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SYNOPSIS:
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concerns the relationship of a set of conjoined twins.
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MOVIE FACT:
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the genesis of this project originates to before the farrelly bros. 1994 hit, dumb and dumber.
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RATING:
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two out of four possible stars
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The Farrelly brothers have created comedies that have truly tested the boundaries of human decency on film and while their movies have not always pleased everyone in the audience, their films have always pushed a few boundaries. But Stuck On You is a peculiar animal in it's not really as offensive as their usual fare and even seems to court the hearts of viewers as it tells the story of a pair of conjoined twins, played with an affable view toward their difficult life by Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear. While it's quite easy to empathize with their plight, it's pretty evident throughout the film that the jokes aren't always as offensive as they usually are in a Farrelly brothers film and as a consequence, the film isn't as packed with laughs as it should be.
Though the Farrelly brand of humor is far from being universally entertaining, the filmmakers have been able to count on a certain portion of the audience finding enjoyment in their movies. But interestingly, the level of crudeness in their productions has declined with each successive feature film that followed There's Something About Mary. That film probably holds the trophy for "Most Distastful Film Of All Time," but four films later, the brothers have definitely softened. Which isn't necessarily a sign of a decline in their ability to construct an entertaining film, but audiences will probably find themselves failing to laugh as often as they would like. If not for the generosity of Damon and Kinnear's performances, the story would falter before it hit the second act.
When there are laughs on screen, more than half of the jokes stem from the physical comedy and machinations that go on between the "twins." Kinnear was at his comedic best in 1997's As Good As It Gets, and since that impressive performance has shown his aptitude in more serious roles. Possibly the only genre Kinnear hasn't tackled successfully is that of Action Hero, though that's only because he hasn't been seen in that type of role. Likewise, costar Damon has run the gamut of film genres with his characters and like his hilarious turn in Dogma, Damon again shows himself adept at comic timing. And when they're not engaged in a verbal joke, the two actors seem to know just when to fall, slip, or take a tumble.
The bevy of co-starring roles in the film are each performed as well as the material seemed to allow each actor, with Seymour Cassel's character of a behind-the-times Hollywood talent agent really standing out. Even viewers who aren't involved with or knowledgeable of the film industry and its agents will get a kick out of "Moe" as he negotiates a hefty 1800 dollar paycheck for his clients. Eva Mendes, like the two lead stars, plays also an honest and enjoyable character and was a good casting choice. The indomitable Cher plays herself in the film and though her role is more of a supporting one than a cameo, she definitely plays up her flamboyant persona to the highest degree.
The black leather, feathered, strapping outfit she wears in her first scene is like something from one of her less tasteful videos. Cher seems to find it easy to make fun of herself, which is delightful given that she's been painted as a "diva" countless times by the media. And Meryl Streep's surprising appearance is welcome as well; she hams it up with Kinnear in an impressive musical number based on the lives of famous murderers Bonnie and Clyde. The supporting performances across the board are polished and make it appear as though the Farrellys have a good bead on directing actors as well as piloting the jokes.
The cinematography is well done and the editing is smooth, though the film's running time could have been tightened up by about ten minutes. Though the film doesn't feel anything close to a marathon, it still starts to sag around the latter half, with the element of predictability rearing its ugly head. Though the plot is so basic that no viewer should have a difficult time in jumping ahead of the narrative, knowing exactly where the brothers will end up, originality in that area really isn't this film's forte anyway. The jokes don't always come in as rapid a succession as viewers might like and the editor could have fixed that failing simply by increasing the tempo of the film in the second half.
Though the film is not a roaring comedic success, it's rather difficult not to enjoy most of it, as the characters are so endearing. Far from the normal Farrelly indulgence in crass humor and fart jokes (the does indeed include an element of crassness, but it is far from being the primary element), Stuck On You stands at the midpoint between the eternal fart joke film and the more innocent and genial romantic comedy. Since the relationship between Kinnear and Damon's characters is familial in nature, rather than romantic, it might be more accurate to call the film a "family comedy," though the film's intended audience probably doesn't include families with young children. Not every scene in this film will make you howl, but the comedy is there often enough and Kinnear and Damon make the whole thing worthwhile, even if the running time could have been chopped down by a few minutes.
Review by Kelsey Wyatt.
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