Screwball comedies can be fun, sometimes. The comedy where the main cast members have the intelligence of a three-toed sloth…combined. Dumb & Dumber was a good example. Gags that get created simply on the premise of their inadequate brain power. However, Dumb & Dumber created an awful sequel. What’s worse is that created a few wannabes in the process. One of those films arguably is Brothers Solomon. However, this viewer hoped just for a second that I wouldn’t be holding my head in my lap the entire ninety three minutes asking for my very painful headache to go away.
John & Dean Solomon (played by Will Arnett & Will Forte) are brothers whose mother had died and were brought up in the arctic by their father Ed(played by Lee Majors). However, Ed goes ill and lapses into a coma. According to the doctor, his last wish is to have a grandbaby. However, John & Dean are not exactly very bright nor very lucky in love. After a few crappy dates, they decide to explore other methods of having a baby. They decide to contact a lady, Janine (played by Kristen Wiig) who was interested in carrying a baby for them to term. After brief negotiations (which somehow ended higher than the price Janine started out at), the brothers end up in a sperm donor bank. Janine is successfully impregnated and the journey really begins as the brothers learn to become fathers and hilarity ensues.
Or does it? Well not really. It tries to be funny but mostly falls flat. I honestly don’t think the fault was of the actors and actresses though. There was good performances from the Will’s and people like Kristen Wiig or Malin Akerman as Tara. Perhaps the most shining performance was by Chi McBride as James; the boyfriend of Janine. His foul mouth cracks out the best lines and easily are the most entertaining scenes.
But the writing is what feels really weak. The lines are mostly unfunny and the plot feels paperthin. Now I do realize that it was supposed to be a dumb comedy. However I think the plot would have benefited greatly if instead of artificially inseminating, that they would have continued to try and date. Then somewhere along the way they fall in love and we have two babies at the end. Instead we get a lot of silly and just basically unfunny scenes (including a really bad taste in the mouth of being mistaken for a child predator). I wasn’t looking for believability (they were born in the arctic for pete’s sake) but I was looking for a stronger and better written comedy.
Video
The film is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The colors are very good and there isn’t a lot of need for something spectacular. In fact, there really isn’t any flaws for one to find visually on this film. (I just wish that the two main actors could look a little less homo-erotic in the process)
Audio
5.1 Dolby Digital is provided for English, Spanish, Portuguese & Thai (huh, there was a need for people in the Far East to see this?). Dolby Digital 2.0 is also provided for the French speaking crowd. The sound is perhaps the best feature on the disc, making frequent use of the surrounds. Primarily in the sound or voice off camera department, but actually using it to enhance the movie, not as a prop. Subtitles are also provided for English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean & Thai. Did I miss something or was this movie a big hit in the foreign countries?
Special Features
- Commentary with Will Forte & Will Arnett: The Will’s are kinda in character, and kinda not. They kinda seem in character for the simple fact that they actually think they made a quality movie. Not a terrible commentary if you like the movie, but it comes across as maybe ok.
- Deleted Scenes 15:49: Nine deleted scenes to enjoy. Actually if you enjoy the movie, there is some good stuff here. If you were holding your head and crying for your mommy, then it is just some more minutes of your life you won’t get back.
- The Making of the Brothers Solomon 16:25: The overused making of featurette which features the actors and actresses trying to convince us that this was a fantastic and elaborate movie. Didn’t work.
- The Fine Art of Creating a Specimen 2:44: The two Will’s talk about the sperm bank scene and how they really visited one and tried to make it authentic. I have no reason to believe it wasn’t true to the source. Except for the fact that people spank it to a magazine that is similar to the National Geographic. I mean come on, we all know it was about the Sears Catalog.
- Previews: Superbad, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Vantage Point, Coming to Blu-Ray, Untraceable, Across the Universe, Feel the Noise, We Own the Night, 30 Days of Night, I Know Who Killed Me(this movie),Close Encounters of the Third Kind Ultimate Edition, Seinfeld Season Nine & Meatballs
Final Thoughts
If I actually approved of taking a handful of advil, I certainly would have made that recommendation before watching this film. Sure there are funny lines and standout performances (well at least from Chi McBride) but they are so few far and inbetween that you forget they occurred. It’s supposed to be silly, but not a couple levels short of stupid. Or maybe that’s the point. I mean the disc is packed pretty well with good video and great audio. The extras are plentiful for appreciative members of the movie (but why exactly are there almost fifteen previews & seven subtitle choices?). But I just can’t recommend this movie. The film is substandard and I am going to recommend alcohol and a brief school session on what makes a dumb film great. Or at least what makes one watchable.
Other Reviews
- DVDCorner.net – “Not only does this “comedy” play like a stretched out YouTube short, but the two dorky, ignorant, smiling characters reach Carrot Top levels of annoyance.”
- DVDMovieCentral.com – “…clear your head, let the movie and the jokes follow and hopefully you’ll find The Brothers Solomon to be a uniquely enjoyable comedy that is both hilarious and extremely sweet.”
