So in general, Will Ferrell makes me sad to be alive, but I've heard some really good reviews of this from people I wouldn't expect to like it. I've been told: "It's not a Will Ferrell movie" Does that mean it's good? Or just good considering that Will Ferrell is in it? What did you guys think?
Posted by Zeugma (Member # 6636) on :
I really, really enjoyed it. It's clever, thoughtful, filled with delightful performances, and made me laugh a lot and cry a little. :-) I do usually like Will Farrell's silly movies, but this a complete departure from the type of character he normally plays. If this is the type of movie you usually enjoy, it shouldn't be any problem that Farrell's in it, you'll hardly notice it's him. Posted by Zeugma (Member # 6636) on :
Also Emma Thompson's performance was possibly the best I've ever seen, and I can't wait for the DVD to come out so I can watch her scenes frame-by-frame. Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
I absolutely do not enjoy Will Farrell's usual performances in movies, and just the sight of him has practically ruined a couple of them (i.e. Wedding Crashers). I thought his performance in Stranger Than Fiction was perfect, and I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I wouldn't change a thing.
The direction was clever and stylish. The acting was extremely good. The comedy was subdued, but clever. The story was unique and the romantic sub-plot was charming.
I actually empathized with the Will Farrell character, which was an amazing feat for a direction IMO. I highly recommend this movie.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Man. I had completely written this movie off, given my incredibly intense loathing of Will Ferrell, but I think you've talked me into seeing it.
Posted by Ben (Member # 6117) on :
I know several people who will never experience the wonderful film Punch Drunk Love because of their attitudes about Adam Sandler.
Same with Jim Carrey and Eternal Sunshine.
I get the vibe people feel the same way about Will Ferrell and this movie.
I want to see it. I have since I first saw a preview in theaters.
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
Will Ferrell's normal audience seemed ready to riot after walking out of the late night screening I attended Friday.
I, on the other hand, loved every moment.
Best moment is when Ferrell and Thompson's characters finally meet.
He's meeting (for all intents and purposes) his god. She's filled with horror, recalling every lousy thing she's done to all her characters...
Posted by jasonepowell (Member # 1600) on :
It's a very good movie. It really is Will Ferrel's Punch Drunk Love. Highly recommended.
Posted by Amanecer (Member # 4068) on :
I'll chime in with another "Highly recommended." This is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time.
Posted by Elmer's Glue (Member # 9313) on :
I liked it. It was very enjoyable. It's about the butterfly effect. Her book is anyway.
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
I have avoided Will Ferrall like the plague. After this film, I am a fan. His performance is sweet, touching, restrained and not at all juvenille.
Dustin Hoffman is charming; Emma Thompson is perfect. The story is charming and quirky and warm.
And the VFX is (of course) brilliant.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
Oh, lovely, lovely movie. Saw it in September, would willingly pay money to see it again.
Don't not go because of Will Farrel. He's not the Will Farrel we know and hate.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
I already wanted to see this film because the premise is one I always enjoy whenever I've seen it, but now I really want to see it. Time to go to the movies!
Posted by Sharpie (Member # 482) on :
I too hate Will Ferrell, and this is a movie I'll buy the day it comes out. Very good movie.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
It was AWESOME. I generally find Will Ferrell annoying (sometimes extremely so). But he was BORN for this role.
Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman were both wonderful. Queen Latifah was not at her best, but was nonetheless good.
Thanks for recommending it, Kate! The friend I talked into going with me says thank you as well. Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
Yay! I'm so glad you liked it! (I pm'd you with details.)
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
I'm in the love Will Ferrell crowd. Maybe not unconditionally, but I think he's fantastic in certain roles. I haven't seen this yet, but I'm really looking forward to it. When I first saw the preview I thought, "it's charlie kaufman meets will ferrell...PERFECT".
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
I loved it, although I love anything Emma Thompson is in. She could read the phone book and be captivating.
Posted by Leonide (Member # 4157) on :
I thought it was sweet, but too long. I feel like I should have liked it more. It had everything I normally love in a movie...
I think i'll try seeing it again in another frame of mind, and not with my father, who is an extremely unpleasant movie-seeing partner. Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
Whew! I am glad to know that there are so many other Will Farrel haters! I cannot stand the man. However, I'm thinking I may see this movie. I also can't stand Jim Carey (just watched Pet Detective the other day and was reminded of why) but I've been told I need to see Eternal Sunshine. Maybe one day I'll just have a "counterintuitive enjoyability" day.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I generally enjoy Jim Carey, but the Pet Detective movies should be burned.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka: I generally enjoy Jim Carey, but the Pet Detective movies should be burned.
Amen!
