Tag: zac efron

RICKY STANICKY – Review

(L-R) Dean (Zac Efron), JT (Andrew Santino) and Wes (Jermaine Fowler) meet Rod (John Cena), in Peter Farrelly’s RICKY STANICKY. Courtesy of Amazon/MGM

Peter Farrelly’s RICKY STANICKY is an R-Rated, penis-joke filled bro comedy about three childhood friends who invented a fictional friend to take the blame for a prank gone wrong. Really wrong – they set the guy’s house on fire. Kids might make up something like that to dodge responsibility, but adults buying into the idea that someone named “Ricky Stanicky” is at fault is much more of a stretch.

Yet these three pals use this made-up friend to take the blame all through their childhoods, but then director Peter Farrelly (and the script’s six writers) go further, and have the grown-up friends continue using the fictional Ricky Stanicky as someone to blame into adulthood.

OK, it’s comedy, and disbelief gets suspended, but this silly premise really gets a work out. The real question here is: is it funny? Well, sometimes (largely thanks to John Cena and William H. Macy) but usually not. It’s better than the last Peter Farrelly-Zac Efron collaboration, THE GREATEST BEER RUN EVER, but it’s a long way from THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY.

Over the years, Dean (Zac Efron), JT (Andrew Santino) and Wes (Jermaine Fowler), the three Rhode Island-based friends, have figured out a whole routine to let them use Ricky Stanicky as an excuse to get out of things, and take off on guys-only trips. When they get last-minute tickets to see a favorite band in Atlantic City, it is time for “Ricky” to call and say he’s in the hospital in Albany, with a return of his cancer. Of course, they have to go see their dear friend, even if it means JT has to miss the baby shower for his pregnant wife Susan (Anja Savcic).

Ricky, of course, is actually Wes, calling on their special “Ricky Stanicky” phone. A lot of work has gone into this scam over the years, and the pals have a whole book of details, which they call “the bible” on Ricky Stanicky so they can keep everything straight. They have routines to prevent discovery and tracking, including switching off their phones before they head to the airport and fly off to Atlantic City.

Once in Atlantic City, the R-Rated part really comes out. The three pals go to a casino bar after the concert, where a drunken local attaches himself to them. They buy him a drink and a meal, and the drunken fellow, Rod Rockhard (John Cena). tells them he is a “trained actor” who is great at doing impressions but right now, he is working at a club where he impersonates various rock stars and sings their famous songs with raunchy new lyrics about masturbation. And we get a little sampling of those squirm-worthy performances, with Cena dressed as Devo, Alice Cooper and more, as he singing their hits with new masturbation-theme lyrics. Eventually, the three friends chase off the inebriated Rod off to continue their evening but Rod still manages to give Dean his business card.

Since their phones are switched off, no one can reach them tell them JT’s wife goes into labor early, but Dean discovers that when he switches on his phone to take a quick photo. The guys rush back but it’s too late for the birth. JT now faces his angry, suspicious mother-in-law, who called every hospital in Albany and found no Ricky Stanicky in any of them. Wes is ready to just tell the truth, and starts to do that, but Dean quickly comes up with a story. But now they will have to produce a real Ricky Stanicky. Calling “trained actor” Rod sounds like the perfect solution.

We’ve all seen this story before – well, farce stories like this. There is the one about the friend who isn’t real that requires ever-more inventive lies, and the one about the person pressed into service to pretend to be someone else – and who turns out to be incredibly good at it. Not much to surprise.

John Cena’s Rod arrives hung over and late to play his part as Ricky Stanicky, but he tells them he is now sober – as of three days ago. A quick shower at Wes’ apartment, which he shares with his boyfriend Keith (Daniel Monks), helps clean Rod up, before “Ricky Stanicky” makes his debut at a party for JT’s baby’s bris, the Jewish circumcision ritual (and an opportunity for more of the movie’s penis jokes). To the three friends’ surprise, Ricky is a big hit, thanks to actor Rod’s research, and he even impresses Dean’s and JT’s boss Ted Summerhayes (William H. Macy). Ricky’s so likable that the crowd doesn’t want him to leave – which leads to the next round of problems.

