Movie Review

Stuck On You

When someone hears that the Farrelly brothers (the filmmakers behind Dumb & Dumber, There?s Something About Mary, and Me, Myself & Irene, most notably) have a new movie coming out, a common response may be, ?Oh no?? with a comedic tone. Writers/directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly have been known for ?different? and quirky stories, with each project of theirs likely to have at least one scene meant to put audiences on the floor with a sight gag (which moviegoers come out gossiping about).

Stuck on You, their latest comedy where they (not surprisingly) focus on two conjoined twins, doesn?t have all the ingredients of a usual Farrelly brother project. Though the film does offer its share of laughs and chuckles for those with the Farrelly sense of humor (their taste can be offbeat), the usual energy and panache of their previous films is not present here; the filmmakers take more of a low key and toned down approach. However, what could?ve been a failed one-joke Saturday Night Live-like adaptation is thankfully a fairly believable sweet story thanks to solid acting, packing in enough laugh out loud moments and breezy chuckles to call it a night.

For those who are fed up with the gross-out gag genre or the Farrelly?s use with that element, you might be pleased to know that you will find none of that in Stuck on You. The comedy is surprisingly devoid of gags involving bodily fluids and God knows what else the Farrelly?s would think of. But where the filmmakers would normally insert their crazy jokes to ignite the audience with laughter, they have inserted more heart ? and before you roll your eyes, the filmmakers pull it off. While the film starts off to a questionable note, it gets better with time, and though it did feel a bit long when all was said and done, Stuck on You served its basic purpose.

Stuck on You is the tale of two Siamese twins, Bob (Matt Damon) and Walter (Greg Kinnear). Living in a small town and accustomed to the low profile lifestyle they have going as talented chefs, Walter has dreams of going to Hollywood to seek an acting career, while Bob is more skeptical about the idea of change and wants to stay where they are.

Agreeing to seek the adventure, the two venture to Los Angeles and eventually meet Cher (who plays herself); when the actress casts them as co-stars in her latest television show to potentially break her contract, Bob and Walter are forced to commit to the acting together. With Bob being shy and victim to many panic attacks, and Walter being the exact opposite, the two must work together and make the best of it in their conditions.

A movie like Stuck on You could easily be a one-joke comedy that backfires in ten minutes, as well as a sappy and cheesy movie about teamwork. But nonetheless, I had faith in the Farrelly brothers, as I?ve liked all of their films (Osmosis Jones doesn?t count since they only directed fifteen minutes); and here, they?ve managed to take this one-joke concept and weave a fairly convincing tale out of it.

Teaming up Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear seemed like a cool move in my mind despite their seven-year age difference; these are two actors whom I find difficult to not like in a movie, and in the hands of talented filmmakers I was anticipating what was in store. Though Stuck on You might have retrieved hilarious results with an edgier screenplay, the film allows the two stars to perform as actors; and as stupid as this concept is in general, the two pull some convincing performances.

Acting as two conjoined twins realistically for an entire running time is not that simple of a task to fulfill; it?s easy to pull this idea off stupidly and without any real care, but the Farrelly?s try to shoot for truth. With the two characters that the filmmakers create, the twins have specific realistic traits, and Damon and Kinnear deliver.

Kinnear might be more so acting like himself with his suave and easygoing manner, but Damon shines through as the nervous, mumbling twin who hates public attention, with insecurities about everything. Watching Damon work the scenes with Kinnear, I was convinced these two were brothers having to make the best with the hand they were dealt in life. The chemistry between the two actors made the movie, as without the performances in gear Stuck on You might very well have been a sticky little flick.

By the end of the film, as long as it is (it could?ve been edited down a little bit), I cared about the future of the twins, as the screenplay and performances had a very human quality. The movie most likely won?t send moviegoers laughing down the aisles, but it isn?t overly sweet, as the balance is just right between the personal story and the comic relief. I had felt the effects of the running time by the end of the show, but still enjoyed the experience. While I hope the Farrelly?s return to their ritual of crazy and unpredictable gags some day, Stuck on You is a pleasant detour for the filmmaking duo.

Lee's Grade: B
Ranked #13 of 132 between The Cooler (#12) and The Station Agent (#14) for 2003 movies.

A	0.4%
B	30.0%
C	61.7%
D	8.0%
F	0.0%