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
So I just saw this movie and while I'm sure I'll find something to pick apart later, I am happily basking in the afterglow.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
My DVD came in today's mail. I plan on watching it again as soon as I'm done with the two Netflix discs I have.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
I'm still suspicious of the Will Farrell presence. Maybe you're all plotting against me.
-pH
Posted by Euripides (Member # 9315) on :
Anchorman made me nauseous, and I shut it off without finishing it.
I enjoyed Stranger Than Fiction considerably.
Posted by Fyfe (Member # 937) on :
I am an ardent unadmirer of Will Farrell, and Jim Carrey as well. And Will Ferrell was still a bit irritating in Stranger than Fiction (I thought). However, he was much less irritating than usual, and the rest of the movie was excellent, and I enjoyed it a lot.
(Jim Carrey in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind didn't irritate me in the least. In fact I felt terribly fond of him because he reminded me of one of my favorite uncles. There were one or two moments when he was like his usual self, and I found it jarring, but mostly he wasn't a bit aggravating to me. Which is definitely saying something. Usually he freaks me out like whoa.)
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:Jim Carrey in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Oh my stars. I completely forgot that was Jim Carey.
(that's a good thing, BTW)
Posted by TheGrimace (Member # 9178) on :
First off, let me echo everyone else's praises of this movie. I thought it was phenomenal in a very subdued manner, and agree that Will Ferrell's involvement shouldn't add or detract from your desire to see it. Most reviews I've seen have mentioned that while he did a great job in the role it could have been played by any number of other actors without any problem, and I agree. See this movie.
However, I'm somewhat disturbed by this quote, and other similar comments made here:
quote:Originally posted by Hank: So in general, Will Ferrell makes me sad to be alive
I completely understand not enjoying a particular actor's work, or liking them as a person. While I've found Ferrell's work to be primarily amusing (not so much on SNL, but in movies yes) I don't find it suprising when often others don't. Similarly I don't like Jim Carrey's comedy, though I loved him in Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine. However, there is a big leap between not liking a guy's movies and being sad that you're alive because of their existance...
Was this a poor choice of words or do you all think that his comedy being somewhat popular detracts from the human race or something?
Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
Anchorman was...yeah, I shut it off about 15 minutes into it.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Grimace, it's an expression. If I said that skinny jeans bruise my fashion eyes, are my eyes actually bruised?
I saw Anchorman on a date. My date loved it.
Maybe I should watch Will Farrell movies with dates as a preliminary screening process.
-pH
Posted by Will B (Member # 7931) on :
I agree with everyone about Will Ferrell, and how he doesn't hurt this movie. I don't think he's funny, but in this movie he's the straight man, so he's OK.
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
I got my DVD last night. I am not a Will Ferrell fan (you couldn't pay me to watch Anchorman) and I thought he was restrained and endearing in this film. I saw it in theatres 6 times. Great extras on the DVD.
Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
He wasn't bad in Elf.
Posted by TheGrimace (Member # 9178) on :
pH, I'm just saying that there is a big difference between "I'm not a fan of Will Ferrell" and "(he) makes me sad to be alive"
I guess part of my objection is a recent encounter with a friend who really loved Borat, trying to convince myself and my roomate that it was really good humor. The movie didn't appeal to me because that kind of caustic humor tends to make me uncomfortable for the people being targetted rather than making me laugh (also why I dont like Anger Management and Meet the Fokkers etc) while my roomate objected to some anti-semetic aspects about the movie/role. Yet our friend insisted on pushing the fact that despite our objections the movie is really good and really funny. It's just the fact that entertainment is such a subjective thing... I don't enjoy anything about Carrot Top, but it doesn't make me wish he didn't exist or anything...
I guess I'm just getting worked up over some little use of language, but I guess I'm arguing against a sentiment that isn't really there.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Well, I guess I should add this to my Netflix queue! (I've never seen a Will Ferrell movie, mostly because his usual schtick just seems annoying, but I also liked the trailers for this one--then forgot all about it.)
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
I'm surprised I am the only one who has stated that they didn't like Punch Drunk Love.
I actually thought Spanglish was a step in the right direction, (although there were one or two odd scenes in the movie.)
I just did not like Punch Drunk Love at all and for completely differences reasons then I dislike some of Sander's other movies.
The first time I saw Happy Gilmore in high school my juvenile sense of humor erupted and I must have gotten the workout equivalent of 100 sets of 80 crunches.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Most reviews I've seen have mentioned that while he did a great job in the role it could have been played by any number of other actors without any problem, and I agree.
I disagree with that, actually. IMO, Ferrell was born to play this role, and therefore I will retroactively forgive him for all the other roles he's had that I so disliked.
Posted by Leonide (Member # 4157) on :
Right after i saw the film, I was trying to think of other actors i could see playing the Will Farrell role. I couldn't think of any. The role plays to his strengths so perfectly that i just don't see who else could have pulled it off...
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