Stuck on You (2003)
I don't know who the Farrelly Brothers
are making films for these days, but they certainly
aren't making them for mainstream, American audiences.
They certainly aren't making comedies anymore either.
With the trajectory that their sorrowful career arc
is taking, it is hard to imagine them ever captivating
audiences they way they did with "There's Something
about Mary" or busting our collective guts again the
way that they did with "Dumb and Dumber" and liberating
us of our precious leisure-budgeted dollars.
"Stuck on You" is firmly in the
mold of "Kingpin" and "Shallow Hal." The Farrellys
have begun to create minor comedies with some sort
of social conscious. In "Shallow Hal," they chastised
American audiences for making fun of fat people while
making fun of them for 90 minutes and then ending
the film with a heartfelt moment. "Stuck on You" does
just about the same for anyone who has a physical
abnormality. This is a film that suggests it is wrong
to make fun of people who are different than ourselves
while exploiting every physically and mentally abnormal
person it can find to cast.
But the Farrellys' "message" movie
does have a decent heart. It is surprising how easy
it is to feel empathy for the lead character(s) here.
Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear are very good actors and
they treat the material here as a real story. They
aren't here to get laughs even though, I'm sure, both
of them signed on thinking it would give them a chance
to be in a real comedy. Damon, who looks a little
chubby here, is still charming, likeable and cute.
Kinnear, while not particularly handsome, does have
some really nice moments. It's really odd to watch
a Farrelly Brothers film and feel something for the
characters. While this was also true in "Shallow Hal,"
the effect is even more prominent here.
Sadly, one can't say anything nice
of the appearance of Cher or Meryl Streep. They are
just awful here proving that neither one of them have
a penchant for humor. Streep was better served by
last year's "Adaptation" (mainly because it had a
superior screenwriter and director in the personages
of Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze respectively).
I wish Streep would have skipped this excuse for a
film so she could have taken the lead in John Waters'
"A Dirty Shame" instead. Cher, meanwhile, also playing
herself, is supposed to be a bitch. It doesn't work.
We know Cher isn't a bitch. Even if she has a last
minute change of heart in the film, we can't believe
her because we know her real life persona all too
well. It's an admirable try by Cher and a nice idea
by the Farrellys but it lands with a dull thud when
played out. (Sadly, the marketing morons at Fox ruined
the best gag in the film when Cher appears with "Malcolm
in the Middle's" Frankie Munoz in bed.)
(Note to self: Wouldn't they be
awesome in a remake of "Harold and Maude." Maybe not.
Still, someone should remake it. How about Helen Mirren
and Wiley Wiggins?)
"Stuck on You" features a number
of Farrelly regulars and introduces us to a whole
slew of physically and mentally challenged people.
The most noteworthy of these is Ray "Rocket" Valliere.
The Farrelly's, apparently hoping to get into heaven,
self-promote their generosity and compassionate nature
by including a rambling, meandering, pointless speech
by Rocket in the end of the film thanking everyone
under the stars. It's the not-so- perfect end to a
film that is full of weird ideas that seem to be simply
going nowhere, much like the Farrellys' career.
Notes:
Also with Griffin Dunne (also as
himself), Jeffrey Ross, Eva Mendes and Seymour Cassel.
With cameos by Jay Leno, Luke Wilson
and Jessie Ventura
The Farrelly Brothers, Peter and
Bobby, co-wrote the story, wrote the screenplay, co-produced
and directed this film.
While the use of 70's pop songs
in this film is nice, including "Moonlight Feels Right"
by Starbuck's and "Baby I'm-a Want You" by Bread (which,
sadly, ends in a "fag" joke). Oddly the song "Stuck
with You" by Huey Lewis and the News is not used.
Also with the Pixies' "Here Comes my Man."
Filmed in L.A., Miami, and Martha's
Vineyard.
At one time, Jim Carrey and Woody
Allen were set to play the brothers. Then it was to
be Will Smith and Ben Stiller.
Viewed in Austin in December 2003.
