British Comedy Guide

I've just seen... Page 72

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Laughing out loud!

Laughing out loud

Laughing out loud

Just been out to see The Kids Are Alright. It was pretty good, though not the must-see I'd rather been expecting. Central performances excellent - obviously Annette Bening & Julianne Moore, but also Mark Ruffalo. Also a very good newcomer performance (playing the daughter) from Mia Wasikowska - watch out for more from her.

It felt slightly overlong at 106 mins, perhaps because it ran out of things to say? Or maybe it was more that it didn't really know what it was trying to say, beyond some rather obvious truisms. The story was solid but predictable. It rather petered out towards the end - again it felt like the writer-director had run out of ideas. It also got a tiny bit preachy and self-righteous, though not so as to completely ruin it. A couple of the characters, notably the son, were very vague and didn't really go anywhere. Actually (and, to be fair, this makes a change from the norm) both male leads were very underwritten compared with the female characters. The writing was fun and sharp, especially in the first half, but it certainly wasn't as funny a film as I'd expected. The laughs tended to come from great performance rather than much inherently funny in the script.

The lesbian couple/marriage hook was dealt with very well, I thought (at least from the point of view of this heterosexual male). Certainly the issue didn't dominate the film in any way, although it probably played a part in the fates the characters were ultimately dealt. Where the film was strong was in identifying the importance/difficulties of family/relationships, whatever the mix. Any sexual politics or message it was trying to convey was done relatively subtly.

I'd recommend seeing it, just not with massively high expectations. :)

Yes, I want to see that. But as with most films I'll wait two years until it's 3 pounds in Asda's bargain bucket.

I saw The Killer Inside Me last night and boy was that gruesome. I quite enjoyed it though.

Rewatched Scott Pilgrim again last night. Even better on second watch.

Quote: Nat Wicks @ November 1 2010, 10:23 AM BST

Rewatched Scott Pilgrim again last night. Even better on second watch.

I didn't watch it last night. I will tonight probably. BUt I also have Superman TAS sitting waiting to be watched

We watched the Nightmare On Elm Street remake last night. Whilst it wasn't good by any means, I did manage to last all the way through it without throwing it out of the window.

11:14 A black comedy about a bunch of people whose lives intersect during a hit and run. Like Crash crossed with Go. Pretty decent, and another good Poundland purchase.

I was in Poundland today. I had heard tell of an After Eight Santa, but there were none to be found. :(

Quote: chipolata @ November 1 2010, 9:42 PM BST

11:14 A black comedy about a bunch of people whose lives intersect during a hit and run. Like Crash crossed with Go. Pretty decent, and another good Poundland purchase.

Oh, I have that somewhere. So it's good? I might watch it sometime then. :)

Quote: Nil Putters @ November 1 2010, 9:58 PM BST

Oh, I have that somewhere. So it's good?

It has it's faults, but I enjoyed it.

Quote: zooo @ November 1 2010, 9:47 PM BST

I was in Poundland today. I had heard tell of an After Eight Santa, but there were none to be found. :(

Always with the Christmas! And in the "I've just seen" thread!

But, but...

You brought up Poundland!!

The Other Guys. I'm a Will Ferrell fan, but I had to turn that shit off after an hour. I seem to remember it getting good write ups, too.

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