Wanderlust

Director: David Wain
Starring: Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux, Alan Alda, Malin Akerman, Lauren Ambrose, Jo Lo Truglio, Kathryn Hahn, Ken Marino, Michaela Watkins
Running Time: 98 min.
Rating: R

★★ (out of ★★★★)

Watching Wanderlust I was overcome with the strange feeling I've seen it before. Comedies with the name "Judd Apatow" stamped on it, either as writer, director or producer are pretty common these days. They've also become interchangeable, following a  safe, standard formula without ever flying too far off the rails. Lessons learned, man-child grows up, couple grows closer blah blah blah. This time, despite only getting a producing credit, his recipe is still there. Wanderlust adheres strictly to it but what makes its execution especially disappointing this time around is that writer/director David Wain and actor/co-writer Ken Marino are capable of so much more. MTV's The State, Wet Hot American Summer and most recently the hilarious Childrens Hospital on Adult Swim, have proven it. At this point they're masterminds in their genre who should be making a movie that makes fun of this movie, so it's no coincidence this one's best moments come when they do just that.  If it's okay with you I'm just going to pretend that everything that did work is due to them and what doesn't can be attributed to Apatow dragging them into his office, pointing a gun to their heads and screaming, Didn't you see Knocked Up, Funny People and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him To The Greek and Bridesmaids? We're doing this MY way. We're gonna make MONEY!" It probably didn't go down exactly like that but that imagining such a scene is funnier than many of the uninspired events that transpire in this film isn't encouraging.

Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston co-star as married couple George and Linda, who end up having to sell their recently purchased "micro-loft" apartment in New York City due to George losing his job and Linda's documentary ("An Inconvenient Truth meets March of the Penguins") being passed on by HBO. The scene of Linda's presentation to the cable executives is an example of one of the little comedic asides that  work. It's always the random, seemingly throwaway stuff that creates the most laughs, which is typical of Wain's writing. That's also true of their detour to stay with George's arrogant brother Rick (Marino) and his wife Marisa (SNL castoff Michaela Watkins). Rick is such a jerk and his scenes so squirm-inducing I'm convinced only Marino, the most underrated comic actor around, could have made this funny instead of mean-spirited and ill-placed. Things settle into a more familiar (and somewhat disappointing) groove when George and Linda arrive at a hippie commune called Elysium, which is run by the free-spirited Seth (Justin Theroux). The other inhabitants include his girlfriend Eva (Malin Akerman), nudist Wayne Davidson (Jo Lo Truglio) and its cranky owner Carver (Alan Alda). Almost immediately, the uptight, sarcastic George has problems fitting in while the flakier, more open-minded Linda forms a close bond with Seth, endearing herself to the residents of Elysium. What's supposed to be a break from the stresses of everyday life soon threatens to tear their marriage apart.

Theroux's character and performance is easily the most humorous aspect of the movie, especially his obsession on abandoning what he thinks passes for modern technology (faxes, floppy discs, VCR's, 2-way pagers). It's the by far the funniest running gag, made that much funnier by the Theroux's oblivious delivery of it. There's also a sub-plot involving a local news team that gets some laughs, as does the use of hallucinogens and the complications of George and Linda's newly "open" marriage. The more obvious stuff, like Jo Lo Truglio's nudity and evil developers plotting to build a casino on the land, doesn't. That this feels like the seventh time comedy regulars Rudd and Aniston have have been paired together when it's actually the second (I think) is indicative of a larger problem. Rudd's talented enough to be headlining in any genre but seems stuck playing the sad sack husband in every other comedy released every year. He's likable as always, but deserves better, or maybe at least something that's radically different. An entire book could probably be written on the stops and false starts in Aniston's career-long quest to become a full-fledged "movie star," and this role's a great example of why that title still eludes her. After a strong, against type comedic turn in Horrible Bosses, she's back to playing the same, tired Aniston part of either the girl-next-door or bland wife. This time she's actually both so it's back to business as usual for her. But none of the actors are really to blame. You could have plugged anyone into the roles and the result would have been the same, if not a little worse, since these two at least know their way around the material.

