Web Toolbar by Wibiya Bears and Bullets: Movie Review: Step Brothers

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Movie Review: Step Brothers

Directed by: Adam McKay
Starring: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly

The trifecta behind Talladega Nights return this week with Step Brothers; a 95 minute comedy about 39 year-old Brennan Huff (Ferrell) and his mother Nancy (Mary Steenburgen) moving in with Nancy's new husband Robert Doback (Richard Jenkins) and his 40 year-old son Dale (Reilly). In a ritual befitting the post 40 Year-Old Virgin Era, the comedy stylings have been skewed towards poignantly rifted and obscene dialogue, coupled with characters acting well below their age. To look at Step Brothers in the light of movies like Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy, and the aforementioned Talladega Nights, the viewer must believe in the stilted intelligence expectations complex - that being, whomever is watching these kinds of movies cannot expect sheer articulate brilliance in story telling, but rather the emphasis of importance of dialogue and simplistic character. The viewer knows these guys are not prototypical, but is willing to make an exception.

Throughout the film, starting with Reilly and Ferrell as enemies, then best friends, then enemies, and finally friends again, Mckay presents the likenesses of Brennan and Dale in the views of a 14 year-old with egregious lack of mental growth (Dale doesn't really know how to make out with a woman, and Brennan continually refers to his therapist as his girlfriend) and responsibility. The major conflict in the film is not the rift between the two new brothers, but rather Nancy and Robert's desires for the two to finally grow up. The follow up is arguably the best sequence in Step Brothers with Dale and Brennan jumping from interview to interview (including one with Seth Rogen) and failing each time because they just don't get it. It all comes together with a lose-fitting, but still fitting end that we all should have seen coming, but even then still don't care about because it's just damn funny.

It's not the perfect comedy, but it's a solid step up from Ferrell's last movie Semi-Pro, and you'll get the laugh you're looking for. One other note; yes, Judd Apatow was a producer for this movie, which if you've been counting is about 85 since 2006.

Score: 7.9 out of 10

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