Every once in a while Hollywood manages to make a movie that is so astoundingly bad it makes one wonder if there is any sanity left in the world. I mean, really, when so much money is riding on the success of a motion picture you would think the producers would make sure there is at least a basic quality to it. But sometimes brain-lock takes hold when there is nothing else to explain it.
The latest example of this phenomenon is the movie, “Just Go With It.” If you haven’t heard of it, consider yourself lucky. If you have, please don’t waste your time watching it. It certainly might qualify as one of the ten worst films of all-time.
The premise is naturally far-fetched but we’ve all seen worse. A young doctor discovers that his bride-to-be is only marrying him for his money so he cancels the wedding and heads for the nearest bar to drown his sorrows.
He meets a gorgeous woman who feels sorry for him and leads him to discover that his status as the jilted spouse gets him all the women he craves. He goes along with this ruse for 20 years until he meets a young “supermodel” who he thinks is the real deal.
Unfortunately, she discovers his “wedding ring” and chaos ensues because she can’t believe he is not married. So he tells her he’s getting divorced and uses his medical assistant as his fake soon-to-be ex-wife. If you think this plot is starting to break down, it is.
From there it only gets dumber and dumber. If there is one constant in the movie it’s that none of the characters are believable or likable.
There are even two kids who deserve spankings for being both spoiled brats and bad actors. And the “humor” is so sophomoric and contrived that even Mad Magazine wouldn’t be able to satire it.
The “supermodel” is Brooklyn Decker who in real-life is a supermodel. This was her screen debut, but it would be unfair to classify her as simply a bad actress. She had plenty of company including seasoned veterans Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston.
If there is one person to blame (besides the director) for this “disaster” flick it would have to be Sandler. He coproduced it so he has to take the bulk of the responsibility. He always plays the same type of character no matter what the film.
It worked in “Spanglish” and “Happy Gilmore,” but not in “Grown Ups” or this pile of manure. Sandler is proof that acting and producing are not always a good mix.
Fortunately, turkeys such as “Just Go With It” are not necessarily the norm. Hollywood is still capable of producing some outstanding films. We have two recent additions at the library that are Oscar-worthy.
Ironically both deal with the economic downturn and its effects on ordinary people. The first one is “Up in the Air” with George Clooney. It is nothing short of superb.
Clooney stars as someone who works for a company hired by other firms to let their employees know they are being laid off because they don’t have the guts to do it themselves. His company also offers outreach services to these suddenly unemployed workers.
Clooney’s job requires a thick skin because he is often verbally abused by his audience.
It also requires he travel all the time, a routine he has come to relish. The drawback is that he really has no personallife or time to develop one. He doesn’t seem to mind until circumstances force him to re-evaluate his life.
The movie is a wonderful case study of someone facing a mid-life crisis. It also includes an incredible twist that keeps it from becoming your typical formulaic movie. It’s a feel-good film but not in the usual sense.
The second flick is a more recent release and even more intense. “The Company Men” has an all-star cast including Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones and Kevin Costner. It deals directly with the Great Recession and how men who seem to have it made in life suddenly have it all taken from them.
How they react to the sudden loss of money and selfesteem is thought provoking. It shows how cold-hearted corporations can be when it comes to the bottom line.
There is real human suffering that occurs when corporate profits take a hit. It’s an extremely powerful and wellacted film.
It’s a good thing that Hollywood is still churning out movies the quality of “Up in the Air” and “The Company Men.” If “Just Go With It” represented the future of the industry then we may all be relegated to reality TV for our entertainment.
Book Notes
Book Notes: Two Oscar-worthy movies to watch
- Book Notes
-
-
Book Notes: Baseball book features local contributors
Baseball is part of the nation’s fabric. Most kids have a memory of the game either from playing Little League, attending a major league contest or meeting a favorite player. In Cooperstown that feeling is magnified since we are the official home of baseball. We get to see firsthand what has made the sport the national pastime.
