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JT (287 KP) rated Bridesmaids (2011) in Movies

Mar 10, 2020

Bridesmaids (2011)

2011 | Comedy

7.5

(10 Ratings)

Movie Rating

This was quite a nice change of pace from the regular rom-coms we have seen. The dull and somewhat boring 27 Dresses, Runaway Bride and Bride Wars as examples all try to leave you feeling fluffy and emotionally satisfied.

Bridesmaids is simply The Hangover for females. With brilliant ad-libbing and standout scenes it only lets itself down by trying to fill the humour gaps with a genuine romance for Kristen Wiig‘s Annie. Beneficial to the film is producer Judd Apatow who has brought us some fantastic comedies such as The 40-Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up to name a few. Each with a collection of colourful and extremely funny characters – Bridesmaids is not a lot different.

Here he almost certainly lends a helping hand in making sure this misfit group of women can cause as much havoc as possible, and they do. Laugh out loud moments such as a trip to the bridal shop after some rather dodgy food is a disgusting but hilarious highlight, as is the plane trip to Vegas in which a nervous Annie mixes pills and scotch and tries to slip into first class.

One of the highlights was the supporting role of Melissa McCarthy as Megan, almost a female version of the loveable Zach Galifianakis‘ character Alan in The Hangover . She nearly steals the show, but if not for a great performance from Wig. Given the film’s high budget it did very well to profit such a huge sum worldwide so it must have hit the right notes with film goers.

Overall I enjoyed Bridesmaids a lot. The actresses not following the the script and add-libbing takes a lot of skill, more so to make the scene funny, so hats off to that.

Kudos

JT (287 KP) rated Beverly Hills Cop (1984) in Movies

Mar 10, 2020

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

1984 | Action, Comedy, Mystery

8.0

(15 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

Strange to think that if things had been different Sly Stallone could have taken the role of Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop, thankfully he didn’t! As much as I am a fan of Stallone he wouldn’t have had the charisma to pull off this role with the wise-cracking appeal that Eddie Murphy had.

Fresh from a successful stint on Saturday Night live Eddie Murphy was approached for the lead role and he snapped it up and at least two out of the three films in this trilogy were an instant hit. There are rumours of a fourth which streaming giant Netflix may well get involved with but we’ll have to wait and see on that one.

Murphy uses the film as a blank canvas to display his comedic genius and thrives in front of the camera. Axel Foley is a quick-witted Detroit detective who lets his mouth do all the talking. He’s adored by his superior, Inspector Todd but at the same time, Todd feels as though Foley’s talents are wasted.

When his childhood friend is murdered he heads to Beverly Hills to hunt down the killers. He is supported by an accomplished cast including Judge Reinhold, Ronny Cox and John Ashton.

The on-screen chemistry is hilarious between Foley, Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and his long-suffering partner John Taggart (John Ashton). They bounce off each other well and I am sure most of the script was ad-libbed. If you look at one scene during the ‘super cop’ bit John Ashton finds it very hard to keep it together.

There are some great action sequences including the final shoot out and director Martin Brest injects a cool suave persona into the film – this is 80s action nostalgia at its best.

Kudos

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Jeff, Who Lives at Home (2012) in Movies

Aug 7, 2019

Everyone knows a guy like Jeff (Jason Segel). Someone who never really left home, opting instead to sit around waiting for a sign. Jeff’s family is not much better. His daft, unaware brother, Pat (Ed Helms), has his life centered on a marriage that is devoid of connection or even much conversation. Jeff’s mother, Sharon (Susan Sarandon), spends her days de-stressing by staring at a waterfall picture in a drab office environment. But today a change is going to come in a big way to the people in Jeff’s life.

In “Jeff, Who Lives at Home” both Segel and Helms have taken on roles that are slightly more serious than the comedic standards that these actors are known for. Still the film is not so far removed as to alienate the fans who diligently follow these two actors to the theater time and time again.

The film’s plot is full of unexpected yet mildly realistic twists and turns. There are no big explosions or giant leaps of faith. This serpentine story is much more subtle. Many of the standout moments are realistically bizarre yet prove relevant, sweeping the audience into lives that have hit the final dregs of acceptability.
Visually the film is lack-luster. More than once viewers experience uncomfortable close-up shots of the less than attractively decorated characters. Still the script is well composed and crafted with such care that every word seems to naturally flow from the actors’ mouths. The story delves into so many facets of the human experience, from marriage to the building of a brotherly bond, that the tale itself is engrossing.

The characters are nervous, inexperienced, and closed off but the tale that defines “Jeff, Who Lives at Home” is entirely relatable. The film is not exactly enchanting but it was significantly better than I had originally anticipated.