One of the few shows that originated on the old DuMont network to reach pop culture classic status, "The Honeymooners," starring late great actor/comedians Jackie Gleason and Art Carney, was the epitome of smart, sophisticated 1950s television, and one of the first true situation comedies. Now, some 50 years later, it is in for a remake I wouldn't wish for my worst enemy. Brooklyn bus driver Ralph Kramden, played by "Be Cool's" Cedric The Entertainer, and his bumbling sidekick and neighbor, sewer worker Ed Norton (Mike Epps), engage in a series of goofy get-rich-quick schemes, including a Y2K survival kit, a valuer fanny pack and a pet cactus, among other things. They also purchase an old Pullman train car (found in the sewer) and try to train a greyhound mutt they found in a dumpster to compete in a big race in New Jersey. The trouble here is that these situation are not funny. And the acting is well below par, even for this kind of film. Sure, Cedric huffs and puffs and does his best exasperated Gleason, and Epps tries to emulate Art Carney's giddy, nervous energy, but it's all a poor imitation of more beloved and better defined characters. I'd say fewer than five percent of the preview audience had ever heard of, let alone seen, the original TV series, so there were some laughs (just not from me or any real fans of the program). Alice (Gabrielle Union, "Bad Boys II") and Trixie (Regina Hall, "King's Ransom") were no help, either, and their subplot dealing with a sleazy developer (Eric Stoltz) was really lame. In fact, John Leguizamo (as the crazed dog trainer, Scout), is the only even remotely interesting person in the picture.
Review of The Honeymooners