David Wain is incapable of making a movie that's completely bad, but this must be the closest he's come. The most frustrating aspect is that many of the jokes work, but they're at the mercy of a story structure we're all too familiar with. It probably would have worked better if it had literally no story at all. Maybe just a series of random, sketch related vignettes or segments stretched out to 90 minutes about life on the commune. It's amazing how many little, random details are funny, but are squeezed into a story that's too safe and predictable. It's R rating can be attributed to nudity and little else. Considering the talent involved, Wanderlust should be much better than it is. Not to mention crazier. Everyone involved should probably take it as a  compliment that expectations were high enough for this to be classified as a genuine disappointment.

Horrible Bosses

Director: Seth Gordon
Starring: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx
Running Time: 98 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

There's a great premise powering the laughs in Horrible Bosses and the best news is that the movie mostly delivers on it. But the main reason to see it are for the wildly entertaining performances of the three stars playing those bosses. Two of them have never played parts even closely resembling the ones they do here while the third may as well be considered an expert at it by now. Once you get past that the plot becomes kind of disjointed, but it's to director Seth Gordon's credit that he doesn't hold back or wimp out like so many other interchangeable R-rated comedies released each summer. At least it feels like a dark comedy and holds firm in that approach throughout.  If it's true that the most effective kind of comedy comes out of the absurdity that is everyday life than this already has a leg up since it's likely many will feel it strikes a comical nerve even before the opening credits start rolling.  

Office Space meets Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train (or Throw Mama From The Train as one character hilariously refers to it as) when three longtime friends Nick (Jason Bateman), Dale (Charlie Day) and Kurt (Jason Sudekeis) plot to murder their bosses. While all three have wildly different superiors, Nick easily has it the worst. His boss at the financial firm is Dave Harken (Kevin Spacey) who cruelly dangles the carrot of an unattainable promotion in front of his face while emotionally abusing him. Whether he's berating him for being exactly two minutes late or tricking him into drinking liquor on the job, Nick's had about about all he can take. Dale, who's dream in life has always been to become a husband works as a dental assistant to Dr. Julia Harris (Jennifer Aniston), who sexually harasses him all day and threatens to tell his finacee they slept together unless, of course, he actually sleeps with her. Kurt is an accountant in a dream job until his beloved boss (Donald Sutherland) suddenly dies and the company is entrusted to his cokehead son Bobby (Colin Farrell). After consulting a hitman (played by Jamie Foxx) he suggests they kill each others bosses making the deaths appear to be accidents. Things don't go nearly as well as planned.

The screenplay faces a bit of a problem once all the cards are on the table and we meet the bosses and the convoluted murder scheme gets under way. Spacey, Aniston and Farrell are so entertaining and their antics so outrageously over-the-top we almost don't want to see them killed since it'll spell the end of their screen time. The movie cleverly works its way around this problem and as complicated as the entire plot gets the one thing that can't be said is that it's predictable. It's difficult joining three different sub-plots, cross-cutting between them and making sure each gets equal attention but for the most part it's successful. Spacey's performance as the tyrannical Harken is phenomenal because he's smart enough to know to go at it completely straight and deadly serious as if this were no less dramatic a part than the similarly abusive boss he played in 1995's Swimming With Sharks. 

