Hey folks, Harry here in the midst of HELL... a virus is killin the primary computer in the other room... I've been fighting it for about 7 hours now, and I am not winning. Then, on top of that, I get this review of a Bill Murray movie... knowing full well that Moriarty is going to shit a brick of rock hard disappointment. Oh well... Here ya go, remember, it's way way waaaaaay early on this one... and on comedies... there is a lot that can be done to make it work later on!
Hi Harry,
First timer Gavinski here with a report on Mr Happy.
I guess if you go to enough movies, then someone, some day, is going to come up and offer a free pass to a preview. On Sunday night a smartly dressed middle-aged woman approached me in line and asked if I'd like to attend a screening of Bill Murray's new film, Mr Happy. "That is the stupidest question I have ever heard in my entire life! Of COURSE I want to attend a free screening!".
It went downhill from there.
We were told that this is one of the first screenings of the film, and that it still had some rough edges, such as placeholder music, pencil lines for transitions, crappy sound, that sort of thing. They said nothing of lazy writing, overacting, and hackneyed story devices.
I am a huge Bill Murray fan. I'd pay to watch this guy read the phone book. But the opening credits had me worried. Bill Murray's name did not appear until way after James Spader, Lara Flyn Boyle, and Melora Walters. Uh-oh. I hate it when lame movies use big names in a cameo to try and flog tickets. So, I sat and waited for Bill Murray appear. And I waited. And waited.
The movie itself is a sex farce about a couple who seek help from a couple of counselors in an effort to save their passionless marriage. Think "Dr Katz meets Sex, Lies and Videotape", and you pretty much get the idea. Lots of talk about sex, lots of people having sex, but believe me, it is much less appealing than it sounds. Jay Mohr (Go) is reasonably engaging as the hapless husband, but Melora Waters (Magnolia) is less so as his sexually frustrated wife. Boyle doesn't have to stretch too much in her role as the ice queen therapist. But possibly the most painful moments in the film belong to therapist James Spader as Dr Klink. Spader tries sooooo hard to inject his character with a personality, but all he succeeds in doing is creating a nervous, geeky charicature. I mean, it is painful to watch. This is a role central to the film, and yet it is clear from the first frame that Spader is mis-cast. And if you look back at his movies of late (Supernova, The Watcher), a trend becomes apparent: this guy makes turkeys. I mean, who in their right mind casts Spader in a comedy, anyway?
Relief comes in the form of Bill Murray as lawyer Ezri Stovall, representing the wife. When Bill Murray finally appears about half way into the film, the response from the audience is one of relief. Murray, sporting a particularly bad toupe, goes on to steal every scene, and all anyone else can do is stand around and watch. Murray comes very close to salvaging a movie out of the wreckage, but ultimately the film is buried under a mess of predictable plot turns and cliched characters. Credit the guy for trying.
There are a few few funny moments, including the Mr Happy character of the title (which I won't reveal here). If they go ahead and run with the alternate title of Speaking of Sex, then one of the better gags will be lost. Go see it if you are a Murray fan and are desparate for a fix.
- Gavinski
