Reviews

"Ben and Kate" may not have a particularly original premise, but, in comedy, that is not necessarily a weakness.

The new Fox series not only provides laughs but a positive mood, something "Parks and Recreation" proved can carry a series for years.

Nat Faxon plays Ben Fox, an unemployed, big-hearted, emotionally-unstable bachelor. Faxon's humor is effortless and infectious. His character is comfortable being the object of mockery, having made the conscious decision to live life to its fullest (or rather, funniest), even though that may mean, in the eyes of some, he has no life at all.

Dakota Johnson plays Kate, a single mother who manages a bar. While she is infinitely more responsible than her brother, she believes in Ben enough to follow him into his path of zaniness.

The supporting cast does a superb job of providing laughs while not trying to steal the spotlight. Lucy Punch in particular stands out with her over-the-top-advice and inability to understand Maddie, Kate's daughter (played by Maggie Elizabeth Jones).

The show, like producer Dana Fox's other endeavor, "New Girl", is fast-paced and provides enough one-liners to deserve a look.

'The League' gained inspiration from 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' (like most shows that strive to simulate realistic humor while incorporating celebrities in an unconventional manner) as well as 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' (in terms of visual style, cast and breed of humor) though the scenes are not as seamlessly integrated as the former while the humor is sharper than the latter.

The cast has good chemistry and the show is successful in allotting a fair amount of plot to each character.

The plot does include a lot of football references (many of which are forced) but, for the most part, manages to produce true laughs out of situations that are (in a less extreme form) well-known to all who have experiences the madness of fantasy football. Yet, the jokes are strong enough to keep any fan of comedy entertained.

There is a good amount of scantily-clad women as well as jokes concerning genitalia that seem aimed at the football-watching audience which, as this show is a superior enough product to surpass the goal of garnering an audience of 40-something year old couch potatoes, could easily be done away with.

Overall, it is funnier than most comedy and the natural flow of the show as well as the charming improvisation of many of its characters give it great potential (if the two aforementioned problems are fixed, namely: being less obvious with the football references and trying to appeal to a broader audience by cutting down on the sexist images of women and offensive humor).

Perhaps the best written comedy of all time, "The Jerk" is unrivaled in terms of the timelessness of its jokes. What really sets this movie apart, though, is its gags. This movie consists of original gags with perfect delivery on Steve Martin's behalf. Being completely serious, if Oscars are to be awarded for craft in acting, Steve Martin was snubbed. He plays Navin Johnson, an idiotic (he had to be told he was white as a 30-something year old man), simple (taking pleasure in things like "Pizza In A Cup"), optimistic (assuming a would-be assassin whose shots fall off target is out to get the tin cans of oil they mistakenly hit instead of him), naive (he supports any cause that asks for his financial support, including putting a stop to cat juggling), happy-go-lucky (as displayed by his serenade, "I'm Picking Out a Thermos For You") yet, aspiring (a life goal of his was to have his name in the phone book) orphan.

The plot really isn't bad, it's just, one doesn't really have time to even consider criticizing it as one finds himself surrounded by a cloud of humor. Other than Martin, the rest of the acting is sufficient for the most part. Bernadette Peters stands out and produces a few laughs of her own.

As with all movies of its time period, one might not realize the gem it is at first as its visual limitations and older style mean it does not jump out at you at first. But, with a little patience, one will find himself basking in some of the best comedy written by man.

Chevy Chase and Martin Short deliver the performances of their lives while Steve Martin's performance is second only to his flawless performance in "The Jerk". In addition to the main stars, the rest of the cast, no matter what the role, seem to produce laughs. Alfonso Arau's performance as El Guapo is particularly fascinating. El Guapo is about as evil a villain as they come yet one can't help but find hilarity in his wide range of emotions, whether it be his utter delight in receiving a sweater for his birthday in the middle of a desert in Mexico or his disappointment at his failure in courting a woman he captured from her own village (literally grabbing her and hoisting her on his horse) and whose village he had repeatedly pillaged and harassed.

The scenarios director John Landis creates (in relation to the Amigos thinking their bout with El Guapo's gang is part of a show they were hired to perform), the cultural misunderstandings, the negative effects of stereotyping put on display... it has far more comedic material than can be found in, say, 10 strong comedies of today.

There are numerous scenes and lines that, on the surface, may not seem entirely funny at first, but, upon repeated viewing, are appreciated for the hilarious situations they really are. Three Amigos is a comedy that will never be confused with a drama or romantic film, yet the jokes are so subtle and well-delivered that those who do not normally find slapstick funny will appreciate that Three Amigos gives one the opportunity to laugh without being told to do so.

It should be noted, first and foremost, that this documentary will not be entirely clear to those not acquainted with the NFL. This show does not take one by the hand and explain all that is going on. It respects the football IQ of its viewers and makes numerous references to current players that are known to only those who have been following the NFL diligently in recent years. The strength of "Hard Knocks" is that it puts on display the real interactions between NFL players, coaches and people of power. It does a good job of capturing the attitude and style of thinking of this unique group of people. It is a world that, until seen, is still somewhat distant for even the most hard-core of football fans. One learns things like what exactly it is that coaches do, the kinds of hints they give their players, the minute details that determine whether one makes the cut or is placed on waiver wires.

One interesting aspect of the series was how blunt and cold-blooded the director of football operations, Jim Lippencott, was in releasing players. He stood in stark contrast to president/owner Mike Brown, a surprisingly affectionate man considering his position, who, it seemed, employed Lippencott simply because he did not have the heart to break unsettling news to his players, all of whom seem rather dear to him. One walks away feeling as if Brown is perhaps the most loyal and fatherly of NFL owners. This claim might be justifiable as his habit of taking in, grooming and retaining talented players with checkered pasts is unrivaled in the NFL. A key difference between Brown and, say, Al Davis, is that Brown does so with sincerity and grows quite attached to his players as evidenced by his comments made concerning Chris Henry, who passed away months after the filming of "Hard Knocks". Despite his troubles (which included multiple arrests), Brown strongly endorsed Henry and admits to his soft spot for the young, misunderstood wide receiver (Brown made an astonishing move by re-signing Henry shortly after having released him due to his latest bout with the law).

The only flaws this series had are related to dramatizing certain elements beyond necessity. This, of course, gives the documentary more of a story, which, is understandable considering the circumstances. Yet, one walks away feeling as if, the effect of players who, at best, will contribute minimally, was blown out of proportion. Though the coaches' assessments and reactions were real, it might be argued that the viewers were led to believe that lesser training camp competitions and certain, less-heralded rookies were essential to the Bengals' success.