The plot is far-fetched, to say the least. Like any typical Farrelly comedy, you know the story will have a human heart under all that R-Rated humor, sure to please the inner 13-year-old boy. The best parts of the film are John Cena and William H. Macy. Actually, John Cena looks like he is having a blast and brings a certain goofy charm to his role as Rod/Ricky. Cena is in fine dumb-guy form, as he transforms the drunken guy who does masturbation jokes into a serious actor fully-prepared for his part, having deeply researched every aspect of his fictional character, thanks to the three friends’ extensive “Ricky Stanicky” bible. Cena’s character is sometimes dumb as the proverbial box of rocks but then pivots to rattle off complex factoids memorized from his extensive research, a switch that is rather fun to watch if hard to believe. Cena delivers most of the actual laughs in this messy comedy.

Unsurprisingly, William H. Macy is marvelous, as always, and gives us the second-most laughs, as the boss who starts out a confident, humorless stuffed shirt but then reveals he is secretly more unsure and worried about the possible merger of his East Coast investment firm with a more modern San Francisco firm.

There are three friends but it’s really all about Zac Efron’s character Dean. Andrew Santino’s JT and Jermaine Fowler’s Wes remain underdeveloped ciphers based on being Jewish or Black, respectively. Fowler’s Wes gets a touch more detail for his character, as Wes is gay as well, and someone still finding his purpose in life, with a boyfriend who is getting tired of supporting him, but it is still shallow waters. Santino’s JT is all histrionics, family drama, and his mean mother-in-law. The women in this story are also barely sketched out, although Dean’s girlfriend Erin (Lex Scott Davis) get a bit more, as a sharp TV journalist trying to break out of covering “happy talk” news – like a goose on a golf course trying to incubate a golf ball.

In typical Farrelly comedy style, there is plenty of dumb, rude, guy-style humor but in the end, there is a message about human values. However, apart from John Cena and William H Macy, there is little reason to see RICKY STANICKY unless you are a very determined Farrelly fan.

RICKY STANICKY debuts streaming on Prime Video on Thursday, Mar. 8

RATING: 1 out of 4 stars

THE IRON CLAW – Review

Ladies and gentlemen, get ready to …watch another sports-themed movie! Sheesh and people whine about a “glut” of superhero flicks! So far this year we’ve got four or five “sports flicks”, the latest being the soccer comedy NEXT GOAL WINS. Now that’s based on a true story, like most of the others. Oh, and two more true sports films finish out the year on Christmas Day. So, what sets this weekend’s release apart from the others? Well, it’s set in the world of professional wrestling in the “go-go” 1980s. Hmm, sounds like lots of campy, flashy fun. And you’d be a bit mistaken. Mind you, there are chuckles but this true tale is really a tragedy, close in spirit to a Greek one or even Shakespeare, but with spandex and mullets. In the center ring…a fable of a wrestling family dynasty whose patriarch gained fame through his signature “move”, THE IRON CLAW.


The film actually starts a couple of decades earlier, in the final moments of a match won by Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany), and he does indeed use “the claw”. In the parking lot, he meets up with his grade-school-aged two sons and their mother Doris (Maura Tierney), and introduces them to their newer bigger vehicle for traveling on “the circuit”. She’s annoyed, but little Kevin and Kerry are thrilled. Flash forward about a decade and a half as buff twenty-something Kevin (Zac Efron) goes for a morning jog around the family’s Texas ranch home. He finishes in time for a big breakfast with Mom, Dad, and kid brothers David (Harris Dickinson) and Mike (Stanley Simmons). And what of brother Kerry (Jeremy Allen White)? The prodigal is away training for the upcoming 1980 Olympic games. Fritz is out of “the game” and now works as a manager for Kevin while starting up a new league, World Class Championship Wrestling. Unfortunately, despite his physical prowess, Kevin is awkward in front of the camera in promotional interviews, while David proves to be more of a “showboat”. This prompts Papa to focus on him, much to Kevin’s frustration. He does get a boost from dating a lovely fan named Pam (Lily James), leading to an eventual marriage. And then world politics impacts “the act” when the USA boycotts the Olympics, sending Kerry home. Fritz then creates a three-man tag team with Kevin, Kerry, and David as Mike pursues his music dreams. But fame splits the trio, as the brothers go solo, and tragedy spurs Mike to enter the “family business”. Fate is far from finished with them as the rumored “Von Erich curse” threatens to destroy the tight-knit group.

