Not one laugh. Not one laugh.
This is a film that I am
truly, completely stunned I didn't enjoy. I love
Ben Stiller. I love Jack Black. I love
stupidity. I love director Barry Levinson. Yes,
I knew the reviews had been less than
kind...but, that doesn't always matter to me. In
this case, the reviews have been too kind.
"Envy" is a nearly perfect example of how not to
make a comedy. In this film, a talented director
appears to not have a clue how to make this
mishmash work.
A talented cast is completely wasted. Production
design is remarkably absurd. Costuming is
reprehensible. The script is beyond weak. The
original music was cute the first time we heard
the unique lyrics...by the end of the film I
just wanted to scream "Shut the hell up!" It
wasn't cute anymore.
What happened Barry? Personal life crisis?
Financial issues? Dying of dementia? Barry, oh
Barry...you're so much better than this crap. I
truly never would have imagined Barry Levinson
could make a film this completely awful.
There is no character here I liked...none I
sympathized with...I had no emotional connection
to the film at all. The ludicrous nature of the
happenings following the invention of "Vapoorizer"
were so far beyond believable that I could never
buy into the script at all.
Jack Black? He is lifeless and stupid here. Ben
Stiller? Same look, Same Act, Different Film.
Christopher Walken? When he's good, he's
great...when he's bad, he makes crap like this
film.
I'd never have imagined a filmmaker could make
me not want to watch Rachel Weisz and Amy
Poehler but it happens here. It's stunning and
awful to see such beauty and talent wasted.
I am starting to believe that the Writers Guild
will admit anyone who comes to them with a
script written on toilet paper...because that
simply had to be the origin of the script by
Steve Adams.
Even the kids in this film are obnoxious.
I am going to go visit the doctor from "Eternal
Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and see if they
can erase this film from my memory...otherwise,
I fear the trauma will follow me for the rest of
my life
©
Written by Richard Propes
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How We Rated This Film
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TC Candler -
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D- |
| Richard Propes
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D- |
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Jacob Hall
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TC Candler's Comment
Hey... Jack
Black! Sam Kinison and Bobcat Goldthwait
called... they want their acts back.
Jacob
Hall's Comment
N/A
