‘Stuck On You’ Revisited

Forgotten DVDs

         
 

28 January 2013| No Comments on ‘Stuck On You’ Revisited     by Sean Chavel

 

Funny and feel-good, a combo that is all but absent now. Stuck On You (2003) is a reminder as to when the Farrelly Brothers mojo was working. They’ve had a couple of amusing, sophomoric movies since then such as “The Heartbreak Kid” and “Hall Pass,” which are not without their bumps and cold sores. But this was really their last one where it felt they had a stride of confidence working throughout the picture. It’s not a relentless laugh riot, but you might feel an affection for it. Not even great by comedy classic standards, but it is a welcome laid-back nice one.

Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear starred as conjoined twins at the hip who have happily succeeded at just about everything, especially hockey. They flip burgers at their own café, but now one of them has Hollywood dreams. The alpha brother Walt (Kinnear) wants to go become a television and movie actor, and he luckily meets up with Cher. Bob (Damon) has a longtime online girlfriend who doesn’t know he’s a twin, a pairing that’s so embarrassing and unseemly that it’s a surprise that they eventually look cute together.

Eva Mendes (importantly!) is the hot gal pal whose simple wisdom shines through. Meryl Streep (Walt’s dream come true celebrity sighting!) is awesomely hip in her two scenes. Seymour Cassel and Griffin Dunne are equally droll as Hollywood industry types. Perhaps this movie is successful because it allows Walt and Bob to make friends in all the right places.

Originally an idea was tossed around to have Jim Carrey and Woody Allen as the conjoined brothers. I would have liked to have seen that version, too. But I’m glad to see Damon in this deep end goofy project, since as funny as he is, he’s often committed to too many stark dramas. This is the one time we really get to see Damon play insecure, self-doubting, and even a little dopey. Kinnear’s career is hit and miss, but he’s an appealing actor whose unlikely cockiness, opposite his twin, makes this funnier. His blowout hairstyle compliments his can-do attitude, a very integral cosmetic choice.

The Farrelly Brothers must have felt at ease watching these two guys have fun with each other, since the chemistry is so bouncy. There is only one masturbation joke that I could recall, and it’s a good one. Criticizing his brother, Walt says, “Last night it was like trying to sleep next to a paint-shaker.” Everything is in good moderation here. The Farrelly Brothers movies today have regressed back into all raunch, all grossness, all the time. The unremitting gross factor that is their “Movie 43” became their career debacle this weekend. It’s time for the Farrelly Brothers to look back to this gem from 2003.

118 Minutes. Rated PG-13.

Film Cousins: “Dumb & Dumber” (1994); “Kingpin” (1996); “There’s Something About Mary” (1998); “Shallow Hal” (2001).

 

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Sean Chavel

About The Author / Sean Chavel

Sean Chavel is a Hollywood based author and movie reviewer. He is the Executive Director of flickminute.com, a new website that has adapted the movie review site genre by introducing moodbased and movie experience based reviews.

 

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