Aniston has never been better in a comedy than here, completely letting loose as this vulgar, oversexed maneater, while seemingly relishing the chance to finally play a role that betrays her bland, cook-cutter image. It's a much needed change of pace and the biggest surprise is how comfortable she appears to be doing it. And kudos to the writers for openly acknowledging Dale's situation is awesome rather than "horrible," with his friends understandably wanting to trade places with him. Usually it's Jason Bateman who makes every comedy he's in better (and he still does as Spacey's hapless victim), but It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Charlie Day who gives the film's best comedic performance, an impressive feat considering the talent of his co-stars. With a squeeky voice and a horrified expression, everytime Aniston disrobes or comes on to him Day makes you believe this is a truly horrible experience for naive, loyal, man-child Dale. Earning huge laughs with every line, Day proves he's more than capable of headlining a comedy on its own if it comes to that at some point, and it probably will. Unrecognizable with a beard, comb-over and pot-belly, the biggest complaint you can make about Colin Farrell and his sleazebag character is that we don't get to see nearly enough of him. A scene in which forces Sudekeis to choose between firing two employees is a real keeper.

As funny as many scenes are, it could have been even better constructed. The plot does start to fly off the rails once the scheme gets going and it's hard not to think a more solid result could have come out of a set-up this clever. But at least it doesn't hold back or wimp out in a year where it seems nearly every comedy, good and bad, have. The teacher in Bad Teacher really wasn't all that bad. The competing Bridesmaids in Bridesmaids become best friends. So on and so forth. All this has signaled the mainstream "wussifying" of American comedy, reinforcing the belief that audiences need to be sent home with a positive, life-affirming message in order for the movie to make money. That might be okay for a drama, but it's more problematic for a raunchy comedy. I just want to laugh. That's it. The tone here is spot on. Upbeat, but still retaining a spirit of anarchy. Horrible Bosses wisely doesn't shy away from depicting its title characters as unredeemable and one-dimensional, which is precisely why it works.

Just Go With It

Director: Dennis Dugan
Starring: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Brooklyn Decker, Dave Matthews, Nicole Kidman, Nick Swardson, Bailee Madison
Running Time: 110 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

It's getting to the point where I dread reviewing each new Adam Sandler comedy, but not for the reasons you'd expect. After enjoying widely maligned recent efforts of his like Don't Mess With The Zohan and Grown Ups I've kind of grown tired constantly defending myself and coming up with what many claim are new "excuses" as to why they work. As usual, his latest "Happy Madison" collaboration with director Dennis Dugan, Just Go With It, is much better than you've heard, even if admittedly still barely recommendable. If nothing else, the always self-aware Sandler always knows the kind of movie he's making and in actually being likable, doesn't deserve the groundless Eddie Murphy comparisons he often receives. So other than miscasting the actor as a womanizing lothario and portraying one of the female leads as a clueless idiot, it's a mildly enjoyable comedy that's funny, doesn't drag despite its nearly two hour running time and features a couple of really good performances. As hard as it may be to shake the feeling that Sandler's phoning it in with another safe, harmless, mainstream moneymaker, there isn't too much wrong with this. 

Sandler is Danny Maccabee, a wealthy Los Angeles plastic surgeon who twenty years ago was dumped by his fiancee on his wedding day (as we learn through a flashback featuring Sandler wearing a prosthetic schnoz) and hasn't taken off his wedding ring since, believing women go for guys stuck in unhappy marriages. But when Danny hooks up with supermodel-looking sixth grade math teacher Palmer (actual supermodel Brooklyn Decker) he seems to have finally made a real connection until she discovers the ring the morning after, angrily assuming he's married. So Danny concocts a wild scheme, recruiting his longtime office manager Katharine (Jennifer Aniston) to play the role of his unhappy wife, who he must convince Palmer he's now in the process of divorcing. As the lie spirals out of control, it soon involves Katharine's kids, Maggie (Bailee Madison) and Michael (Griffin Gluck) assuming the roles of their children and Danny's oddball cousin Eddie (Nick Swardson) playing his "wife's" new boyfriend, "Dolph Lundgren." All of this takes place during an impromptu trip to Hawaii in which Danny must continue with this charade and deal with his real feelings for Katharine.

