Monday Morning Poll: What Happened to the Farrelly Brothers?
Filed under: Comedy, Box Office, Fandom, Dreamworks, Remakes and Sequels, Monday Morning Poll
I have to say, there was a time when I would really look forward to a new Farrelly Brothers flick. But not long after There's Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber and Outside Providence (a personal favorite, which was written by the boys, who did not direct it), they began to lose it. The downward spiral began with Me, Myself and Irene, continued with Shallow Hal and bottomed out with Stuck on You. And it's real sad that I've come to the point where I've actually skipped their last two films, Fever Pitch (directed, but not written by) and The Heartbreak Kid. But some felt The Heartbreak Kid would be their rebound film; reuniting with Ben Stiller for the first time since Mary, the brothers were sure to find their magic again. Unfortunately, they did not. The film, which was predicted to open at number one this weekend with at least $20 million, came in at number two (with only $14 million) behind The Game Plan (a film in its second week; it grabbed $16.3 million).
The film marks the first "bomb" for DreamWorks this year, and who are they blaming for the lackluster opening? Yup, the critics. But if the critics -- and their harsh reviews (including one from our own James Rocchi) -- are to blame, then how do you explain the box office success that was Norbit? That film is currently sitting at a dreadful 9% at Rotten Tomatoes, while The Heartbreak Kid is at 30%. So did moviegoers all of a sudden decide to listen to the critics? Or is DreamWorks just looking to blame someone other than themselves and the Farrelly Brothers? Personally, with the success that Judd Apatow has had in these last two years, I really feel people expect more out of their comedy. That, coupled with poor placement and crappy-looking trailers, kept people away from Stiller and Co. this past weekend. But that's just my opinion ...
... so here's where I ask you: Why didn't you go see The Heartbreak Kid this weekend?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-08-2007 @ 12:03PM
E said...
I thought it'd be funny from the preview but after I read some reviews I decided not to go. I blame it on the critics. I'll watch it when it hits cable.
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10-08-2007 @ 12:37PM
en said...
Yeah -- too bad "Stuck on You" and "Fever Pitch" are their two best movies by far -- detailed, thoughtful, funny, awesome. Your hunch about "The Heartbreak Kid" happens to be correct. But if I'm waiting for a return to form, it's certainly not to the form of "Outside Providence."
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10-08-2007 @ 12:39PM
Cincinnati Mike said...
Oh man--Fever Pitch. The Farrelly's do a "date movie," inflict Jimmy Fallon upon us and ruin a Nick Hornby story in the process. Thanks for reminding me!
As for Heartbreak Kid--maybe it's Stiller fatigue. Seems like he's in ten films a year!
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10-08-2007 @ 1:08PM
Mr. Negative said...
I don't know about 'Fever Pitch', pretty much because Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore are in it, but why does everybody hate 'Stuck On You' so damn much? I agree with "en", it's very thoughtful and funny and Greg Kinnear and Matt Damon are perfect in it. I really thought 'Stuck' was going to be their comeback movie but the good will didn't last.
Personally, I stayed away from 'The Heartbreak Kid' because the trailer was awful and was shocked to find out it was the Farrellys behind it. It just looks freakin' terrible. Case closed. If your trailer sucks, how bad is the movie going to be?
Stiller and the Farrellys are passe. Apatow and Rogan are the team to beat now.
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10-08-2007 @ 2:13PM
Pepe said...
Ben Stiller is a one note actor and we have all heard that note way too many times.
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10-08-2007 @ 2:04PM
Robin said...
The Heartbreak Kid just looked like a sh***y movie. That's why I didn't go see it.
I like Stiller in Mary, Dodgeball, even in Anchorman. This movie looked horrible.
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10-08-2007 @ 2:24PM
KMF said...
For me in general I just don't like their brand of humour, and then I didn't like how they remade the original over in a crass, vulgar manner. I loved James Rocchi's review btw.
I remember a loonnnngggg time ago, when Ben Stiller was funny. I'm probably one of the ten people who enjoyed The Ben Stiller Show back in the early 90's.
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10-08-2007 @ 2:28PM
Josh said...
I did see it, and guess what? It was as crappy as everyone has said it is; bad, bad, bad. Big waste of time.
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10-08-2007 @ 3:05PM
Dana said...
Why didn't I see it?
Carlos Mencia.
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10-08-2007 @ 3:13PM
Sam said...
Didn't The Ringer come after Fever Pitch?
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10-08-2007 @ 4:24PM
kevjohn said...
The trailer(s). The first one had me giggling ever-so-slightly, the first time I saw it. The 9 times after that I realized I had no desire to sit through an entire movie of that mess. I mean, that little clip with the mariachi band was enough to kill my interest alone. Then the second trailer came out, the one with more Rob Corddry and jerry Stiller. Even though I like both those guys the clips in that trailer looked even worse. Formulaic and unfunny. And if Ben Still wants to take a 10-year vacation, that'd be fine by me.
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10-08-2007 @ 5:07PM
Jennifer said...
I saw it this weekend, mainly because some people I know who have had a really, really bad week picked it out and were in need of some humor. Had I not been doing a favor (as it were), I wouldn't have remotely wanted to see it, and sure as hell wish I could take my $10 back. I expected it to be bad, but not this bad. Or more like, this mean.
I think it's telling when the teenage boys in the audience are coming out of this one going, "What the hell was THAT?"
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10-08-2007 @ 10:25PM
donny said...
Q: Why didn't you go see The Heartbreak Kid this weekend?
A: Way better things to do with my $19.90 (admission for 2). Not that I won't see it...I'll rent it if there isn't anything else to see that week.
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10-10-2007 @ 9:31AM
MosquitoControl said...
Carlos Mencia is a good reason not to see anything.
As is Ben Stiller. He's not a one-note actor, unlike what was previously mentioned. He's a two-note actor. He can be either somewhat-bitter-everyman-who-makes-slightly-bad-choices-with-horribly-embarrassing-consequences or he can be really-over-the-top-guy.
One of those is the same character all the time, the other is different characters played the exact same way.
And I refuse to watch any of them.
That entire group of actors is spoiled for me. Owen Wilson makes me want to shoot myself (jumping point - You, Me and Dupree ads.) Vince Vaughn may be going that way (possible jumping point - The Ex.) They're just too much in autopilot, no longer playing a character but playing themselves playing a character.
Luke Wilson still cracks me up.
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