... well, no, actually, I misspoke. Amazing as the IMDb is, they have not yet added the software to allow reviewers to quiz other members. Which is a shame, because the complexities of this production are such that it could, in fact, end up being used in future film classes as a test. Of sorts.
First and foremost, the film is somewhat historical, and this reviewer would be surprised if, as the years roll by, it is not remembered primarily as the directorial debut of Jason Bateman (assured, competent, makes it look easy, which is the hallmark of a good director); the first mass-market script by Andrew Dodge (flawed, uneven, but showing tremendous promise); and possibly a breakout role for Rohan Chand (who is infectiously charming, and steals every scene not otherwise nailed down).
Most mainstream reviewers who have tried to find an analogue for this oddball bit of cinema have, in desperation, turned to Billy Bob Thornton's performance in Bad Santa, and then just plain given up. I feel for them. Close, but no cigar. It is my considered belief that Bateman's character, Dodge's creation, has no actual analogue (out of millions of films -- yes that is pretty amazing); and at best is an amalgam of Thornton's Santa character and Chevy Chase's Fletch character, with some unexpected (and inconsistent) potty-mouthing thrown in almost at random. (As noted elsewhere in the IMDb, the Fletch stories were not written "as comedies" but that did not stop Hollywood from filming them as such ANYWAY and Chase rose to the challenge and did a great job).
I suggest that the critics, for reasons which escape me, perhaps because the film is so darn hard to categorize (as above) may have been a little too generous in their praise. It is most definitely NOT foaming-at-the-mouth funny. The most successful comedy bit involves Bateman's character psyching out a young competitor at a key moment in the competition, by suggesting via whisper that the young man's mother may have committed certain indiscretions the night before. It is genuinely funny, actually unforgettable. However, writer Dodge shows his uneven hand by trying to repeat the same exact joke in a later scene, where Bateman tries to convince the young lady sitting next to him that she has just "become a woman." I would love to report it is funny. It is not.
In an age where (if you have not already noticed) the film industry is imploding and the more consistent product is now being produced for TV, this unique work is welcome and, though uneven, charming overall. Raucously funny it is not.
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