Some critics loathe "Kid"

The Heartbreak Kid has obviously touched a nerve among critics. They aren't just panning it (it has a 34% positive from Rotten Tomatoes) -- many of them are vomiting on the sidewalk. A random sampling: (a) "An ugly, hateful and deeply unfunny bit of hackwork that not only stinks on its own but also tarnishes the reputation of a genuinely funny and inspired comedy." -- Peter Sobczynski, efilmcritic.com; (b) "A grim, shrill, deluded and incredibly depressing movie...bewilderingly mean-spirited." -- Carina Chocano, L.A. Times; (c) "Based on the 1972 movie... much in the same way that a breakfast of Pop Tarts and Mountain Dew is based on a petit dejeuner of fresh-baked croissants and cafe au lait." -- MaryAnn Johanson, The Flick Philosopher; (d) "A shabby, sleazy train wreck...anyone who backed it should feel, if they can feel at all, something like shame." -- James Rocchi, Cinematical.

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on October 5, 2007 at 8:11 AM

comment #1

Bocephus Author Profile Page says ...

Does the mean lady fart a lot? That would be soooo funny!

Posted by Bocephus Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 8:44 AM

comment #2

Josh Massey Author Profile Page says ...

Johanson's comment is pretty funny.

Anything described so virulently as "mean-spirited" and "hateful" has to have something going for it.

Posted by Josh Massey Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 8:49 AM

comment #3

Nick Rogers Author Profile Page says ...

Great for 45 minutes, trash after that. If it's a hit, at least it might allow us to keep seeing a lot - and I mean a lot - of Malin Akerman in the future.

Posted by Nick Rogers Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 8:49 AM

comment #4

T. Holly Author Profile Page says ...

What do you expect when everything is made for 18 to 30 year old men.

Posted by T. Holly Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 9:01 AM

comment #5

DavidF Author Profile Page says ...

What's funny is that the reviews I've read (including the one by sometime-poster Peter Howell) basically describe every since-retracted pre-criticism made of the movie. (ie that it's crude, coarse and slapsticky).

I happen to think that Ben Stiller is great but suffered from some major over-saturation. He needs to be more choosy and this does not sound like the best choice. (He's also consistently great in small doses as I was reminded when I recently re-saw his turn as Tony Wonder on Arrested Development.)

As for the Farelly Brothers...one genuine comedy classic, two stupid-funny movies and a big bunch of meh.

Posted by DavidF Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 9:06 AM

comment #6

DavidF Author Profile Page says ...

...just forgot to write in that first 'graph that I meant every pre-criticism by WELLS.
He makes a rare mea culpa only to find himself on the wrong side of (so far) 76% of the critics.
Hmmmm....

Posted by DavidF Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 9:07 AM

comment #7

christian Author Profile Page says ...

Gee, but it looked so good.

Posted by christian Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 9:18 AM

comment #8

christian Author Profile Page says ...

Rocchi's review sums it up nicely:

"Every movie they've produced has the same shooting style -- lazy scenes, lazy composition and a smeary, sickly look to the cinematography that makes you wonder if the camera itself has the flu. What does it say about a movie when it is, in fact, shot with even less visual wit and craft than the execrable Good Luck Chuck?"

But I'm curious how Jeff compares these apt, unreleting slams with his odd praises.

Posted by christian Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 9:35 AM

comment #9

Bocephus Author Profile Page says ...

I think the movie just touched on Jeff's feelings of ill will towards his previous marriage...nah, I'll save the armchair psychoanalysis for Ian.

Posted by Bocephus Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 9:46 AM

comment #10

George Prager Author Profile Page says ...

I know this is off-topic, but whatever happened to Alison Doody?

Posted by George Prager Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 11:15 AM

comment #11

swordandpen Author Profile Page says ...

How many crappy movies can Ben Stiller make before we all give up on him? Do Stiller, Eddie Murphy and Adam Sandler have a bet to see who can crank out as many soulless comedies over a ten year period?

Posted by swordandpen Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 11:19 AM

comment #12

Arizona Joe Author Profile Page says ...

That last comment was right on point.

The NY Times critic commented that Stiller's "feints and flinches" are commonplace. I agree. It's become tiresome.

Posted by Arizona Joe Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 11:24 AM

comment #13

christian Author Profile Page says ...

