Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
This past Monday night, I ventured forth with Henchman Mongo to the Laugh Factory in Hollywood, where VARIETY was throwing a special party for their "10 Hot Comedians To Watch." There were some great talents honored, including David Koechner and Greg Behrendt, and I was pleased that they included my inevitable future ex-wife Nancy Pimental. I'm smitten. I'm smote. When I spoke to her briefly Monday, I could barely contain my glee. See, she's not only a raging hottie, but she's also wicked funny. Her work on SOUTH PARK is all the proof I need that she's hipper than your average bear, and I'm very curious to read her script that sold for such a massive amount last year. At this point, though, I may just wait for the finished film. Sounds like it's finally testing, and we should see it in theaters around Valentine's Day of next year. Here's Glide, one of our chatters, with some details...
Hey Professor...
Glide here, slippin in through the front doors...
I was bug eyed, sippin' an iced blended at the coffee bean, unable to decide whether or not to spend some of my last remaining change on a dvd or a night out on the town when a crossed eyed dude in a flannel shirt smack dab in the middle of July, jumps in my face. I get ready to swing as his swiftly bobbing head speaks those wonderful words we all want to hear...
"WANNA SEE A FREE MOVIE???"
Of course, dummy, gimme two! Now go...I think I said as the caffeine told me to speak at high volume as to hopefully keep others at bay and not interrupt the rest of my afternoon.
Two bright yellow sheets of paper are in my hands and off I go to tell my girlfriend that we're GOIN' OUT! MY TREAT!
They don't tell you that you have to wait in the sun.
The long line at the Burbank AMC 14 told of just how good the researchers were at finding the target audience for a film called "THE SWEETEST THING."
LARGE groups of teenagers, boys and girls stood tanning against the west wall of the theater confiding to myself that even if the movie sucked the audience would be entertaining enough.
Do any of you care about any of this? Probably not, so on with my review. THE SWEETEST THING.
I'll start by saying this movie will make many people happy. It does not however transcend film making to some new unforeseen level of new media utopia. What it does do is make the sides of your face stretch, your brain signal to your eyes to clarify what it is you are actually seeing. This movie will remind many people of another film staring this film's star and the delight of Harry's fantasies, Cameron Diaz... and that other film being THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY. Yeah, yeah. Every other comedy that comes out is hailed as being the next MARY and I've seen a boatload of comedies attempt to be as much of a gross out fest as that since it came out, yet this one is different of course, wherein the majority of the gross-out delivery is performed by females including Diaz, Christina Applegate, and Selma Blair.
Diaz is the girl that plays guys. She says so. She's a player and toys with men and drops them when she's through having her fun and moves on to the next.
That next is Thomas Jane. I am a Thomas Jane fan. Any one who has seen and liked THURSDAY, THE LAST TIME I COMMITTED SUICIDE, or THE VELOCITY OF GARY knows this is one talented actor. His turn in BOOGIE NIGHTS showed he can play well with others and this being his first time at bat in a romantic comedy,(to the best of my knowledge) for him, its another winner. A chance to be seen and loved by millions in a film that will freak out many people when they see it.
Why will they freak out???
There's this dress, no wait, they sing this song, no no, a montage... I don't feel right giving any of the funny parts away so I won't try, I'll simplify.
Diaz meets a guy (Thomas Jane) she thinks might be the one to take home to meet the parents at a club but decides to let him go, she regrets it, so her and her friend,(Applegate) decide to track him down to his brothers wedding.
I know, sounds typical romantic comedy horse-hockey, but let me say this first... Mayhem of a sexual comedic nature ensues. I keep saying comedy because most of the gags are so original and shocking you can't help but laugh. Did I mention the songs?? I along with others would classify this as a musical as well because every few minutes the characters break out into song, you know, songs on the radio, in the club, in the Chinese restaurant, For a work in progress print, it seems like most of the music will be used, a ton of dance numbers from the eighties and early nineties, the songs you heard at high school dances, the good ones, they made me feel younger, a throw back to the days of no responsibility.
As for the rest of the film, yeah, it's not perfect, the few problems it had were completely over shadowed by how good it made me feel to laugh at something that I didn't have to feel bad laughing at. Remember the first time you saw the Hair-gel scene from MARY, and you were one of the lucky few who had no idea what was about to happen? Remember that want and desire to tell somebody but no one had seen it yet. That's how I feel about this film.
The honest surprise came from Jason Bateman of TEEN WOLF 2 fame. He actually did a damn fine job playing side kick/brother to Jane's leading man, having his own moments to brush off his dusty comedic chops. Good job, Jason... Welcome back, now play a heroin junkie and go get that Oscar. Applegate looked hot as the feisty best friend of Diaz, who takes her on the road trip to the wedding to get the man of her dreams. If you don't like Applegate, fine, but if you do... You have to see the movie, a part she was born to play.
Selma Blair did a bang up job as well, being the fall girl for most of the films truly disgustingly hilarious moments that you have to see to believe. I just can't give them away... You all would hate me and so on...
Parker Posey makes an appearance as well doing good with the material but like many, wanted to see more of her.
As for some other thoughts, the pacing was fine, ending a bit abrupt, sort of Hollywood style, but it was a test screening so anything is possible. The soundtrack was great and should not be changed, only amped up.
I can't wait for the ripples and waves this film will send through the MPAA and their damn rating system. You will hear about this film again, just steer clear of spoilers and walk in knowing as little as possible. I don't think I gave much away?? What do you think America and the rest of the world???
This was Glide... goin' out the way I came in...
