Film Review: The Muppets

I wasn't a kid that was brought up on the Muppets, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate their zany antics as much as the next person. Indeed, it's almost impossible to resist the charms of these feral felt fellows who brought us such classics as 'Mahna Mahna' and an arguably better rendition of Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. After nearly twelve years since their last outing on our screens in the somewhat tepid Muppets From Space, Kermit and the gang are back struggling to figure out whether they're still relevant in the modern world.

Gary (Segel) and brother Walter (Linz) are lifelong Muppet fans. When they take a trip to visit the famous Muppet Studios, Walter learns of a diabolical scheme by nefarious Tex Richman (Cooper) to destroy the site in search for oil. That is, unless Gary and Walter can reunite the now disparate Muppets in an effort to raise $10million.

As far as plot conventions go, The Muppets uses one of the oldest in the book - that of some great obstacle facilitating the reconciliation of a group long since disbanded. There's nothing wrong with this, but it isn't exactly a fresh take on the concept either. But this is really just an excuse to get all these weird little creatures in one room, doing weird little things to each other, which is essentially what the Muppets are all about. This would have been fine, had the script been a tad sharper. There were so many moments in The Muppets where the set up gave a palpable sense of a devastatingly sharp punchline, only frequently to be delivered with a tepidness which can only be described as slightly disappointing. One moment for example involves Walter asking Gary to throw him over Kermit's fence. Gary's girlfriend, Mary (Adams) warns that it looks electric, but Gary throws Walter into it anyway. Sure enough, Walter receives a zap to the nether regions for Amy to confirm with the punchline "Yep, it's an electric fence". Maybe it was the delivery, but it certainly induced a cringing groan. And yet, it would be unfair to say this is typical of the film's humour. A joke involving 'travel by map' in a piss-take of Indiana Jones is well realised, as are the more simple pleasures of chickens performing their own take of Cee-Lo Green's 'Forget You'.

Jason Segel, who also co-wrote this with Nick Stoller (Get Him To The Greek), rightly takes a back seat with the rest of the non-Muppet cast. You can certainly tell that Segel is a huge Muppets fan, although there is a lasting impression that he has perhaps treated the subject material with a bit too much reverence. While the Muppets remain effusive throughout proceedings, there is an underlying feeling that they're never quite let off the chain to display all their wacky glory. As for the other human involvement, Amy Adam's purpose as Gary's girlfriend is never really justified, serving more as an irritation than anything else. If The Muppets really wanted a love story arc, then it would have done better to concentrate more on Kermit and Miss Piggy. Chris Cooper however is better as smarmy bad-guy Tex Richman, displaying a natural panache for this type of character, reminiscent of his roles in the Bourne movies. Unfortunately though The Muppet's celebrity cameos aren't nearly as impressive. Throughout you expect an A-lister to swing in from the rafters but by the end it is Jack Black who is held up to be the pinnacle of Hollywood talent here. Which is saying something.

The Muppets are most definitely charming, however the film has a habit of losing its way in places or not quite hitting that high note. It can be sharp, and there are a couple of more than decent musical scores written by Flight Of The Conchord's Bret McKenzie such as the brilliant 'Man Or Muppet', but there are some equally bland affairs. Moreover though this remains cheery and effervescent throughout, which is the film's main strength. As a neutral you will certainly find enjoyable moments, but The Muppets is primarily for grown-up fans who will be able to ignore or forgive its faults and bask in its overall clout.

Film Review: Friends With Benefits

Friends With Benefits is the second film this year about fuck buddies. Following in the footsteps of No Strings Attached, there seems to be a shift in direction for rom-coms in this post-modern era where the done thing is to mock the traditional format's enshrined conventions. And yet everything it tries to do for reinventing the genre all inevitably comes full circle when you realise that, hang on a second, this is a rom-com.

Dylan (Timberlake) is a successful web designer based in LA recently dumped by his girlfriend on account of being too emotionally unavailable. Jamie (Kunis) is a corporate headhunter in New York, also recently dumped for being "damaged" and having a too idealistic view of love. Both vowing henceforth to act like George Clooney in a bid to not get hurt next time round, the two meet when Jamie sets Dylan up for an interview at GQ magazine. The disillusioned couple become friends and soon hitch upon a plan to service each other without any of those pesky emotions getting involved.

Friends With Benefits ultimately falls foul of the same serendipitously cliched trap Hollywood lays for all its rom-coms. It must follow the formula where one person expresses unreciprocated love, only for the other person to realise they've made a huge mistake whereby the third act they kiss and make up through some grand gesture at an iconic location. There's only one manner in which a film of this nature will be allowed to end, and that's where everything is resolved in a way that will never happen to you. That's not to say that Friends With Benefits isn't fun, but for all it does to profess its difference it eventually succumbs to the same cliches and consequently feels a little hypocritical. Indeed, it goes great lengths to scorning rom-com norms, even inserting a little mock film featuring Jason Segel which rips on every shibboleth used in the genre. Of course this movie wouldn't really work if Dylan and Jamie did their business and went their separate ways at the end, no harm done. Those irksome things called emotions have to get in the way and send their initial agreement down shit creek without a paddle. Consequently it means the characters become slaves to the stereotypes they seek to smash whereby the end was never really in doubt.