But isn't it funny when he gets hit with an object and falls over? Isn't it?

Bueller?

Posted by christian Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 11:31 AM

comment #14

alynch Author Profile Page says ...

Whenever critics complain about a comedy being too mean, I become immediately suspicious.

Posted by alynch Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 11:38 AM

comment #15

Terry McCarty Author Profile Page says ...

Re swordandpen's comment:
If Adam Sandler were playing the lead in the Farrelly-ized HEARTBREAK KID instead of Stiller, wouldn't the results be the same as the usual run-of-the-mill Sandler comedy?

Posted by Terry McCarty Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 11:38 AM

comment #16

James Rocchi Author Profile Page says ...

Uh, thanks, christian. I'll take the adjective 'nicely' any day of the week.

-- James

Posted by James Rocchi Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 11:45 AM

comment #17

christian Author Profile Page says ...

My pleasure. Of course, I did slam you for thinking the DAWN OF THE DEAD remake is better than the original;]

Posted by christian Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 11:53 AM

comment #18

Walter Sobchak Author Profile Page says ...

I don't understand why so much space on this site seems to be taken up by discussions regarding this feather-weight crap of a "comedy"? Is it because it's a remake of a fairly well-regarded 70's film?

From the trailer it looks like about twenty other movies that have come out in the past two years, (with Stiller in about half of those).

I look forward to a lengthy posting on Monday discussing the weekend box office performance of "Heartbreak Kid", complete with a point by point break down and debate on what it means in terms of modern cinema.

Posted by Walter Sobchak Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 12:48 PM

comment #19

George Prager Author Profile Page says ...

Sobchak, you're forgetting about Saturday afternoon's "estimates" and "Sunday night tallies" and "drop-offs" from Friday night. Let's party!!!!

Posted by George Prager Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 12:58 PM

comment #20

christian Author Profile Page says ...

And what about that tracking?

But Walter, it's instructive to discuss this as it's part and parcel of what's wrong with remaking everything under the sun and then amazingly discarding whatever value the original had. Or somethin' like that.

Posted by christian Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 1:09 PM

comment #21

Craig Kennedy Author Profile Page says ...

Wait...what?...I can go back to hating this movie now? I thought... oh nevermind.

Posted by Craig Kennedy Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 2:33 PM

comment #22

StewartforPresident Author Profile Page says ...

Please remember, Jeff also like "Freddy Got Fingered" so his taste skew to the extreme when he replaces the intent of the screenplay with gross out humor.

Posted by StewartforPresident Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 4:12 PM

comment #23

hiviper Author Profile Page says ...

to Prager: (accoring to IMDB) "Lives in a £1.95 million, 10,000 square feet house overlooking the sea at Dalkey." ie, lovely Dublin girl who stars in Indiana Jones and Bond flicks makes good with no discernable acting skills.

To Sobchak: you're funny, you son-of-a-bitch. How much is Wells paying you?

Posted by hiviper Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 9:46 PM

comment #24

Ford_Fletcher Author Profile Page says ...

Fuck this.

This movie is muccccchhhh better than the Rotten Tomatoes consensus and the trailer suggest.

It is not unrelentingly mean or nasty. And it has an excellent, unconventional last ten minutes or so.

Critics are double talking sentimentalists. If this movie had been less mean/insightful, it would have been dismissed as mindless treacle and fluff.

Posted by Ford_Fletcher Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 10:27 PM

comment #25

WinslowLeachtheComposer Author Profile Page says ...

What was weirdly compelling about Grodin's character in the original was how much one identified with the creep (even back when I saw it as a teenager) - but there's a little creep in all of us, right? Try to tilt sympathy in his direction and what are you left with? This, I guess.

Posted by WinslowLeachtheComposer Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 11:22 PM

comment #26

WinslowLeachtheComposer Author Profile Page says ...

What was weirdly compelling about Grodin's character in the original was how much you identified with the creep (even back when I saw it as a teenager) - but there's a little creep in all of us, right? Try to tilt sympathy in his direction and what are you left with? This, I guess.

Posted by WinslowLeachtheComposer Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 11:23 PM

comment #27

WinslowLeachtheComposer Author Profile Page says ...

(I thought "you" sounded less pretentious than "one.")

Posted by WinslowLeachtheComposer Author Profile Page at October 5, 2007 11:26 PM

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