-
Book Notes: Living the magic of ‘Hoosier’
A lot of people consider “Hoosiers” the best sports film of all time. The 1986 classic follows the exploits of a fictional small town Indiana high school basketball team in 1952 as it attempts to achieve the impossible dream of a state championship. The story is inspired by the true life achievement of the 1954 Milan team, who with an enrollment of only 161 students shocked big city power Muncie Central on a last second shot to win the state title. It’s the kind of sports story that represents something that is hard to grasp unless you live in a small town.
-
Book Notes: Kennedy: a unique individual
It’s been almost 50 years since the Kennedy assassination shocked the nation. Since then much has been written about President John F. Kennedy and whether he would have achieved his destiny (whatever that may have been) if he had lived. It is said he inspired young people in a way that has never been equaled. And there is the notion of Camelot, espoused by his widow Jackie, that there will never be a time of hope and promise like that again.
-
Book Notes: Garner’s memoir: never a dull moment
It isn’t easy for an actor to have one successful television series, let alone two. And it’s even more difficult to combine those with a thriving movie career. Usually someone succeeds at one medium, but not the other. But, then, James Garner is not your typical actor.
-
Book Notes: Feinstein’s latest is sheer enjoyment
Most people who follow sports have probably heard of John Feinstein. As a nationally known author, sportswriter, pundit and broadcaster, he has brought a unique angle to sports journalism. His groundbreaking book on Bobby Knight’s 1986-87 Indiana University basketball team, “A Season on the Brink,” still resonates today as an all-time classic.
-
Book Notes: No Trekkie should miss Shatner’s books
It would be hard to find a television phenomenon as popular as “Star Trek.” Even though it was only on television for three seasons and 79 episodes (1966-69) it attracted viewers and devotees that still follow it passionately 45 years later. The fanatical supportspawned several movies and television spinoffs. Star Trek conventions continue to this day. There has never been anything like it.
-
Book Notes: Biography captures the real Stephen Colbert
It would be hard to find a comedian as unique as Stephen Colbert. As the host of “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central he hasmanaged to leave his mark on the nation’s consciousness in both a serious and humorous sort of way. His unusual wit has allowed him to become American icon. It would be difficult to find another entertainer quite like him.
-
Book Notes: Grisham doesn’t disappoint
John Grisham is one of this country’s most popular authors. Every time he publishes a book it’s an instant best-seller. He appeared on the scene about 20 years ago with his tense legal thrillers, “A Time to Kill” and “The Firm,”and hasn’t stopped producing top-notch novels since.
-
Book Notes: Ebert biography worth experiencing
Roger Ebert is probably the best known film critic in the country. Back in the 1970s he appeared with fellow Chicago-based critic Gene Siskel in a syndicated television program called Sneak Previews that launched the duo into stardom. Their banter about upcoming movies proved extremely popular and they appeared everywhere from talk showsto conventions.
-
Book Notes: A tasty tale through culinary college
Anyone who is familiar with the Hudson Valley knows it is one of the most beautiful areas in the state. Among its most appealing attractions is Hyde Park, home of the Franklin D. Roosevelt home and museum. And even more appetizing than the FDR exhibits is a visit to the Culinary Institute of America, where you can wine and dine on delicacies from the next generation of great chefs.
- More Book Notes Headlines
-
Book Notes: Baseball book features local contributors
Defense Rests in John Edwards Trial
GM Says It Will Stop Paying for Ads on Facebook
911 Call: Confusion at Home Where Mom Shot Kids
Jury Convicts Steve Powell of Voyeurism Charges
Skechers to Pay $40 Million for Bogus Claims
Coffee May Be Key to Living Longer
Police to Groom of Slain Bride: Turn Yourself In
Laurie Fine: My Life Has Been Destroyed
FTC: Skechers Deceived Consumers With Shoe Ads
FBI Confirms Leak Probe on Al-Qaida Plot
Romney Calls Obama a 'Disappointment'
Honda Unveils New Robotics-powered Scooter
NJ Gov., Mayor Channel Seinfeld in Video Parody
Blood Drive for Woman With Flesh-Eating Disease
AG Race Tops Oregon Primary Interest
Obama Welcomes Beckham, Galaxy to White House
Raw Video: Mladic's Genocide Trial Under Way
Court Records Detail Zimmerman Injuries
Local Community Prepares for G8 Summit
New Guidelines for US Nuclear Plants
