(From syracusenewtimes.com)
Johnny Depp goes deep in his comedy closet in “Mortdecai,” while Gwyneth Paltrow as his wife is funny while using different tools.
You can read my take about the farce directed by David Koepp from a screenplay by Eric Aronson as today’s weekly Film Blog review post on the Syracuse New Times site by clicking the link below.
http://www.syracusenewtimes.com/johnny-depp-make-madcap-slapstick-british-mortdecai-work/
Some comedies, of course, are delivered more seriously than others. Some laughs come in a theater, in fact, at moments when they’re supposed to give a crowd supreme relief from building tension. I’m thinking right now about “Bye Bye Love,” which I stopped at again on cable the other week because the 1995 ensemble piece with Matthew Modine, Randy Quaid and Paul Reiser as bewildered divorced fathers hit home then and always tugs at my heart. Or, from last year, “St. Vincent,” with a most excellent Bill Murray as a veteran befriending a young neighbor with a quirky personality that carried a quite elusive silver lining.
Others films want to build laugh upon laugh until you just can’t stop. Oh, where art thou Monty Python? Then there are the deep-thinking films that still are meant to make you come away smirking at the least. Woody Allen had the pulse.
And so I ask in my closing movie-themed questions this Monday:
What’s your favorite type of comedy, and why? What’s your favorite movie in that sub-genre, and why? Buy or sell on Johnny Depp as an eccentric and nefarious British manor lord and Gwyneth Paltrow as his archly peevish wife?
Mark Bialczak 
I think it looks like a fun movie. He is kind of quirky, but Angie is right, we do turn out some eccentric characters. One of my favorite comedies is Grumpy Old Men. Jack and Walter were a scream.
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I love ‘Grumpy Old Men.’ I adored the work of Jack and Walter my whole life, Apple Pie. They deserved Sophia and
Ann at that point. 🙂
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My favorite type of comedy is dry humor such as that of Bob Newhart and Paul Reiser. I really don’t like “cheesefests”. That said, my exception to dry humor is Jack Black. He has an amazing delivery that makes his comedy not seem goofy. 🙂
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Jack Black has my vote, too, Rachel. “School of Rock” forever. 🙂
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For sure! 😀 The first time I saw him was Shallow Hal, and I was not impressed. Then I saw him on Who Wants to be a Millionare, and got to see his real personality, and that’s also where I learned that both his parents are rocket scientists. After that, I loved him to death.
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If a kid can get through life with brilliant parents like that and develop a sense of humor and intellet, win-win, right, Rachel?
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Exactly!
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This movie tanked badly. A misfire for Depp. People are growing weary of his off-kilter characters. But he’s good. Did you see Sweeny Todd? And his turn in Into the Woods? Both worthy ventures.
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I don’t care if mainstream says he tanked, Mark. I think I’m more with you in that, if I like it, I like it. I saw butcherly Sweeney Todd but not yet for Into the Woods/
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Well, if you don’t like musicals, stay away from Into the Woods. It’s an uber-musical.
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I know. I like musicals.
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In that case, what are you waiting for? I’m not a big fan but I loved it. Meryl friggin’ Streep.
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My movie schedule is complicate by many factors, my friend.
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i liked your review Mark and the trailer. I would likely enjoy this type of movie. My all time fav comedy movie was Airplane. I also love Monty Python (esp The Quest for the Holy Grail”) and i like romantic comedies like The Proposal (I’m a Bullock fan). I also enjoy movies that are drama or action that are funny too .
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bridesmaids was ok but like a lot of the other postee i find it hard to see the humour in any of the recent ‘comedies’ give me steve martin or older beverly hills cop style ones.
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‘Bridesmaids’ was brilliant, I think, Louise. 🙂 But yes on Steve Martin, of course, and “Beverly Hills Cop” was pretty great.
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hi Mark I went to see the Penguin Madagascar SOO SO SO funny I loved it. Saw birdman kinda strange but interesting . We have some great AUssie made movies out at the moment . Are you able to access them. If so check out Charlies Country, Paper Planes and Pirates v Zombies. …. Also Utpoia. Catch ya later. stay warm.
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Hi Louise, Glad to see you back! I’ve missed you. I don’t know if I can find the Aussie films. I’ll give it a try. I’m glad you like the Penguins. Yes, Birdman was strange AND interesting. I liked it better than penguins. I am trying to stay warm. Enjoy your summer, it must be coming to a close. 😦
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it is kinda. still 100+ today. even the birdlife has gone quiet. loved the bowling post. 🙂
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Wow, hot down there, still. I see you posted a new one. I’ll get to it. I have been too busy here to read anything but comments. Sorry.
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really Gwyneth??? is she funny.. I never really liked her and as for all that uncoupling stuff..please… why could he not find some genuine untapped comedic actress out there looking for a break? even the title sounds stupid.
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She was a good deadpan, Louise.
