With the exception of The Departed, all of these movies star actors better known for the television work. I hadn’t noticed that until just a second ago. I wonder if there is any significance to that?
On DVD, Big Nothing is a dark comedy about an upstanding husband (David Schwimmer) with a medical condition who gets involved with two new acquaintances to make a quick score. The scheme goes wildly off track, and chaos ensues. Unfortunately, neither Holly nor I recall anything even remotely comedic about the film. Do not waste your time.
Also on DVD, The Departed won a number of Academy Awards in 2006, including for Best Movie. Obviously, much has been said about this movie, but so I’ll only say that the movie is excellent. Jack Nicholson seems to always be great, and the rest of the cast is fine, though I doubt I’ll ever be a huge fan of Mark Wahlberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, Alec Baldwin, or even Matt Damon. Regardless, a definite must-see.
In theaters, License to Wed stars Mandy Moore and John Krasinski (from The Office“) as an engaged couple taking a pre-marital course with Reverend Frank (played by Robin Williams). Failure to pass the course means Reverend Frank won’t marry you. It’s not clear until the end whether Reverend Frank is trying to sabotage the engagement or trying to make their bond stronger. For the first time in a while, I enjoyed Williams’ zany character, which made it more than bearable.
Finally, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry stars Kevin James and Adam Sandler was two firemen who pretend to be gay so that James can secure his pension benefits for his children. Of course, as two gay firemen, they come under scrutiny from friends, co-workers, and the department (there is no mention of family other than James’ two children. Of course, there are plenty of summer moments, but there are lots of plot holes and the resolution of the most important scene is dumb. Definitely not a comedy classic, but decently funny.
