Rating of
1.5/4
Chalk up another bad one from Ferrel and Co.
Movies - wrote on 09/19/08
Will Ferrel continues his string of mediocre comedies with the Judd Apatow produced Step Brothers. After Dr. Robert Doback (Richard Jenkins) and Nancy Huff (Mary Steenburgen) get married, their 40 year old children (Ferrell and Reily) are forced to live together, weather they like it or not. As the film moves at its deliberate pace the brothers, who at first are enemies, form an unlikely bond as they face the inevitability of adulthood.
The performances from the cast are solid. Will Ferrel, though not doing much different than from his other films turns in a good performance alongside fellow Talladega Nights co-star John C. Reily. Richard Jenkins shines as the father of Reily, making the best of what he's given as he did in Fun with Dick and Jane. However, I'm sad to report good acting doesn't necessarily mean good film.
Step Brothers has problems right off the bat. The premise is ridiculous. If you give us two forty year old babies I want more depth into why they're the way they're. The goof acts are immature, progressively become routine and tired. The sleep walking segment was effective until McKay and company decided to use it more than they should have. The runtime on paper is very good for a comedy 1 hour and 35 min, but it felt like a 2 hour film, even more so in its truly terrible third act.
Furthermore the one over-riding reason why Step Brothers doesn't work for me is its predictability. I saw the trailers and knew what was going to happen in this film. At first enemies, then friends, then tackle a common enemy, then grow up (sort of), then end. ZzZz..boring.
Ultimately, Step Brothers marks yet another bad comedy from Will Ferrel and company. This also shows the inconsistency of producer Judd Apatow. The guy puts out Forgetting Sarah Marshall (a great, well rounded romantic comedy) and Pineapple Express (a solid stoner flick) and in the same year puts out this garbage and Drillbit Taylor in which I sadly haven't had the privilege to see.