The film's biggest flaws are out of the way early with the questionable casting of Sandler as a wealthy plastic surgeon who seems able to pick up any beautiful woman half his age at the drop of a hat simply by leaving on his wedding ring. That this is done seriously without so much as a wink at the audience is a problem, but since Sandler's always there to effectively mock the material, he's the only actor who would be immune to his own miscasting anyway. Once you get past that premise and the rushed "connection" between Danny and Palmer at a party (that's notable only for a hilarious Kevin Nealon cameo as plastic surgery addict), the rest of the film does get some creative mileage out of this fake marriage scenario, mostly due to Jennifer Aniston, who for a change is well cast in an age appropriate role that plays to her strengths as a performer.  She's perfect as his sassy, sarcastic assistant who's uncomfortably forced into playing the role of his estranged trophy wife. The kids are also terrific, especially Bailee Madison as the daughter intent on using this lie her own acting audition, complete with a phony British accent. All of these scenes work, but often at the expense of the thinly written Palmer character, who really does unintentionally come off looking like the village idiot for falling for this. In her acting debut, Brooklyn Decker isn't asked to do much and doesn't, but she's okay in a role she couldn't reasonably have been expected to save. But unlike Aniston, she has no chemistry with Sandler at all and clearly doesn't try to add anything to the character a seasoned actress could have. In a fact not heavily promoted, this is actually a very loose remake of 1968's Cactus Flower, for which won Goldie Hawn her Best Supporting Actress Oscar in Decker's role so we can at least be grateful Kate Hudson didn't decide to take it. Nick Swardson is funnier than expected as "Dolph," considering the limitations of his stereotypical role.

Say what you will about the intelligence level of the plot (which basically focuses on a one giant misunderstanding we've seen dozens of variations of), but at least director Dennis Dugan has this down to a science and grasps the idea this is supposed to be a comedy and spares us the requisite big reveal at the end complete with the couple fake breaking up. It also thankfully doesn't resemble the tone deaf Forgetting Sarah Marshall from a couple of years ago where a Hawaiian vacation existed only as an excuse for its depressed protagonist to mope around a resort and whine about a doomed relationship. This trip is actually upbeat, highlighted by the hilarious performances of Nicole Kidman and singer Dave Matthews (in his biggest Sandler part yet) as a kooky vacationing married couple. Far from the brief hidden cameo it's been downplayed as, Kidman actually has a pretty decent sized supporting role as a super-competitive former friend of Aniston's that's more entertaining than you'd think, reminding us (and probably her) that she should do comedy more often being that she's good at it.

As a longtime Sandler fan dating all the way back to his early albums and run on Saturday Night Live,  even I'm under no illusion that his current comedies can compete with Happy Gilmore or Billy Madison on the laughter scale, but this holds up on its own terms. About the only huge complaint I can offer up is that it doesn't have nearly enough bite. So while it's no worse in quality than Zohan or Grown-ups, it is wimpier and makes you miss the days when Sandler took risks and was capable of flying off the deep end with his craziness every once in a while. Judging from the stupendously insane trailer for his next project, I may finally get my wish, even if everyone thinks I should be careful what I wish for. Sandler's one of those actors critics and audiences will always seem to disagree on, but it's tough denying his talent. In a perfect world it would be nice if he challenged himself again more (and I suspect he eventually will) but for now he's comfortable doing what he does best, even if some can't stand it. Just Go With It may be yet another middle-of-the-road Sandler effort but given the scorn he receives when he tries anything different, it's hard to blame him for sticking to a formula that works.

Marley & Me

Director: David Frankel
Starring: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Alan Arkin, Eric Dane, Kathleen Turner
Running Time: 115 min.
Rating: PG

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

SPOILER WARNING! THE FOLLOWING REVIEW REVEALS KEY DETAILS OF THE FILM'S PLOT

Consider yourself warned. The last 45 minutes of Marley & Me are excruciating to sit through, particularly if you've ever owned a dog at any point during your life. If you're like me and haven't, then the last 45 minutes are still excruciating to sit through. It's been promoted as a warm and fuzzy family comedy (which it mostly is) but boy is it sad. You could also call it shameless, manipulative fluff but doing that would completely miss the point. The film has only one goal: Show how dogs can positively impact and sometimes even change our lives. So, to that end, it's an unqualified success.

