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Movie Review: Ted [2012]

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Ted [2012]

Ted [2012]
Director: Seth MacFarlane
Genre: Comedy/Fantasy
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane, Joel McHale and Giovanni Ribisi
Runtime: 106 minutes

In theory, Ted shouldn’t work. Not only is this the first feature-length film from director Seth MacFarlane, who is responsible for the long-past-its-prime Family Guy (among other animated TV shows), but this is also a movie about a freakin’ talking teddy bear. The odds were against Ted being a quality film, yet somehow it manages to surprise and stand out as one of this year’s better comedies.

The movie revolves around the friendship between John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) and his talking teddy bear, Ted (voiced by MacFarlane). As a child in 1985, John didn’t have a lot of friends so he made a wish that his teddy bear would be able to talk to him. As luck would have it, his wish coincided with a shooting star, and his request was fulfilled. Ted sprang to life the next morning, startling the hell out John’s parents, but he quickly became accepted as a new member of the family.

Flash forward 27 years. John and Ted still live together, but now John is in a serious relationship with a hard-working office professional, Lori (Mila Kunis). While she is determined to rise through the corporate ranks, John seems content to work at a car rental business while getting high in his spare time with his buddy Ted. Lori has had enough of this childish behavior and presents John with an ultimatum: it’s her or Ted. What transpires is a juggling act from John, as he tries to keep the two most important people (er, things) in his life.

Ted with hookers

The plot is paper thin, but that’s all irrelevant thanks to the charismatic teddy bear. Ted has a foul mouth with a thick Boston accent, and he has a penchant for drugs, booze and hookers. His banter with John is oftentimes hilarious and raunchy, and their shared devotion of the campy 1980 Flash Gordon film lends itself to some of the film’s brightest moments. Naturally, as this is a Seth MacFarlane creation, there are dozens of one-liners that reference obscure 80s pop culture targets, and many of them will go over the heads of younger viewers. There’s also at least one Diff’rent Strokes joke, which seems to be a mandatory inclusion in everything MacFarlane does.

In order to stretch out the running time, an additional subplot is presented in which Ted is targeted by a creepy stalker played by Giovanni Ribisi (as crazy as ever). This adds more dramatic elements to the film, but its inclusion ultimately feels tacked-on and unnecessary.

Ted [2012]

In essence, this movie is all about Ted, and his CGI is very impressive. Ted fits in seamlessly with the rest of the actors on screen, and it feels like he is just one of the gang. Mark Wahlberg does an admirable job playing off this invisible presence, and he seems right at home while testing his comedic chops. Mila Kunis, while stunning as ever, doesn’t have much to work with thanks to her dull character, but she does the best with what she has.

While I’m not ready to label Ted as a *great* movie, it is easily one of this year’s biggest surprises, right up there with 21 Jump Street. This film is better than it has any right to be, and it makes for one of this summer’s more enjoyable comedic offerings. Fans of Family Guy will appreciate this most, but its concept can appeal to anyone. Just be warned: this is not a family-friendly comedy.

7/10

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The Fighter [2010]

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The Fighter [2010]

The Fighter [2010]
Directors: David O. Russell
Genre: Biography/Drama/Sport
Language: English
Country: USA

In a year where real life stories adapted to films reign supreme, The Fighter belongs near the top of the list. Based on the true story of boxer “Irish” Micky Ward, director David O. Russell’s latest work is so much more than just a boxing movie. Micky (Mark Wahlberg) is a once-promising, but currently struggling, boxer who is frequently stuck in the shadows of his older brother and local legend, Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale). Dicky’s claim to fame is that he once knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard, and although his career was quickly derailed due to crack abuse (a problem he continues with throughout the movie), he is still respected in his hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts. In essence, this movie is just as much about Dicky as it is Micky, and in fact the entire family is front and center throughout this. The matriarch of the family, Alice (Melissa Leo), is proud of her boys, and she acts as their manager as well. She has a barrage of daughters who will back her up no matter what she does, for better or for worse. When Micky gets a new girlfriend (Amy Adams) who is not afraid to infiltrate this hardheaded family, all hell breaks loose and this shakes the very foundation this clan has always been based on.

