Missed It By THAT Much!

Get Smart

Release: 06.20.2008
Rated PG-13
1 hour, 50 minutes

Matinee ($$$) <
> Second-Run Seats ($$)




Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell, Bewitched) is without a doubt the best CONTROL analyst behind a desk. For those unfamiliar with the popular '60s television series upon which the film is based, CONTROL is a super-secret U.S. government spy agency whose mission is to thwart the criminal undertakings of the evil organization KAOS. Aside from being the best intelligence gatherer for the agency, Max wants to be a field agent and has worked diligently to hone his mind and body into a spy machine. Max gets his chance when the identities of all field agents save Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway, The Devil Wears Prada) have been compromised. The Chief (Alan Arkin, Gross Pointe Blank) sends Max a.k.a. Agent 86 with 99 to track down KAOS's operation and discover their fiendish plans.

I fondly remembered watching this show in my formative years. Don Adams was hilarious as the bungling agent whose faithful partner 99 also managed to bail him out whenever his elaborate plans or loud mouth got him into trouble. It was somewhat surprising to see that the new- millennium Maxwell Smart has evolved into a competent agent whose only shortcoming is that his colleagues baselessly assume he's a buffoon. If you came looking for a faithful reimagining, the best you can hope for are a few of the famous lines, a scene with the classic car, a shoe phone call and a wonderful cameo by Love Boat's Dr. Bricker, a.k.a Bernie Kopell, who played Max's nemesis Siegfried.

I'm not going to hold the creative changes against the film. There's plenty of other issues with the Get Smart remake to let that go. The trailers for the film showed some witty jokes with the promise of bigger and better to come. Once in the theater, we discover the trailer is a highlights reel showcasing the funniest jokes. I still laughed at those, and found myself giggly at the scant handful of other funny moments, but throw us a bone! The overall film turned out to be only mildly interesting with many unnecessary scenes devoted to the awkwardness of Smart and Agent 99's working relationship. Supporting roles by Dwayne Johnson (Be Cool) and Terence Stamp (Superman II) added a few laughs but seemed almost wasteful of their talents.

Dirty Undies
What Dwayne Johnson was not allowed to do with his role, he at least made up for with his winning smile and charismatic swagger. He doesn't show any skin; that honor is left for megastar Carell, but few men can look as good as Johnson in a suit. Looking like she owns the entire coat collection from a fashion catalog, thug-lovin' Hathaway manages to look scrumptuous though she keeps it all well-covered.

The Money Shot
I feel like I haven't said a whole lot about Get Smart. I guess that's because there isn't a whole lot to discuss. It's inoffensive and genial enough that you can't outright hate it. If you go see it, you'll just wish they had put a little more conviction behind their premise.

Why Does Real Life feel like the Bestest Friends Episode Ever?!

Dan in Real Life

Release: 10/26/2007
Rated PG-13
1 hour, 35 minutes

Matinee ($$$)

Steve Carell (Little Miss Sunshine) is Dan Burns. Dan is an advice columnist. He’s also a widow of four years who’s raising three headstrong daughters. After collecting his three very lovely girls, they join the Burns bunch for a family gathering where Dan is quickly ejected. At the bookstore, Dan meets Marie, portrayed by Juliette Binoche (Chocolat), who lights a spark extinguished since his wife’s death. Dan returns to the roost to find Marie is the special lady friend of his brother, Mitch, played by Dane Cook (London). Naturally, hijinks and heartache ensue.

It’s hard to believe writer/director Peter Hedges was also responsible for the far superior “Pieces of April.” "Dan in Real Life" is an over-simplified romantic comedy with the misfortune of being needlessly complicated in its surrounding details. To give an example, why does Dan’s extended family consist of two parents, six siblings, and an incalculable mass of nephews and nieces (including an adorable Asian adoptee) when all of his own children barely have speaking lines? Hedges is obsessed with barraging the audience with a hot mess of accoutrements as if to detract from the complete lack of palpable story. He also seems to be obsessed with torturing folks with a twangy, tinny soundtrack by Sondre Lerche.

The saving grace of “Dan in Real Life” is Steve Carell. His sincere, stellar performance drives the story, when it is not being overpowered by cheesy antics or boisterous costars. Dane Cook is reined back from being completely wild and outrageous but manages a few fun-loving moments. Not a great role for fans of the true Cook. Up-and-comer Brittany Robertson gives an outstanding showing as the enamored middle sister, Cara. The rest of the cast shows up, hits their mark, and makes an occasionally humorous wisecrack, but really, I’m wasting space even mentioning them.

Dirty Undies
The only physicality worth mentioning about “Dan” was my inner urge to rip out the chatty whispers, needless cooing and unbearable canned laughter coming from the throats of the audience at this screening. Oh yeah, and Dan gets tussled by his wacky family. On a good note Emily Blunt (Devil Wears Prada) and Juliette Binoche were kinda hot; Binoche thanks to the age-reversing cheesecloth effect, low tops, and spandex while Blunt is simply smokin'.

The Money Shot
There was no way I was going to miss a film starring both Carell and Cook. Having said that, I could have easily waited for this film to go to the cheap theater. Sitting through “Dan in Real Life” was like being bludgeoned with a bottle of maple syrup. The repeated blunt thudding to my forehead was painful but at least there’s a trickle of sugary sweetness escaping every so often.