Movie 43

Cast of Characters:
Amy - Elizabeth Banks
Supergirl - Kristen Bell
Emily - Halle Berry
Wonder Woman - Leslie Bibb
Arlene - Kate Bosworth
Leprechaun #1/Leprechaun #2 - Gerard Butler
Anson - Josh Duhamel
Julie - Anna Faris
Boss - Richard Gere
Coach Jackson - Terrence Howard
Davis - Hugh Jackman
Pete - Johnny Knoxville
Robin - Justin Long
Mikey - Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Amanda - Chloe Grace Moretz
Robert - Liev Schreiber
Brian - Seann William Scott
Veronica - Emma Stone
Batman - Jason Sudeikis
Lois Lane - Uma Thurman
Samantha - Naomi Watts
Beth - Kate Winslet

Director - Steven Brill, Peter Farrelly, Will Graham, Steve Carr, Griffin Dunne, James Duffy, Jonathan van Tulleken, Elizabeth Banks, Patrik Forsberg, Brett Ratner, Rusty Cundieff & James Gunn
Screenplay - Will Carlough, Tobias Carlson, Jacob Fleisher, Patrik Forsberg, Will Graham, James Gunn, Claes Kjellstrom, Jack Kukoda, Bill O’Malley, Matthew Portenoy, Greg Pritikin, Rocky Russo, Olle Sarri, Elizabeth Shapiro, Jeremy Sosenko, Jonathan van Tulleken, & Jonas Wittenmark
Rated R for strong pervasive crude and sexual content including dialogue, graphic nudity, language and some violence

      In what took nearly ten years to develop, Movie 43, a dark sketch comedy featuring an all-star cast, was finally released in the winter of 2013. The long stretch of time for development and production was mostly due to no studio wanting to give the script a green light - until Relativity Media picked it up - as well as working around the multiple directors and stars’ schedules. Having now been released, is it worth your time?

      Like 1977's The Kentucky Fried Movie, this isn’t a straightforward, linear story like most typical films, but a series of individual sketches (each with its own director and cast). They’re all connected though by an a main plot involving three teenagers attempting to download “the most banned movie in the world”, Movie 43, which may or may not bring about the downfall of civilization.

      The ten sketches - as well as “commercial advertisements” in between - are meant to be offensive and politically incorrect. The Catch features Beth (Kate Winslet) going on a blind date with Davis (Hugh Jackman), a man with an extremely peculiar physical abnormality that answers her question as to why he’s still single. Homeschooled features Robert (Liev Schreiber) and Samantha (Naomi Watts) who perform an unorthodox way of homeschooling their son. Happy Birthday stars Brian (Seann William Scott) who gets a birthday gift of a kidnapped, extremely foul mouthed leprechaun (Gerard Butler) from his best friend Pete (Johnny Knoxville). Victory’s Glory stars Terrence Howard as a coach in a satire of the “black school athletes overcome insert white dominated sport here” dramas we’ve seen one too many of. Those are just to name a few of the sketches.

      I love dark, edgy, politically incorrect humor. To me, nothing’s off-limits. In fact, one of the directors, Peter Farrelly, is best known for delivering some of the funniest, most politically incorrect comedies of the 90's (Dumb & Dumber, Kingpin, There’s Something About Mary, etc.). Movie 43, though, is more a mediocre offering than a non-stop laughs hit. The biggest problem with the film is the main plot connecting the sketches. It was completely unnecessary, and terribly dumbed down and pointless. The Kentucky Fried Movie was a series of unconnected sketches and it worked. You already have your plots. They’re the individual sketches. There’s absolutely no need for a central plot here, especially one as stupid as this one. Don’t get me wrong. Out of the ten sketches, five got me to laugh out loud. Victory’s Glory, in particular, was hilarious with the nervous, all black basketball team questioning their coach who keeps reminding them, “You’re black!” “So, coach, you’re saying if we just all give 110% out there...” “Shit, give 110%. Give 50%. Give 3%. It don't matter. You're black!”. Both Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts are great - in a bit you’d never expect to see Watts in - as parents that, despite homeschooling their teenage son, still go to great lengths to give their son that “high school experience” whether its scribbling “KEVIN IS A FAG!” on the fridge or going through that awkward first kiss (yeah, do the math on that one). Justin Long’s in a clever bit as Robin attending a speed-dating session who keeps on getting harassed by Batman (Jason Sudeikis), and Gerard Butler’s almost unrecognizable, scrunched down to the size of a tiny leprechaun in a funny sketch of his own with an interesting twist at the end. All things considered, I still said five out of ten, meaning for every skit that got me to laugh out loud, there was one that fell flat. I’m all for politically incorrect humor that’s as offensive as you can get. That being said, politically incorrect humor for the sake of just having it isn’t offensive to me, it’s just lazy writing.

      I love raunchy, nothing's off-limits type comedies if they’re well written, and it’s always great to see A-list performers such as Richard Gere, Halle Berry, Naomi Watts, and Kate Winslet (who happens to be my favorite actress), who are normally known for dramatic work, star in a vehicle that allows them to let loose and not be so serious. Unfortunately, while I didn’t hate this film as much as others seem to have, it’s just not as good as I'd like it to be. I’m still gonna be that lone voice in the wilderness and give it a mild recommendation. Obviously, having opened earlier in the year, this is a late review, so chances are it’ll be available to rent soon. If you go for the rental, throw in The Kentucky Fried Movie and also Mars Attacks! - another all-star driven comedy - in with it as well. You know, I’d love maybe someday to see another raunchy, offensive, all-star cast driven comedy, be it a series of sketches or just one storyline, that’s well written and is able to knock it out of the park. Peter Farrelly’s done it before with his brother. There’s no reason it can’t happen again. I give Movie 43 a C+ (★★½).