So, although some people might be quick to dismiss this as just another boxing movie, it is clearly much more than that. There is a strong overlying portrait of just how important family is, especially in tight-knit groups such as the Wards. Although Micky starts to believe he can succeed with different management and training, he has a hard time leaving his family behind. The Fighter excels at showing the hardships of finally leaving the nest.

Perhaps what I loved the most about The Fighter was its strong attention to detail. I felt like I was right there in the middle of Lowell in the 1990′s, and although at times it wasn’t comfortable, Russell really nailed the life of the lower class, especially the crack house that Dicky often frequented. I also loved how when there was actual boxing, it didn’t feel like your standard Hollywood bullshit. Instead, the old school HBO-style cameras were used to make it look like these were real pay-per-view bouts, and that is just really cool.

Of course, much of the hype and praise about The Fighter is because of its acting, and yeah, the movie wouldn’t be half as good without its stellar cast. Christian Bale continues to impress with his wide variety of roles, this time shedding a bunch of weight in order to play the crackhead boxer, in a respectfully energetic performance. Mark Wahlberg is solid in the lead role, never really taking the next step but still getting the job done admirably. The two main women in the movie, Adams and Leo, are fiery gals who don’t take shit from anyone. Both deliver outstanding performances, especially Adams who stepped out from her shell and played a much “dirtier” character than she has done in the past. All but Wahlberg received Oscar nominations for their work in this film, and all are certainly deserved.

If I were to have one problem with the movie, it would be its questionable soundtrack. While Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and others were effectively played, The Heavy’s “How Do You Like Me Now” was used too often for its own good. Even still, that is a minor fault in an otherwise great film.

I had heard good things about The Fighter beforehand, but I can safely say that the movie exceeded any expectations I had for it. With an outstanding cast, excellent attention to detail, and some intense fight scenes, I have no reservations about putting this up there amongst the greatest sports movies. Highly recommended.

8.5/10

The Other Guys [2010]

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The Other Guys [2010]

The Other Guys [2010]
Director: Adam McKay
Genre: Comedy/Crime
Language: English
Country: USA

The Other Guys is the latest movie from the team of director Adam McKay & lead star Will Ferrell. This combination has generally led to hilarious results in the past (Step Brothers, Anchorman, Talladega Nights), so I was genuinely interested in this effort. Unfortunately, The Other Guys falls flat, especially in comparison to this duo’s history.

The movie is about a cop duo in the form of Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. Tired of working desk jobs, Allen (Ferrell) and Terry (Wahlberg) go out on a case and accidentally stumble upon an elaborate crime scheme. Using this as their big break, the partners spend a their time trying to obtain evidence to put the bad guys away. This is all pedestrian, paint-by-numbers stuff, and there is little in the way of originality. The movie’s biggest selling point — the potential humor between its two stars — is few and far in between. There are some genuinely funny scenes, but there are also far too many jokes that are beaten into the ground. There is an ongoing joke about how beautiful women fall for Ferrell’s character. His wife (Eva Mendes) is stunning and absolutely adores him, yet he has no appreciation of this. He is also hit on by numerous attractive women throughout the movie, and while funny at first, it gets old quick. There is also a repeated joke in which the police chief (Michael Keaton) continues to unknowingly make TLC lyric references. Again, this is amusing the first couple times, but it just becomes annoying after that.

The movie’s only “highlight” if you want to call it that is the short cameos from Samuel L. Jackson and The Rock near the beginning of the film. This duo plays as a pair of badass cops who are well-respected by the community and everyone in the station. Unfortunately, their roles are short, and the movie steadily goes downhill after their absences.

The Other Guys is a movie that undoubtedly had a lot of potential, but was significantly held back by a weak script. Adam McKay and Will Ferrell will likely work together again, and I can only hope that they just forget about this endeavor altogether. While not terrible, The Other Guys leaves a lot to be desired. As far as cop comedies go, this is slightly better than Cop Out, but then again, that is not saying much.

5.5/10