As the eldest Von Erich son, and the film’s main focus, Efron achieves a real maturity as an actor, blasting beyond his teen heartrob era to convey the complexities of the deceptively simple Kevin. Though he has the shape of a Samson (and many other “sword and sandal” screen stalwarts) Kev seems to be a vulnerable youngster yearning for his papa’s love and respect. His behavioral development seems a bit stunted perhaps causing his inability to sell himself on camera, and later when in his relationship with Pam (like his pop, she’s almost his coach). Efron shows us how life chips away at that awkwardness until he pushes back against his dad in a powerful third-act sequence. As Pam, James completely morphs into the twangy Texas belle who’s awed by the “beefcake” and then smitten by the timid soul beneath. White, the breakout star of TV’s “The Bear”, doesn’t have nearly as much screen time, but his struggles with a cruel impairment give extra strength to the changing family dynamic. Dickinson oozes charisma as David who becomes the face of the family franchise with his boasting bravado and showmanship (he rocks all those sparkly stetsons). As the “baby”, Simmons has a real warmth and sweetness as he tries to break away with his tunes while obviously crushing on his big bro’s gal. This makes his fate even more heartwrenching. The talented Tierney isn’t given enough to do as the sometimes aloof matriarch, though she is an excellent partner to the blustery, manipulative McCallany is the former fighter denied his glory who now believes he can attain it, along with the big payday, through his boys. For much of the story, he’s more of a villain than any of the wrestling adversaries, and McCallny brings all the intimidation and callousness needed for the role.


This sports saga is told bywriter/director Sean Dirkin who crafts a believable bond between the brothers and deftly recreates the era when wrestling was beginning its steady climb into the mainstream. Dirkins gets great work from the ensemble and makes effective use of the Texas locales. However, the matches themselves seem to lack the trashy campy exhilaration of those big events. Much as in the recent PRISCILLA, the spectacle seems “muted” with the action at a distance and in shadows, perhaps to obscure the backgrounds. We hear some of the chatter between the champs and get a look at their camaraderie in the locker room, but some of the absurdities are “watered down”. Outside the arenas, we never really get to know the brothers, aside from Kev, until the “curse” begins picking them off like an early 80s horror flick stalker. I’m wondering if the story should have had more room “to breathe”, perhaps as a TV mini-series (this may be the reason why one brother, Chris, was completely written out). The last act is given a boost by the big confrontation between father and son but is then diluted by a fantasy/dream sequence that feels cloying and mawkish like something from a film from eighty years ago. Still, this is not to take away from the excellent cast, who “flex their pecks” and give heart to the Von Erichs in THE IRON CLAW.

2.5 Out of 4

THE IRON CLAW is now playing in theatres everywhere

THE IRON CLAW First Trailer Stars Zac Efron, Holt McCallany And Lily James

The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach, the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality on the biggest stage in sports.

Starring Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Stanley Simons, Maura Tierney,
with Holt McCallany and Lily James, watch the new trailer.

From University Of North Texas:

The story of the Von Erichs is one of triumph in the ring and also personal tragedy. In April 1984, Sigma Phi Epsilon sponsored a match that was intended to be a homecoming for David after a tour with All Japan Pro Wrestling. Unfortunately, David fell ill during the tour and died on February 10 of acute enteritis. Brothers Kevin and Mike returned to NTSU in his honor in April to defeat their arch-nemeses the Fabulous Freebirds, Terry Gordy and Michael Hayes. The following February, Kevin made a follow-up appearance at the Men’s Gym to defeat “Gentleman” Chris Adams.

Though Mike Von Erich tried to fill the vacancy left by his brother David, his time in the ring would be short. After suffering a serious shoulder injury during a tour in Israel in 1985, Mike was never able to return to the ring at full strength. Kerry was involved in a life-threatening motorcycle accident in 1986 that resulted in the amputation of his right foot. The next year, frustrated by the injury that had forced his retirement, Mike took his own life. The loss of Mike and David weighed heavily upon the family, especially in the shadow of Fritz’s first son, Jack, who had been killed in an electrical accident at a very young age in 1959.