But! And yes there is a but! Friends With Benefits has a spark which is much to do with its fantastic cast and script. Timberlake for one seems to be carving out quite a name for himself as an actor, turning out decent performances in The Social Network and Bad Teacher. He's equally adept at Dylan, a slightly effeminate meterosexual with intimacy issues. Kunis also glimmers as an insecure old romantic looking for the same true love shown in the very films she mocks. The banter between the two is sharp. You know when you look back on a moment and you think "fuck, that's what I should have said"? Well, these two cats will say the right thing at the right time without fail. Indeed, Timberlake and Kunis' chemistry add a vitality to proceedings which sets this film apart from the other mush in the genre. You just enjoy watching them, and that's almost enough. The supporting cast are also fantastic. Woody Harrelson is superb as Tommy, a vivaciously gay colleague who offers Dylan the chance to join him and "troll for cock". Likewise, Patricia Clarkson steals more than a scene as Jamie's alcoholic, free-loving Mum while Jenna Elfman is perfect as Dylan's world-weary sister. However, the quietly understated role of Dylan's Alzheimers afflicted father, played by Richard Jenkins, is pure gold. In his lucid moments Mr. Harper grounds proceedings by offering his pearls of wisdom. In his not-so-lucid moments he's running about with his trousers round his ankles.

While Friends With Benefits doesn't add anything new to the genre but it still manages to make this overused formula entertaining. The cast is excellent as is the onscreen chemistry. It's cute and enjoyable (if these things don't already sicken you) and a hell of a lot better than this year's earlier attempt, No Strings Attached. Timberlake and Kunis bring a glib, relaxed aura, never taking themselves too seriously which only makes them more likeable. They just do it better than Kutcher and Portman. If No Strings Attached were the missionary position, Friends With Benefits is the Kama Sutra.

Film Review: Bad Teacher

We've all had them, terrible teachers who scarcely inspire their class to learn. Bad Teacher takes this concept and turns it on its head. Rather than having a teacher who is merely incompetent, Diaz's Bad Teacher just plain doesn't give a fuck. It's actually a wonder what you have to do in the US to become an 'educator'...

Dumped by her rich fiance, lazy, vain, gold-digging teacher Elizabeth Halsey (Diaz) is forced to shelve plans for early retirement and return to the school she thought she quit for good. Upon her return, wealthy, but naive new teacher Scott Delacorte (Timberlake) reignites Elizabeth's hopes of finding a sugar daddy. However, Scott spurns Elizabeth's advances in favour for the school's model teacher, Amy Squirrel (Punch). The inevitable clash of good against bad ensues.

Bad Teacher is hardly the most imaginative comedy given the material, but its reprehensible humour and tongue-in-cheek misogynism remain an enjoyable affair. Diaz's Elizabeth will stop at nothing to ensnare Scott, deciding the best way to do so is with a boob job. Elizabeth's caustic brand of guiltless hedonism burns through the sickly pleasantries of the staff room as she goes about raising money for the operation via any means necessary. Elizabeth is not above embezzling funds from a school carwash and stealing exam papers in a bid to get the best results in the state and thus a cash prize. Lust plays second fiddle to her avarice as what makes this all the more enjoyable and refreshing is that the script hasn't bothered to endow Diaz's character with any redeeming features. Indeed, Diaz's portrayal of a mischievous, materialistic and wholly nihilistic bitch actually becomes endearing. Where our opening introduction to Elizabeth generates an immediate dislike for the character, she slowly evolves and twists as the audience begins to warm to her.

This is in contrast to Timberlake and Punch's sickly duo, who start out as a bit drippy, a bit dorky, but ultimately inoffensive. However, they soon get incredibly annoying, despite having done nothing inherently wrong. Timberlake's Scott is a hipster prat with no opinion of his own, doing his best to mould into whatever shape the social setting requires of him. By the end of the film he comes across as an insufferable prick. Likewise, Punch transforms into a conniving bitch, and while it is clear to see that it is Elizabeth's actions which have driven her to madness, you can't help but enjoy watching Diaz burn her time and again. Punch is however the most colourful foil to Diaz, partly because she's the most driven and obsessive when compared to the other characters. Segel's Russell Gettis, while resigned mostly to the background, is also excellent as a down-to-earth gym teacher who observes the idiots that inhabit the world with quiet amusement. While he understands Elizabeth's game, he still wants to date her anyway. It's actually a bit of a shame at how underused Segel is and you just wish his pleasantly laid-back character was on screen more.

Perhaps Bad Teacher's biggest problem is that it doesn't really know where it wants to go. Diaz's character is "too bad" to be allowed to claim total victory in her selfish quest, and yet she doesn't exactly get dealt the justice for her abhorrent behaviour either. Instead, Elizabeth is left somewhere in limbo. While there are small signs that she might be willing to reconsider her values, ultimately the overbearing impression is that the unrepentant anti-hero got away without comeuppance. Likewise, as a character Elizabeth isn't all that fleshed out. For example, there is no explanation as to how or why this selfish little money grabber got into teaching anyway. Indeed, it is a strange career path for a person with such motivations. Also, minus Punch, there is a criticism to be made that the rest of the supporting cast at times appear a little inconsequential. They have tendencies to appear, do what is required of them, then evaporate into a whispy mist until needed again.

Despite the negatives, Bad Teacher certainly doesn't deserve an F. Diaz herself is the best thing about the film and she alone deserves at least a B. Ultimately this is rude, crude, but thoroughly good fun throughout.