Whenever someone shows me a photo of their dog it always amazes me how their face lights up as they tell stories about the canine as if it were their own child. Since I've never had one I'll never fully understand that feeling, but I imagine this movie does a pretty good job capturing it. The emotions it explores are very real and it's a safe bet anyone with a beating heart will be moved by this story. There is one charming lead human performance (as well as a really bland one) but nothing else in the picture matters except the dog. And that's how it should be. They really are man's best friend and this movie is a great reminder why.

Based on the beloved, best-selling memoir by Philadelphia Inquirer columnist John Grogan, the film explores what happens when John (Owen Wilson) gives wife Jennifer (Jennifer Aniston) a puppy for her birthday upon their arrival at their new home in South Florida. They name "Marley." Yes, after Bob Marley. Both are hired by competing newspapers as reporters, but at the behest of his editor (Alan Arkin, cranky as always) John takes on a new role as a humor columnist, poking fun at everyday life. Marley turns out to be the dog from hell, a disobedient terror who chews on furniture, eats answering machines and is impossible to control, making great fodder for the column but putting loads of stress on their marriage. When John and Jenny decide to have children the dog becomes an important part of their lives too as the film spans 14 years, even if I'm not entirely sure what that converts to in dog years.

Owen Wilson's laid back, down-to-Earth performance grounds everything, reminding us just how likable he is in the right role. He even kind of even reminds you of a shaggy dog with his appearance which could help explain why he seems right at home opposite the 22 dogs that played Marley. It isn't easy sharing screen time with animals but he makes it look effortless and he shares many surprisingly moving scenes with Marley in the final act. Besides carrying the entire load of the picture he also shares as decent chemistry as is possible with Aniston, who's as bland as ever. Whereas Wilson was hired for what he'd bring to the role, Aniston was only cast because they thought a "big name" would put audiences in seats, which is ironic considering she's never drawn at all at the box office nor given a single performance suggesting she should be known for anything other than posing nude on a magazine cover to promote a family film.

What's funniest is when this opened against The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on Christmas weekend the media hyped it as the latest "battle" between Brad and Jennifer. Too bad they forgot to take into account that Pitt was starring in an epic period film spanning decades where he had to play a character at different ages and act against heavy make-up and visual effects. Aniston is playing a housewife in a dog movie... and not even particularly well. While not actively terrible, she adds nothing to the role and just about any other random actress could have done more with it. Her "star" presence is more of a distraction and she was obviously cast as some kind of olive branch to wronged housewives everywhere who studio executives thought could be the target audience for the picture. Worse yet, the character is a nag who hates the dog and complains about everything. The script blames it on postpartum depression but Aniston just goes all out and practically plays her as a complete bitch. I was waiting for the guy to leave her for Angelina.

Kathleen Turner has a brief cameo as a dog trainer while Grey's Anatomy's Eric Dane is John's best friend Sebastian. He's competent in a part that requires absolutely nothing. He's not necessarily believable as a highly successful reporter (if there is such a thing anymore) but after seeing Kate Bosworth as a Pulitzer Prize winner in Superman Returns I'm willing to buy just about anything. It makes you long for the days where the title of "reporter" or "journalist" commanded respect and a high paying salary, even if I'd question whether it was ever high paying enough for John and his wife to afford that house they live in. But this is still supposed to be a romantic comedy so we'll let that one slide.

What happens in the last hour has to be one of the worst kept movie secrets of 2008. It seemed as if every time I turned on the television or read a review a critic would state it was so sad and they cried their eyes out but they just "can't reveal what happens." Gee, I wonder. Didn't they just do exactly that? Well, I'll be upfront with you, extend the courtesy of a BIG SPOILER and flat-out out tell you that the dog passes away. And he doesn't just pass away, he passes away slowly and agonizingly for nearly an hour straight. But as painful as that is to watch I don't think the film would have been as effective without it. It's the last leg of this dog's journey and even though the sentiment and schmaltz is poured on as thick as maple syrup by director David Frankel, it's well earned and mostly kept in check.