Chris Von Erich, the youngest of Fritz’s sons, began wrestling in 1990. Unfortunately, his small stature and brittle bones meant that he would never achieve the level of success that his father and brothers had enjoyed. On September 12, 1991, Chris took his own life. Two years later, after the loss of four brothers and still struggling with the aftermath of the motorcycle accident, Kerry Von Erich committed suicide as well.

Though a shadow lay over the family after so many tragic losses, the Von Erich tradition survived. The third generation saw Kevin’s sons Ross and Marshall, and Kerry’s daughter Lacey, competing in the Total Non-stop Action Wrestling brand.

Written and Directed by Sean Durkin, look for THE IRON CLAW in cinemas on December 22.

THE GREATEST BEER RUN EVER – Review

This week’s new film release may seem like more of a Summer escapist flick with an average Joe traveling across the globe and acting like the ole comic trope “the fish out of water”, That notion is somewhat re-enforced by the film’s star, who’s mostly known for musicals and comedies, and by the movie’s marketing team, who are ‘selling it” as a zany romp, Much as with DOG from earlier this year, don’t judge a flick by its cast or ads. That’s because the story’s protagonist is headed to Vietnam… in 1967, the definition of a “hot spot”. Now if this mix of whimsy and social/political upheaval in the “swingin’ 60s”, sounds a bit like the recent Best Picture Oscar winner THE GREEN BOOK (which was set five or six years before this), well you’re pretty perceptive because this is from the same filmmaker who hopes to entertain and enlighten us once again with this true story all about THE GREATEST BEER RUN EVER.

The “run” actually starts in a neighborhood bar in Manhattan on that fateful year. The “mainstays’ are telling tales and busting…chops, as John “Chickie” Donohue (Zac Efron) cajoles the owner/bartender, known affectionately as “The Colonel” (Bill Murray) to put a brew on his “tab”. The spirits are deflated a bit when the TV spews out more images of the deadly combat overseas. Cut to late the next morning as Chickie is rousted out of bed by his bombastic “old man”. Since Chickie’s a merchant marine, and unmarried, he’s crashing with his family since he’s often out to sea for months. The only thing that Pops insists on is that he attended weekend mass. The local church is an oasis of calm after he endures the heated arguments between his folks and his college-age sister Christine (Ruby Ashbourne Serkis). She actually protests the US involvement “over there” at the nearby park, which is the scene of a brawl involving Chickie and a “pub pal”. Back at said “watering hole”, the Colonel wishes he could do something for “the boys” awww, even if he could just bring them a beer. Suddenly an idea pops into Chickies’ pickled brain. He’ll bring the neighbor gang beers since he can work on a cargo ship headed to Nam. He finds out a vessel is shipping out, then fills a battered gym bag full of PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon) cans, along with some cash, letter, and other trinkets from “service families” and dashes to the docks. Before ya know it, he’s in the harbor pleading with his CO for a multi-day leave. Begrudgingly, Chickie gets 72 hours. From there he’s checking names off his list, giving out “not-so-cold ones”, and grabbing truck and copter rides from staffers that think he’s CIA (he is wearing a plaid Sear short-sleeve shirt and jeans). But as Chickie gets farther “in-country”, the horrors of battle may take him down, despite the help of a grizzled news “photog” named Coates (Russell Crowe). Can Chickie get back to his boat in time, or will this “goodwill trip” cost him his life?