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I love great romance comedies. I suppose I really enjoy the relationship humor done well. Maybe I got hooked back on the reruns of Lucy and Desi???? 😉
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Those two had the chemistry. You’d think they were really married. 🙂 Oh, wait, Colleen. They were …
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🙂 Funny man you Mark! 😉
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I am a fan of a variety of humor, sometimes the laugh out loud kind and sometimes the quiet and nice humor. I enjoyed “Big” and its sense of youth and childhood. I loved “13 Going on 30” and those movies where people exchanged their son with themselves or mother with themselves. I also have enjoyed Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids” and “Heat” with Sandra Bullock. One that was fun and not too ‘adult’ was “Wedding Crashers” and I also like ones with duos, like the Jackie Chan “Rush Hour” movies. I like the raunchy “American Pie” series, even though I ‘shouldn’t!’ I also like Monty Python with the coconuts being used by the knights who cannot afford to buy horses… Many of the people had already mentioned the ones I liked, including you! Smiles!
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Your list is wonderfully dverse and full of surprises, the like naughty “American Pie” series, Robin. Good for you. ;-o
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Put Steve Martin or Bill Murray in a movie and I’m bound to love it.
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They are in my generational pocket, too, Kate. Now I feel like rewatching Martin and Hannah in “Roxanne,” just because.
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I would be old school comedy but then I am Irish and Father Ted gets his fair share of re runs along with Mrs Browns Boys in this house. I agree with Ann Koplow’s list especially, Bringing up Baby, as I am a lover of Katherine Hepburn’s golden oldies.
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Keep true to your old school, mudpilewood! Enjoy the go-to classics. 🙂
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i was pleasantly surprised by your positive review. when i saw the previews i didn’t hold out much hope for this to be such a good movie. my favs: napoleon dynamite, the pink panther series, and the monty python series, bill murray movies –
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Good taste on your list, Beth. Yeah, I am out on a limb by myself on this one. Ah, well, I stay true to what I felt in the theater.
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I like to think I prefer a more sophisticated brand of humor but found myself LAUGHING me arse off at “Bridesmaids.” There goes the neighborhood….
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‘Bridesmaids’ was AWESOME Barbara. It made me hit the all caps I liked it so much. Kristen Wiig is a titan.
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Especially the first class plane scene. Or maybe it was the food poisoning scene. Oh never mind….😀😀😀
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And the cop-and-the-car scene … 🙂
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Excited to read your review. Hoping it’s good as I have high hopes from the trailer (though we know how those usually rate as predictors). I love funny. Stupid stuff like Dodge Ball and Airplane. I don’t like it too dumb (Dumb and Dumber, etc)–don’t appreciate bathroom humor. Better Off Dead (John Cusack) is a fave–dumb, slightly inappropriate, but still funny.
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Read on over there, Liz. You are right about too dumb, in my book. Yuck on that.
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So glad the movie made you laugh! Love brilliantly funny. Which sounds different than stupid funny, but maybe the same? It takes brilliance to make stupid funny. The scenery and costuming also looks fun. You’re the best, Mark. Enjoy your reviews because they are cleverly written, but you still use language and concepts easy to follow.
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Thanks for that wonderful compliment, Liz. I try to be smart but low-falutin’. 🙂
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Honestly wasn’t sure about this one but your review wins me over. I like subtle comedies, like spoofs. Of course to be totally obvious Spinal Tap is my favorite and also best in show which I believe is also Rob Reiner.
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You had to like ‘Spinal Tap,’ considering the subject matter, Marissa. Talk about made for you. “Best in Show” was cool. Rob Reiner has it going on. Not for the dogs … 🙂
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So true. Yes, a big fan of Rob Reiner dating back to his Meathead days!!
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Indeed, back to Meathead, Gloria, Archie and Edith days for me, too, Marissa.
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My personal top comedy films today, Mark, are “The Producers,” “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Broadcast News,” “Airplane,” “This is Spinal Tap,” “Annie Hall,” “City Lights” (Chaplin), “The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie” (Bunuel), “Duck Soup,” “Bringing Up Baby,” “Adam’s Rib,” “Big,” “The Princess Bride,” “Bananas,” “Groundhog Day,” “Say Anything,” “Irreconcilable Differences,” “Help,” “Top Secret,” and “Young Frankenstein.” The reviews for the new Depp movie seem miserable, but sometimes I disagree with the critics.
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They sure do seem miserable. They make me feel very lone wolf. Great list of comedies, Ann.
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Mark, I rmember “Around the World in 80 Days” with Steve Coogan and Jackie Chan in 2004. The critics HATED that movie. Aaron and I loved it. Sure, we were probably swayed by our love for Jackie Chan, but not that much. There really is no accounting for taste sometimes.
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I agree, Ann. We are our own tastemakers. 🙂 That is a good way to go through this life.
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Have mercy! Johnny Depp strikes again. Maybe admitting he is from Owensboro will help you understand him better Mark. We do turn out some weirdos. My favorite kind of comedy would be the really funny stuff, the older kind like Dick van Dyke,where you actually know why you are laughing. I’ve really tried to like Depp, support the home town boy, but he is just plain old weird. Good to his family, but weird.
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He was odd in this one, Angie. The good kind of odd.
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The good kind of odd is refreshing to hear. He’s usually just plain old weird!
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That’s OK in my book, Angie. As long as it doesn’t wander over to creepy. 🙂
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