As far as I know, people either hate or love John Travolta. And I don’t blame them. This is the direct result of producing a classic like Staying Alive, then dropping off the planet and getting listed in the celebrity ‘whatever happened to..?‘ list for a decade or two. Then you come back with Pulp Fiction, and then produce nonsense like Swordfish or that ghastly Face Off. It’s either – or with this guy. A producer of terrific, culture shaping hits or toilet blockage material, with a deep chasm separating the two.
So when I watched Wild Hogs, and saw him looking like he’s actually having some fun, I realized I was having fun too. Not because it’s got a terrific plot or that it’s amazingly funny or that it changes the world of comedy or any of that. Rather, the movie shows a guy that I can’t figure out having fun. In the process, I am watching a movie of his where I don’t have to figure him out, so I just end up having fun. Does that make sense?
At any rate, this movie isn’t just him of course, although I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the ‘biggest’ star aka gets the biggest paycheck. There’s also Martin Lawrence acting like Martin Lawrence and unfortunately becoming the ‘token black dude‘ (when are they ever going to show a buddy movie with two or more black guys?), there’s Tim Allen being Tim Allen (and somewhat the weakest presence of the four, eventually disappearing into the background), and there’s the best actor of the four in my idol William H. Macy, whose performance, for the life of me, in Fargo, or even something as silly as Mystery Men, for that matter, I still cannot get over.
All in all four personalities with enough stories around them to easily fill up 100 minutes of joking around, with a great deal of help from a screaming, somewhat shrill Ray Liotta, and an amazing, beautiful temptress to end all beautiful temptresses, Marisa Tomei, who seems to enjoy being in the background in spite of the fact I’m sure her star is big enough to pull her own weight as a lead character in almost any role.
And joking around is what we get here, and lots of it. From bird – flying into your face jokes, to bad bike – riding jokes, barroom jokes, former hot stuff now old balding guy jokes, urban weekend warrior jokes, henpecked husband jokes, and all sorts of fun and happiness, which is terrific since this is what the movie advertises you will get, what you are looking for when you get in the theatre, and exactly why you came to see it in the first place. No big deep story, no sad attempts at a menacing bad guy like Face Off, no deep insightful looks into one’s soul, no big question marks at the end that get in the way of all the fun.
Well, except maybe for two things. I’m a Linux geek, so looking at Macy’s character’s tattoo, you have to wonder – if you’re really a geek, there’d be a pengiun there rather than an apple.
And finally, Marisa Tomei. Wait, let me change my statement. There is a big mystery here, and that is Marisa Tomei. Why we are not seeing more of this amazing beauty escapes me. She is old school and new school put all together. She is hotness personified. She is.. and until we can see more of her, the added attraction to this already fun movie.
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