With great energy and physicality, Efron dives into this character role in an attempt to break out of the “teen dream’ matinee idol parts. And he often succeeds. His Chickie has goofy charm to spare as he fumbles to express his often conflicting motivations. He truly wants to help the “guys from the block”, but his enthusiasm colors his world view. Chickie thinks that the fellas only need to be shown that their hometown’s behind them. Of course, the guys he finally finds, think that he’s misguided and reckless (“too stupid to get killed”). Efron conveys that sweaty panic as his eyes are fully “opened” to the dirty deeds done in the name of “country”. Doing much to pry those “lids” is Crowe who has the necessary gravitas to “spill the beans” while dodging the bombs to deliver the unvarnished story. Unlike his array of action heroes, Coates is content to click the camera rather than a pistol, as he adopts Chickie almost as a pet or a naive son who must be sent back. Of course, Chickie may not get the neighborhood guys to listen, men like The Colonel, who Murray embodies with none of his snarky attitude. Rather, he’s as straight and unwavering as his impressive silver “buzzcut”. As for the gangs at his pub, the funniest might be Hal Cumpston as Leary, a doofus who switches his opinion with lightning speed (“a flip-flopper”). Lighting up the screen is Kristen Carey as the mother of one of Chickie’s best pals who is MIA. Her inner light for him glows brightly, though we can see that she is braced for the worst.

The aforementioned director is Peter Farrelly, who also co-wrote the adaptation (with Pete Jones and Brian Hayes Currie) of the book the real Chickie wrote with Joanna Molloy. He keeps the story flowing fairly smoothly, though a few of the brief flashbacks tend to slow down the tale’s progression (blips of Chichie with his MIA bud). Plus he goes deep into the heated family dinner table verbal battles that seem to be sparking back up in more recent political and philosophical “showdowns”. But, unlike 2018’s THE GREEN BOOK (four years, really), there’s little time for character interaction. Chickie’s time with the old NYC guys feels truncated as he has to keep moving, and any chemistry with Coates is drowned out by the bombs and bullets. And frankly, the GIs make few impressions as some wonder if they can ever really return home. Some of the “pencil-pushers” who think that Chickie is an “undercover” provide a bit of levity, but it’s scarce. And despite the “R” rating, much of the conflict feels too “tidy” as Chickie can easily reconnect with folks on the way. It feels less DEER HUNTER” and more GOOD MORNING VIETNAM, as the horrors force Chickie into an awareness (maybe a bit “woke”). As Mr. Joel sang, “the good ole days weren’t all that good”, but this is a tune that’s been played too often making this feel like a slightly elevated basic cable dramedy. Perhaps a few brews from the bag would’ve made THE GREATEST BEER RUN EVER go down easier, but it just leaves the viewer with a throbbing movie hangover.

2.5 Out of 4

THE GREATEST BEER RUN EVER opens in select theatres and streams exclusively on AppleTV+ beginning Friday, September 30, 2022

Zac Efron And Russell Crowe Star In Trailer For THE GREATEST BEER RUN EVER – On Apple TV+ September 30

Today Apple unveiled the trailer for the new Peter Farrelly directed, Zac Efron and Russell Crowe film, THE GREATEST BEER RUN EVER, based on a true story.

Look for it on Apple TV+ on September 30, 2022.

To show support for his neighborhood friends serving in Vietnam, Chickie Donohue (Zac Efron) decides to do something totally outrageous: travel to the frontline by himself to bring the soldiers a little piece of home — their favorite can of American beer. However, what started as a well-meaning journey quickly turns into the adventure of a lifetime as Chickie confronts the reality of this controversial war and his reunions with his childhood buddies thrust him into the complexities and responsibilities of adulthood.

Based on an incredible true story, “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” is a heartfelt coming-of-age tale about friendship, loyalty and sacrifice.

Hailing from Skydance Media screenplay is adapted by Farrelly, Brian Currie and Pete Jones, and is based on the book The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A Memoir of Friendship, Loyalty and War, by Joanna Molloy and John “Chickie” Donohue. Producers are David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger on behalf of Skydance, with Andrew Muscato and Jake Myers. The book/source material became a New York Times best seller when it was published in 2020 and generated stories of this journey across a wide spectrum of media and news programming.

FIRESTARTER, Starring Zac Efron, Begins Production In Canada – Watch The Video From Blumhouse

Blumhouse announced today via social media that the company’s film Firestarter, from Universal Pictures, Blumhouse and Weed Road Productions will begin production today in Canada.

Zac Efron (Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, The Greatest Showman) and Michael Greyeyes (Wild Indian, Rutherford Falls, True Detective) have been announced as being cast in the film.

Firestarter is being directed by Keith Tomas (The Vigil) and the script was adapted by Scott Teems (Halloween Kills, Rectify).

