Fun with Dick and Jane

The trouble with Fun with Dick and Jane is that it isn’t really much fun. It’s a terrific premise. Dick and Jane are a couple struggling to come to terms with their rapidly deteriorating financial situation after Dick loses his livelihood when the Enronesque corporation that he works for goes bust. There is untapped comic potential around both the couple’s dilemma and the opportunity for getting revenge on the bosses of the corporation responsible for their plight. Sadly, this potential remains largely untapped at the end of the movie. Instead, we see many slapstick capers as the couple take to crime in order to keep afloat. There’s nothing wrong with slapstick per se. Jim Carrey is a modern master of the craft. The trouble is its not very funny unless used in the context of a good story. Both Carrey and Tea Leoni make the most of their roles, but are let down by an underdeveloped screenplay.

Keeping Mum

This is a terrific British black comedy. It won’t have you in gales of laughter, but there are plenty of good laughs and it will have you smiling throughout with the occasional grimace. Rowan Atkinson is the quintessential English Vicar. He has played the role before, notably as the nervous “new blood” in Four Weddings and a Funeral. Who could forget the “Holy Goat”? Kirstin Scott-Thomas is great as his frustrated wife, who is (almost) having an affair with the deliciously sleazy Lance, played with relish and oozing sleaze by Patrick Swayze. Of course, the star of the show is Maggie Smith as the central character, Grace, around whom this funny and often touching tale of murder, revenge and dysfunctional family life is based. She made me wish that I had a house keeper or great Aunt with her talent for dealing directly with life’s annoyances, both large and small.

Chicken Little

OK, the kids dragged me to this one and I admit to dropping off to sleep for a few minutes in the middle. I enjoyed most of it thought. The characters are cute and it’s a clever story – apart from the baseball subplot which drags and inspired my nap. Whilst not in the league of Shrek or Nemo, this is a worthy animation for school holiday viewing.

The Producers

Enough already! I think I have finally had my fill of The Producers. I love the 1968 Mel Brooks original and have watched it a number of times. I went to see the stage musical as soon as it arrived in Sydney and loved that too. The music is great and fits the over-the-top plot perfectly. In fact, I prefer the musical’s truncated story line as I always suspected that the second half of the original movie outstayed its welcome. Now I have also seen the movie of the stage play (of the movie). Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a lot of fun, but as with most things, too much of a good thing leaves you wanting less. Mathew Broderick, Nathan Lane and Uma Thurman are all perfect in the leads, although I was disappointed to learn that Uma could not manage the splits required in her dance scene herself. Will Ferrell makes a terrific and enthusiastic Neo Nazi.