife’s (Julianne Moore) sudden announcement of her decision to divorce him after 25 years, children and a Volvo station wagon. She’s been his one and only since high school. He’s a white-collar drone, numbed into suburban blandness by his take on the American Dream.
Carell comes under the tutelage of a studly young master of the bar scene (Ryan Gosling), who makes him over for the chase with some amusing success. Meanwhile, one lass (Emma Stone) who spurned Gosling’s pickup routine has some misgivings about her choices. Carell’s eighth-grade son (Jonah Bobo, who delivers big-time in several scenes) pines for their baby-sitter, who has a secret crush on Carell. More started all of this merry-go-round by having a fling with a co-worker (Kevin Bacon), who aspires to more than a one time boink. A number of unlikely, and mostly entertaining, events occur, including some well-placed barbs about the genre in which the characters find themselves.
Marisa Tomei, John Carroll Lynch, Analeigh Tipton and several others contribute good support. At 90 – 100 minutes, this could have come in as the gem of the season. At 118, it drags us all through the cast’s transitions for too long, draining vitality from the script’s best features. (11/1/11)
Larry Crowne
Larry Crowne (PG-13)
When two of Hollywood’s most bankable stars (Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts) headline the cast for a romantic comedy, expectations run high. Unfortunately, the script co-written by Hanks and Nia Vardalos (whose body of work since My Big Fat Greek Wedding has thus far made her appear to be a one-trick pony) fails to utilize the collective talents of its cast. George Takei, Rob Riggle, our own Cedric the Entertainer, and multiple Emmy winner Bryan Cranston are among the undernourished supporting players.
After twenty years as a Navy cook, Hanks is fired from a Walmart-type retailer for having maxed out on advancement due to lack of a college degree, even though he’s been one of their best workers for the past couple of years. Divorced and burdened with an under water mortgage in a lousy economy, he decides to enroll at the local community college to insulate himself against such future losses. Roberts is one of his teachers. She has her own problems. Stuff happens. People learn things about themselves and each other. Little of these proceedings will live up to either the chemistry or comedy one would think these actors should generate. There are a few chuckles and one good moment near the end, but far less overall than anyone would have predicted at the pitch meetings. (11/15/11)
Mark Glass
Mark Glass is an officer and director of the St. Louis Film Critics Association.