The film is based on an adaptation of Stephen King’s classic sci-fi thriller novel “Firestarter.”

Jason Blum and Academy Award® winner Akiva Goldsman will produce. Martha De Laurentiis, who was an associate producer on the 1984 adaptation of Firestarter starring a young Drew Barrymore, will executive produce.
Logline: A young girl develops pyrokinetic abilities and is abducted by a secret government agency that wants to harness her powerful gift as a weapon.

Follow @blumhouse for updates on the company’s projects.

Zac Efron Joins FIRESTARTER – Jason Blum And Akiva Goldsman To Produce

Zac Efron (Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, The Greatest Showman) has signed on to star in FIRESTARTER, the upcoming film from Universal Pictures, Blumhouse Productions and Weed Road Productions, adapted Stephen King’s classic sci-fi thriller novel “Firestarter.”

In the new film “A young girl develops pyrokinetic abilities and is abducted by a secret government agency that wants to harness her powerful gift as a weapon.”

Efron can currently be seen in and produces the highly-successful docu-series Down to Earth on Netflix.

As previously announced, Keith Thomas (The Vigil) will direct the film that is being adapted by writer Scott Teems (Halloween Kills, Rectify), who will also executive produce.

Jason Blum and Academy Award® winner Akiva Goldsman will produce. Martha De Laurentiis, who was an associate producer on the 1984 adaptation of Firestarter starring a young Drew Barrymore, will executive produce.

Firestarter reunites Goldsman and Blum who have previously collaborated on the Paranormal Activity franchise.

Stephen King is a bestselling novelist who made his name in the horror and fantasy genres with books like “Carrie,” “The Shining,” and “IT.”  His books have sold more than 350 million copies worldwide and have been adapted into numerous blockbuster films and television properties.

Efron is represented by CAA, Alchemy Entertainment, Viewpoint and Felker, Toczek, Suddleson, Abramson.

WAMG Giveaway – Win Robert DeNiro in DIRTY GRANDPA on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack


The raunchy comedy Dirty Grandpa comes to 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital) on June 12 from Lionsgate. Follow Robert De Niro and Zac Efron as they play a grandfather and grandson going on a crazy road trip adventure!


It’s time to get down and dirty with the raunchy hilarity of Dirty Grandpa when it arrives on 4K Ultra HD™ Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray™ and Digital) June 12 from Lionsgate. Starring Academy Award® winner Robert De Niro (Best Actor, Raging Bull,1980), Zac Efron, Aubrey Plaza, Zoey Deutch, Julianne Hough, Jason Mantzoukas, Danny, Glover, and Dermot Mulroney, experience four times the resolution of Full HD with 4K, which is also joined by Dolby Vision™ HDR to bring to life the stunning cinematography of this hilarious film. Dolby Vision transforms the TV experience in the home by delivering greater brightness and contrast, as well as a fuller palette of rich colors. The release also features Dolby Atmos® audio mixed specifically for the home to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead. Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh™, the Dirty Grandpa 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack is loaded with special features and will be available for the suggested retail price of $22.99.

Now you can own DIRTY GRANDPA on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack. We Are Movie Geeks has 2 copies to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite movie starring Robert DeNiro? (mine is TAXI DRIVER!). It’s so easy!
Good Luck!

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES.  NO P.O. BOXES.  NO DUPLICATE ADDRESSES.

2. WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES.


Robert De Niro and Zac Efron get down and dirty in this raunchy comedy about a wild road trip shared by an uptight guy and his foul-mouthed granddad.

CAST

Robert De Niro                        Meet the Parents, Silver Linings Playbook, Heist

Zac Efron                                Baywatch, High School Musical 3, Hairspray

Aubrey Plaza                          TV’s “Parks and Recreation,” The To-Do List

Zoey Deutch                           Before I Fall, Why Him?, Vampire Academy

Jason Mantzoukas                 The Dictator, Neighbors, They Came Together

Julianne Hough                       Safe Haven, Footloose, Rock of Ages

SPECIAL FEATURES

  • “Lessons in Seduction” Featurette
  • “Filthy Filmmakers Who Have No Shame” Audio Commentary (Blu-ray™ Only)
  • “The Filthy Truth: The Making of Dirty Grandpa” Featurette
  • “Daytona Heat” Featurette
  • “I Got Nothin’ to Hide: A Look at Daytona’s Most Vibrant Drug Dealer” Featurette
  • Gag Reel

