Mr. And Mrs. Farrelly (Movie Review)

Movie 43, a star-smelted comedy starring Chris Evans, Steve Martin and lots of others, is a fun movie. Its ensemble cast, which includes a revolving cast of characters that typically appear in movies, is unusually large, which also makes for an easy viewing experience. The sort of funny scenes that litter the screen is plentiful, yet somehow they never get old or repetitive, which makes them refreshing every time. In this regard, the sort of crude one-liners that regularly litter the screen is the best kind.

One scene that puts the movie in its element is when a character says, “What we need is a planetarium full of jellyfish.” To this, various characters reply, “Jellyfish? How can we feed that many jellyfish?” This, among other scenes, adds humor to an otherwise light-hearted situation, making the movie seem well worth its age. The sort of crude humor that pervades the movie, combined with the somewhat crude personalities of some of its characters, make the movie not just enjoyable, but laugh-out-loud funny.

Another thing that makes the movie seem worth watching is how wide it is, both emotionally and geographically, and that is what makes the characters in it so likeable, making you care for them, even if you’re an adult (which the audience at the movie theatre is mostly). There are several factors in the plot of the movie that make it a winner, but perhaps the best of them all is how wide-ranging and mature it is. No matter how offensive in some instances the language is (which it definitely is not), the theme of tolerance and social acceptance pervades the story. This is shown when, after the destruction of a homosexual character’s marriage, a man who disapproves of his family’s actions comes to the house to comfort him, rather than confront him.

Patrick Swayze, fresh from his Academy Award-winning turn in the movie The Cable Guy plays David Kleinfeld, a widower whose daughter has left home and married a man. He takes his older sister with him on a trip, leaving her with their elderly grandfather. Along the way, he runs into a rich friend of his who insists on giving him a ride home and later on decides to marry him. The rest of the movie chronicles the two men’s growing and developing relationship over the course of many days.

The quality of this movie in terms of its special features is what gives it four stars. The special features are actually quite good, especially the DVD copy’s audio mix. There is also a very funny feature about Kleinfeld’s acting ability, which was made available for home viewers as part of the special features. Other than that, the movie had some good special effects, especially in its fight scenes, but it is probably for the best that it was never produced on the big screen.

Mr. and Mrs. Farrelly is a romantic comedy about two aging lovebirds who live in a small California house (as opposed to a big New York apartment). It tells the story of how David (Tom Hanks) goes off to college and later starts a family, while Mrs. Farrell (Sandra Oh), now an established writer, pursues a career as a top Hollywood reporter. However, things take a turn for the worse when David witnesses an armed robber being executed by a firing squad. Memories of his past come rushing back to haunt him, and he tries desperately to save the life of his friend. Meanwhile, his feelings for Sandra develop further when she informs him that she has been married to a much older man (John Aston). Though he initially feels reluctant to break up with his pretty girlfriend, David finds himself falling in love with her all over again…

With a cast that includes such Hollywood celebrities as John Tutturro, James Belushi, and Robert DeNiro, Mr. and Mrs. Farrelly is a funny movie that successfully combines real life with Hollywood comedy. The funny thing about the storyline is that it never over embellishes. The short comings of the characters are actually what make this movie a success. The short stories told are also filled with humor, and the audience is kept entertained quite nicely. Movie fanatics will find this a great comedy classic…

Mr. and Mrs. Farrelly is a decent, but not a great movie. Its main star, Tom Hanks, does his best to make the short stories entertaining, but the rest of the cast is often too uninteresting to warrant the rating. Based on the Farrelly family’s life, it is likely that many people will identify with the characters and be able to relate to their plight. Movie lovers will enjoy this superbly written short film…