A Thousand Words
3/4
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Clark Duke, Cliff Curtis, Kerry Washington, Allison Janney
Rated PG-13 for Sexual Situations including Dialogue, Language and Some Drug-Related Humor
Eddie Murphy's new movie has gotten trashy ratings from critics, and to be honest, I don't really understand why. Sure, the plot is eerily similar to "Liar Liar," and sometimes it cuts away from the funny scenes too early, but you know what? It made me laugh and feel good. What's not to like about that?
Jack McCall (Murphy) is a motormouthed agent who can sign any potential client. His latest goal is to get publishing rights to the book of a world famous guru named Dr. Sinja (Curtis). Shortly after he sleazes his way into getting Sinja to sign with him, a tree pops up in his backyard. Whenever he talks, a leaf falls off. According to Dr. Sinja, this has happened before, and when the last leaf falls (after 1000 words), McCall will end up six feet under. Now McCall will have to keep his mouth shut long enough to figure out how to stop it.
Like I said, it's not Shakespeare. But it does play to Murphy's strengths: his fast mouth, improvisation, and wildly expressive face. Murphy, whose career has been in the toilet as of late, proves why he was once one of the highest paid comedians in Hollywood. His constant rising in stress is hysterical to watch, essentially forcing him to play charades 24/7.
He's surrounded by an able supporting cast. Clark Duke is less irritating than usual because he doesn't seem to be muting himself. Kerry Washington is okay as his wife, who wants him to move into a more family friendly home now that they have a young son. Ditto for Cliff Curtis as the helpful guru. Allison Janney, a gifted comedienne in her own right, is more often than not irritating.
This is the third pairing of Murphy and director Brian Robbins (the first being the much despised "Norbit," and the not much better received "Meet Dave"). Robbins does what he should do in this case; let Murphy do his thing and build around him. Murphy knows what he's doing, and Robbins is smart enough to get that.
I mentioned earlier that the film is similar to Jim Carrey's 1997 smash "Liar Liar," and in a not so strange way it is. Both films feature fast talking, sleazy characters being unable to do the one unethical thing they do to get ahead, and mix physical comedy with light drama. Although the major plot points and details are hugely different and the story in "A Thousand Words" is a lot thinner, they have the same feel. If you appreciated "Liar Liar," you'll probably like this one too.
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Clark Duke, Cliff Curtis, Kerry Washington, Allison Janney
Rated PG-13 for Sexual Situations including Dialogue, Language and Some Drug-Related Humor
Eddie Murphy's new movie has gotten trashy ratings from critics, and to be honest, I don't really understand why. Sure, the plot is eerily similar to "Liar Liar," and sometimes it cuts away from the funny scenes too early, but you know what? It made me laugh and feel good. What's not to like about that?
Jack McCall (Murphy) is a motormouthed agent who can sign any potential client. His latest goal is to get publishing rights to the book of a world famous guru named Dr. Sinja (Curtis). Shortly after he sleazes his way into getting Sinja to sign with him, a tree pops up in his backyard. Whenever he talks, a leaf falls off. According to Dr. Sinja, this has happened before, and when the last leaf falls (after 1000 words), McCall will end up six feet under. Now McCall will have to keep his mouth shut long enough to figure out how to stop it.
Like I said, it's not Shakespeare. But it does play to Murphy's strengths: his fast mouth, improvisation, and wildly expressive face. Murphy, whose career has been in the toilet as of late, proves why he was once one of the highest paid comedians in Hollywood. His constant rising in stress is hysterical to watch, essentially forcing him to play charades 24/7.
He's surrounded by an able supporting cast. Clark Duke is less irritating than usual because he doesn't seem to be muting himself. Kerry Washington is okay as his wife, who wants him to move into a more family friendly home now that they have a young son. Ditto for Cliff Curtis as the helpful guru. Allison Janney, a gifted comedienne in her own right, is more often than not irritating.
This is the third pairing of Murphy and director Brian Robbins (the first being the much despised "Norbit," and the not much better received "Meet Dave"). Robbins does what he should do in this case; let Murphy do his thing and build around him. Murphy knows what he's doing, and Robbins is smart enough to get that.
I mentioned earlier that the film is similar to Jim Carrey's 1997 smash "Liar Liar," and in a not so strange way it is. Both films feature fast talking, sleazy characters being unable to do the one unethical thing they do to get ahead, and mix physical comedy with light drama. Although the major plot points and details are hugely different and the story in "A Thousand Words" is a lot thinner, they have the same feel. If you appreciated "Liar Liar," you'll probably like this one too.
Comments
Post a Comment