philsammarco-724-572843 Reviews

The Change-Up (2011)

6.3 Rating Seems Fair

[6/10 · 14 June 2022]

Although I am a big fan of Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman, you can see here two very likable, comedic actors putting in a lot of energy and effort still need good writing.

The Change-Up is not even close to being as funny as The Hangover written by the same team. The plot is the well-worn body switching device where the lead characters find out they actually prefer their own life (i.e. Body). Even if I overlook the unoriginal premise, the jokes don't get beyond obvious situational set-ups. I have no problem with nudity and foul language, but it seems forced almost every time it is presented in the film.

This is a movie you simply watch on your streaming service because Reynolds and Bateman are fun to watch. No more, no less.

The Lone Ranger (2013)

Pirates in the Wild West - Is this the Best They Can Do?

[6/10 · 28 June 2013]

The Lone Ranger is a long movie with some humor, some drama and unrestrained action that runs right off the rails. The pun is intended. None of these elements while perhaps balanced bring enough to make this a great picture. Johnny Depp does his best with a character who seems to have had the potential in the script room to be more interesting. Armie Hammer does not bring the on-screen gravitas to pull off the lead hero. A stronger, more charismatic actor might have drawn people to the hero and pulled his weight along side Johnny Depp. Now Silver put in a strong supporting performance that is sure to be overlooked come Oscar time.

As many a movie that runs long and falls short, The Lone Ranger could benefit from some basic editing. There is a storytelling tool involving a small boy that does very little to add to the entertainment and advance the story. Perhaps the boy is there to hammer home the target audience is your children. Additionally, I lost track of how many times the heroes are captured and escape and visa versa how many times the villain is captured and escapes. It kind of goes round and round like that which might appeal to younger audiences, but that leads to another issue.

If you are marketing this movie to truly younger audiences with toys*, games and possibly an amusement ride, the on-screen violence is quite constant, graphic and dark. And basically, the film is just not that fun.

It seems obvious that this movie was reverse engineered. Hey, let's get the Pirates of the Caribbean gang together (Depp, Verbinski, writers, etc) and build a Disney blockbuster! Okay, now let's develop a concept. I expect due to the Disney marketing machine the film will meet with some box office success, but it will be panned by critics (and many adults). Based on what I saw, I am not sure The Lone Ranger has legs as a franchise.

* Seriously, Lone Ranger Lego blocks are ages 8-14? What were you doing when you were 14?