Marley may be the "world's worst dog" but they come to accept him as that and eventually learn to appreciate him, faults and all. It sounds corny when I say it but the surprisingly sharp script from veteran screen scribes Scott Frank and Don Roos mostly avoid cliches to make the story as much about the trials of marriage and parenthood as the dog. Despite my problems with Aniston's non-performance I will say John and Jenny's relationship feels genuine and not like it's out of a bad sitcom. The film isn't laugh out loud funny but it's filled with many real life moments dog owners and parents will probably giggle at. There's a lot to relate to here, whether you've had kids, a pet, or even neither. If you love dogs you'll love Marley & Me. If you don't love dogs, you will when it's over. And no I wasn't crying. Something just got in my eye.

Derailed

Director: Mikael Hafstrom
Starring: Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston, Vincent Cassel, Melissa
George,  Giancarlo Esposito, Alvin "Xzbit," Joiner, RZA, Addison Timlin
Running Time: 106 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★) 

Derailed is a movie about what happens when an ordinary event spirals out of control, producing extraordinary results. Anyone who's considered writing a screenplay should probably study it since writing a script like this is within the grasp of everyone. I say that not as a knock on the film, which is well-executed and clever, but because it takes one event and shows how someone reacts in a way that makes sense. Not once did I think the main character reacted in an unbelievable way or in a manner that any of us wouldn't have. One decision leads to another as it should while the protagonist digs himself deeper and deeper, all the while making what seems like logical decisions at the time.

Charles Schine (Clive Owen) is miserable. His daughter's (Addison Timlin) dying. His wife (Melissa George) hates him. He lost a big account at work. One day on the commuter train he meets financial advisor Lucinda Harris (Jennifer Aniston) who's nice enough to pay his way when he realizes he has no money. This leads to a conversation, which leads to lunch, which leads to drinks. Pretty soon they're at a cheap hotel ready to have sex. This is where the movie really begins. Before they know it, a crook (Vincent Cassel) has a gun to Lucinda's head. He takes their money, pistol whips Charles and rapes Lucinda. Charles thinks he's seen the last of him. He hasn't. He's put in a position where he can't go to the police initially and that's really what causes all of his problems for the rest of the film. This crook wants more money and Charles is put in a position where he has to give it to him. It may seem like I've given away too much but I haven't at all. Nothing is what it appears to be at the beginning. The crook, who initially comes off as just two-bit bully ends up being far more than that and Cassel does a great job portraying the nuances of the character. His best scene is when he manages to squirm his way into Charles' house to talk to his wife and daughter because if you didn't know better (which they don't) he'd  seem like a great guy.

There's a big twist that I didn't exactly see coming, but it holds up logically and I was kicking myself for not spotting it earlier. We believe all of this could happen and the movie never stretches credibility until the very end where there's a few too many far-fetched action scenes. Clive Owen owns this movie as someone who seems strong, but is believable as a regular guy in way over his head and while the casting of Aniston seems questionable at first, it fits given the eventual direction of the the story. You want to someone who can play average and ordinary and she's is as good a choice as any for that. Her part isn't as large as you think, but the role is huge in importance. If she wants a real movie career she has to do more movies like this, that challenge her in interesting, serious roles that go completely against type. Rapper RZA provides nice comic relief as Charles' co-worker and I really liked how the police detective (Giancarlo Esposito) kind of knows whats going on, but doesn't act like an obvious goof about it, popping in and out at the story's convenience. Derailed isn't the kind of thriller that leaves you thinking about much after it's over, but it's a realistic, well-made effort that makes sense and keeps you guessing.