Movie Reviews, Opinions, and Theories

Starring: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly
Director: Adam McKay
Grade: D

Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly team up again for the summer comedy, Step Brothers. Director Adam McKay has collaborated with Will Farrell prior to this film with Talladega Nights and Anchorman. Step Brothers offered the same nitwit form of comedy as McKay’s prior films.

After Brennan (Farrell) and Dale’s (Reilly) parents get married, they are forced into the same home. After slowly warming up to each other, they become the best of friends. When Derek, Brennan’s younger and more successful brother offers to put their home on the market, Dale and Brennan are forced to grow up and find jobs.

This film had so much potential to be the comedy of the season. The great premise is overshadowed by repetition of the same jokes. Will Ferrell has played the same character in different films for years. It seems that his act is starting to get old. Although the film is very funny at times, you can’t help but think that it coold have been so much better. Farrell and Reilly’s 8 year old act was really annoying. They take their roles to a level that was not necessary. The two spend the entire film fighting, crying, and reading Hustler magazine. There is nothing else to the film. The writing was flat, while the acting was over the top. I blame this on the fact that Will Farrell seems to be incapable of writing an original piece. In addition, Will Farrell is less funny as a main character. He is much funnier in moderation as we have seen in Old School, Starsky and Hutch, and Wedding Crashers.

John C. Reilly was much funnier that Will Farrell in this film, just as he was in Talladega Nights. It’s sad to say, but Will Ferrell is falling of the map. There is not as much hype to his films as they were in the past. A new breed of comedy in the form of films such as Knocked Up and Superbad from the Jude Apatow camp are currently where Farrell’s films were a few years ago. Jude Apatow was a producer for Stepbrothers however could not save the film from sinking. Unless Will Farrell changes his roles, his stock will continue to diminish. It’s not as if he is a bad actor. He was phenomenal in Stranger Than Fiction. Another role such as this may help Will Ferrell establish himself as one of the great comedians.