Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews
Movies / Music / Television Etc…
This is a solid entry for Netflix. In picking Blakeson, a mildly accomplished director with a good, albeit short track record and allowing him to thrive, its very clear indication that they’ve turned a corner as a studio.
The treat of the film both then and now is the chemistry of Taggart and Arkin as the parents. Their part of the plot is window dressing, but it’s done so well, it lifts the rest of the material.
It’s not the landmark that The 40 Year-Old Virgin is, but it’s definitely a few rungs above the normal comedy film.
James vs His Future Self has a depth of feeling unlike most films, yet it is also scientifically interesting without relying on special effects. It resists being something we’ve seen before, and never stops entertaining.
It’s a glamorization, but it is a damn good one.
It’s a remarkable story that presents the facts with no indication of a position being taken. In doing so, Forsyth allows Robinson’s work to forge its own path through our soul.
If you ever enjoyed Vaughn and wondered where his comic chops have gone in the last decade, look here. His skill at evoking laughter from a mixture of intelligence and physical comedy is near top form.
If you find a way to get into the groove of this film and wend your way through the cheese, it will reward you with some very nice moments.
I appreciate these films more now in hindsight than I ever could when I was younger. With less time to waste, this trilogy finally feels like less a waste of my precious hours.
…the movie just serves to let us know Turturro connects one of his most famous characters to his love of an aimless French film.
Riley and company might create a compelling version of his story a few films from now. For now it just feels like something we’re supposed to learn, which is rarely funny.
The list of movies I have been putting off is shrinking by the day. Add another classic to the list.
In all it does what you want good comedies to do by giving several re-watchable moments and leaves a pleasant smile on your face. Great comedy risks more, but these guys have friendships with most of the people they are skewering. That’s okay, though. It’s only a Friday stuck at home in Covid 19 season.
This film made me and my wife laugh on a Friday night, when going somewhere isn’t an option. It’s the most ridiculous type of praise to say it’s worth watching again when every day is a copy of the last.
There is nothing here that qualifies as perfect in the film. In truth, this is what makes it better.
It’s a pleasant consequence of having the skill to turn above average into the unforgettable. These films should not be important bedrock films. Yet here they are, standing head and shoulders above, almost 60 years later.
