FUN WITH DICK & JANE

RYAN: So tell me about the movie…

CAROLINE: I think we should address the fact that I saw it in lovely New York City on 34th Street. Whilst you…

RYAN: I happen to be home for the holidays in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and went to see it at North Shore Cinemas with my friend Tammy.

CAROLINE: But that won’t stop us.

RYAN: You cannot stop the blog.

CAROLINE: So… “Fun with Dick & Jane.”

RYAN: Before we go there… Let me just tell you I was unpleasantly surprised to learn that the Sierra Mist commercial which is so annoyingly played before the previews in NYC is also played before the previews in Milwaukee. It’s invading the nation!

CAROLINE: (laughs) As much as I love Michael Ian Black, I should not like to see that commercial any more times.

RYAN: No. I’m over it. I’ll go out and drink a Sierra Mist already!!! Stop showing the commercial!

CAROLINE: I’m done!

RYAN: And then I saw an essssiting preview for the new, newer Sarah Jessica Parker film “Failing to Launch.” I’m sure we’re gonna wanna see it. Although it’s a February release, with Matthew McConaughey… looks really fun.

CAROLINE: I’ve not yet seen the trailer, but I look forward to it.

RYAN: Alright. Alright. “Fun with Dick & Jane” – We both enjoyed the preview; were very much looking forward to seeing it.

CAROLINE: Love Jim Carrey. Love Tea Leoni. That’s my personal opinion, anyway. I’ll pretty much see anything with him or her in it.

RYAN: Are you saying you thought this was the funniest film of the year?

CAROLINE: Um… (laughs) You mean based on the trailer or based on the movie?

RYAN: The movie.

CAROLINE: Uh, not so much. I honestly don’t have a ton to say about this movie other than – mediocre.

RYAN: What was the problem with this movie?

CAROLINE: First of all, it’s just not that funny. I definitely laughed at parts; but, it’s not that funny.

RYAN: I thought the kid was funny. He had a Spanish accent and cracked me up!

CAROLINE: The kid was cute. That was cute. I like that gimmick; haven’t seen that before.

RYAN: He was the funniest part of the movie, to me.

CAROLINE: I know it’s a remake of an older film, which I know nothing about…The premise is sort of cute, I guess. You know, family father loses job, gets desperate…

RYAN: I feel like the problem was this: The first part of the movie is a comedy. I was smiling a little bit; entertained, kind of into it. Then the couple gets desperate and it’s not so funny anymore. And then it turns this really huge corner and becomes “Ocean’s 11.”

CAROLINE: (laughs)

RYAN: Suddenly it’s this caper movie; nothing like the beginning part of the movie. It’s like two different movies in one and that never works.

CAROLINE: I wanted a slow burn. I definitely chuckled a bit in the beginning. I kept thinking, “Maybe it’ll get really funny,” and it kinda never did.

RYAN: Right. I thought Alec Baldwin was good.

CAROLINE: His southern accent went in and out. He didn’t really commit to it.

RYAN: Right. And he’s such a portly man.

CAROLINE: He is. Tubby.

RYAN: And Jim Carrey looked a little too thin to me, actually.

CAROLINE: He DID look skinny to me. And Tea Leoni is positively hipless. She’s, like, straight up and down. I love her; but, I was just like “Whoa, Honey! Eat a sandwich!”

RYAN: (laughs) She has the body of a young boy.

CAROLINE: I liked their chemistry though.

RYAN: Tammy brought this up, and you may be able to comment on it cuz you saw it, but, she said Tea played the same character in “Spanglish.”

CAROLINE: A little bit. I liked “Spanglish” a lot and think that was a better movie for her. But I guess so. She’s much more neurotic in “Spanglish.”

RYAN: Alright. Final thoughts?

CAROLINE: This is not at all, even remotely, a must-see. It is a rental, beyond rentals. I’m still not entirely sure why it came out during the holiday season when all the Oscar contenders are coming out. Cuz this doesn’t even hold a candle.

RYAN: Exactly. And if you’re in the mood to laugh and see a funny movie, your money’s better spent going out and buying the just-released-on-DVD “40 Year Old Virgin,” the funniest movie of the year.

CAROLINE: Oh! The funniest movie of the last five years! Ten years, even!

RYAN: Yes! I g’loved it! With an uppercase “G.”

CAROLINE: Me too. I’m with you.

RYAN: Ok. That’s it.