Step-Brothers (USA. 2008)

A minimalistic product from directorial/actor combo Adam Mckay/Will Ferell, Step Brothers follows the plot less silliness that two forty year olds (Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly) who still live with their parents get up too. It’s nowhere near as laugh out loud funny as Anchorman or even their weaker sauced second collabaration Talladega Nights, but it still succeeds at hitting the silliness bone a few times, even if it’s the same note over and over again. They just hit it harder everytime.

Brennan Huff (Will Ferell) is a thirty nine year old that still lives with his mother. Dale Doback (John C. Reilly) is a forty year old that still lives with his father. Both of them find themselves at odds when they their parents get married and both boys…uh…men…find themselves in the same house. It wouldn’t be too bad if it weren’t for the fact that they Hate. Each. Other. A massive battle of epic proportions has only just BEGUN! It’ll involve drums AND samurai swords (signed by Randy Bachman of American Idol Fame!) AND Centaurs! YEA!

Do you like Will Ferell’s man boy acting? Can you picture yourself liking John C. Reilly imitating Will Ferell’s man boy acting? If the answer to those two questions are ‘By the beard of Zeus, YES!” then you’re the correct audience to properly enjoy this little ride. Here’s the formula for the next 90 minutes: Will Ferell say’s something like “Call me DarkRaven!” and Reilly replies with “Call me Dragon!” and then they make an obscure pop culture reference and swing a variation on the word FUCK-TARD-DATION-RETARD. Every now and then they fight like babies. That’s the movie in a nut-shell. It doesn’t really deviate. That type of joke happens so fast and furious that almost starts to feel like a warm fuzzy blanket after a while. It’s a shame they couldn’t have structure something a little more memorable. Maybe Anchorman 2: Anchor Harder? I’ll be there as long as Paul Rudd is involved. He is my sex-panther.

NOTE: I don’t think saying the word “Fuck” is funny. I don’t care if it’s from an old lady, a child or large bespectacled rhinoceros. I’m not going to laugh because “THEY WOULD NEVER SAY THAT!? HAHAHAHAHA!” It’s lazy. Stop it.