Year One (D or 1/4 stars)
'Year One', directed by Harold Ramis, tells the story of a couple of lazy hunter-gatherers who are banished from their primitive village. And they set off on a not-so-epic journey through the biblical/ancient world. Trust me when I say, 'Year One' is of the stupidest comedies I've seen in quite some time. The movie opens by introducing us to these 2 men: the incompetent hunter named Zed (Jack Black), & his pal, the incompetent gatherer named Oh (Michael Cera). Neither are ladies men. Maya (a decent June Diane Raphael), the woman who Zed pines after, views him as a poor prospect; and Eema (Juno Temple, of Atonement), girl of Oh's dreams, barely notices him, at all. The duo is banished after Zed violates tribal law by eating of the forbidden Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge.
They wander & wander before stumbling upon Cain & Abel (David Cross, Paul Rudd). After killing his brother (in an annoyingly protracted sequence), Cain brings Zed & Oh to meet his parents. The next day, they move on down the road. And after spending some time with Abraham (a welcomed Hank Azaria), they make their way to Sodom & Gomorrah; where Maya & Eema are captured as slaves. By chance (or mischance), Zed believes that he is the God's Chosen One. Oh doesn't think so. But perhaps this will help their situation (and that of the women they love). Yadayadayada.
I totally get that the filmmakers aimed for 'Year One' to be a Mel Brooks-like satire. The premise of creating a 'plot' around such characters & places as Cain, Abel, Adam, Eve, Abraham, Isaac, Sodom, Gomorrah - sounds like fun. But this was a colossal misfire of biblical proportions (pun intended); treated as something akin to the Scary Movie/Epic Movie/Disaster Movie spoofs. I cringed SO many times at jokes-gone-wrong that I thought about leaving it after a while; but I stuck with out. Jack Black is a big reason why the film didn't work. He's the Lead, & he annoys a lot with his overly hammy performance. I normally enjoy Michael Cera (of Superbad & Juno fame). I enjoy his brand of low-key humor; but this film lets him down.
The only performance I really got a kick out of (and it's a major part of the reason this film gets 1 star, and not Zero) is the blatantly gay High Priest played by the boisterous Oliver Platt. I just laughed my butt off at any scene he was in (the looks he gives, his line delivery, what he was saying, etc.). The other reason this film gets 1 star & not Zero is the end credits; they include a string of bloopers which actually made me laugh out loud for the 1st time all night. And that's just the thing. The movie isn't entirely without laughs. I just didn't like Jack Black. And the movie, itself, is so incredibly stupid; something only a MORON would think up. Most of the jokes are grounded in gross bathroom humor (diarrhea), cutting of foreskins, penis jokes, gay jokes, extended farting sessions, peeing on one's self, eating excrement. I mean, just how tasteless & juvenile can you get?
They wander & wander before stumbling upon Cain & Abel (David Cross, Paul Rudd). After killing his brother (in an annoyingly protracted sequence), Cain brings Zed & Oh to meet his parents. The next day, they move on down the road. And after spending some time with Abraham (a welcomed Hank Azaria), they make their way to Sodom & Gomorrah; where Maya & Eema are captured as slaves. By chance (or mischance), Zed believes that he is the God's Chosen One. Oh doesn't think so. But perhaps this will help their situation (and that of the women they love). Yadayadayada.
I totally get that the filmmakers aimed for 'Year One' to be a Mel Brooks-like satire. The premise of creating a 'plot' around such characters & places as Cain, Abel, Adam, Eve, Abraham, Isaac, Sodom, Gomorrah - sounds like fun. But this was a colossal misfire of biblical proportions (pun intended); treated as something akin to the Scary Movie/Epic Movie/Disaster Movie spoofs. I cringed SO many times at jokes-gone-wrong that I thought about leaving it after a while; but I stuck with out. Jack Black is a big reason why the film didn't work. He's the Lead, & he annoys a lot with his overly hammy performance. I normally enjoy Michael Cera (of Superbad & Juno fame). I enjoy his brand of low-key humor; but this film lets him down.
The only performance I really got a kick out of (and it's a major part of the reason this film gets 1 star, and not Zero) is the blatantly gay High Priest played by the boisterous Oliver Platt. I just laughed my butt off at any scene he was in (the looks he gives, his line delivery, what he was saying, etc.). The other reason this film gets 1 star & not Zero is the end credits; they include a string of bloopers which actually made me laugh out loud for the 1st time all night. And that's just the thing. The movie isn't entirely without laughs. I just didn't like Jack Black. And the movie, itself, is so incredibly stupid; something only a MORON would think up. Most of the jokes are grounded in gross bathroom humor (diarrhea), cutting of foreskins, penis jokes, gay jokes, extended farting sessions, peeing on one's self, eating excrement. I mean, just how tasteless & juvenile can you get?