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN – Review

The showman frequently gets a bad rap. Whether it’s trying to get someone to laugh or smile, there are many directors and actors out there who simply love to entertain. They may not be aiming for high art, but they are looking to delight the masses. The best men and women in the business make it look easy. Yet, for all the razzle-dazzle and cheap thrills associated with entertainment for entertainment’s sake, there’s an art to it. It’s an incredible feat when done right; it’s a risk; it’s a high-wire act that could send the performer toppling down if they don’t balance the performance just right.

Hugh Jackman is no stranger to either the stage or the screen. While his best performance of the year might feature him as an aging and depressed alcoholic who is living his last days coming to terms with his impact on the only people left in his life (all the while using his retractable claws to protect those individuals), Jackman commands the role of the singing and dancing circus owner, P.T. Barnum. THE GREATEST SHOWMAN spotlights Jackman’s natural charisma as well as give credence to the art of pleasing a crowd. And there’s no doubt that THE GREATEST SHOWMAN is a real crowd-pleaser.

There’s a classic storytelling approach to Michael Gracey’s film. It’s a family film that takes a page or two from the Pixar playbook by injecting messages about outsiders finding their voice as well as showing the dangers of losing sight of what’s important in life when you’re solely focused on fame. Gracey does a fine job of balancing the message with the spectacle – after all, it is a musical, and he doesn’t forget to let the large-scale dance numbers and toe-tapping numbers shine. Many of the numbers feature stylized choreography like the bar duet “The Other Side.” Zac Efron plays (and drinks) opposite Jackman in this cleverly staged number. Later on, Efron flies high opposite the talented Zendaya in “Rewrite the Stars.” It’s a number where we see both of them express their feelings for one another while performing a series of aerial acrobatic moves (who knew how effective and emotive of an actress Zendaya is). Like so much of the film, it’s obviously a bit on the nose, but it’s hard not to get swept up in the emotions of it all thanks to the two performances.

Fans of traditional musicals might find the more contemporary tunes a bit jarring in relation to the time period. Most songs feature an interlude or breakdown that seems prime for audiences to set down their popcorn and clap along. This isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy the catchiness of them, but they are obviously orchestrated as pop melodies as opposed to classical songs you’ll remember long after the credits.

Hugh Jackman may serve as the ringleader and take center stage throughout, but the film works because of the entire ensemble. It’s not a one-man show, and the screenplay by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon lets some of the circus performers really stand out. This is especially true of the “bearded lady” Lettie Lutz played by Keala Settle, who makes her amazing voice and strong personality be heard. While children will connect with THE GREATEST SHOWMAN because of its colorful imagery and the “outsiders rising up” theme, parents will appreciate the old-fashioned storytelling on display, reminding us that we all enjoy a wholesome and entertaining show.

 

Overall score: 3.5 out of 5

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN opens everywhere on December 20th

 

Win Passes To The Advance Screening Of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN In St. Louis

“The Greatest Showman” is a bold and original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and the sense of wonder we feel when dreams come to life. Inspired by the ambition and imagination of P.T. Barnum, “The Greatest Showman” tells the story of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a mesmerizing spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.

“The Greatest Showman” is directed by exciting new filmmaker, Michael Gracey, with songs by Academy Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“La La Land”) and starring Academy Award nominee Hugh Jackman. Jackman is joined by Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams, Zendaya, Zac Efron and Rebecca Ferguson.

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN OPENS IN THEATERS NATIONWIDE DECEMBER 20, 2017

WAMG invites you to enter for the chance to win TWO (2) seats to the advance screening of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN on December 10 at 10:00AM in the St. Louis area.

Answer the Following:

What is the title of the 2003 Broadway musical Jackman starred in based on the life of singer/songwriter Peter Allen?

TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.

2. No purchase necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house.

RATING: PG

www.foxmovies.com/movies/the-greatest-showman

P.T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman) comes alive with the oddities in Twentieth Century Fox’s THE GREATEST SHOWMAN.