ThinkFilm, 99mins, TBA

Written and Directed
by David Wain

The comedy troupe known as “The State” has been at it for quite a while now, and knowing that they can't pull off a movie all by their little selves, they managed to get a bunch of b-list movie stars who had nothing better to do in order to try to get distribution of what is basically nothing more than one of their theatrical sketch shows, something that has occasionally propelled other groups, such as the Kentucky Fried Theater and Broken Lizard, to greater glory.

Our host for the evening is Paul Rudd, who for reasons that don't actually make all that much sense calls himself Jeff, and ignoring the first commandment (“I am the LORD-which isn't exactly a commandment, if you think about it) and splitting the tenth commandment into two, they try to illustrate what the ten mean in a rather comedic way. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.

The first deals with dilemma that Stephen (Adam Brody) and his fiancée Kelly (Winona Ryder) face when the former jumps out of an airplane and becomes permanently planted in the ground, gaining fame and fortune, and thus becomes a “god.” This doesn't work all that well, the second, about taking the Lord's name in vain, is better where a virginal 35-year-old librarian Gloria (Gretchen Mol) falls in love with Jesus (Justin Theroux), and she may or may not take the Lord's name in vain….but then again he's the real Jesus.

“Thou shalt not Murder” starring Ken Marino is terrible, while “Honor thy mother and father,” with Cedric Sander sand Arlen Escarpeta as two dark-skinned young twins getting a cock and bull story on their real father from their suburban WASP mom (Kerri Kenney-Silver) is truly inspired. The quality of the sketches varies wildly. The First “Covet” sketch is brilliant, while the second isn't, but on the whole, it's actually rather good.

“Jeff” has some problems with his wife (Famke Janssen)  and girlfriend (Jessica Alba), who show up gratuitously on the set, presumably as a setup for the Adultery section, this builds expectation, as does the fact that characters from one segment start appearing in other sketches. The filmmakers don't actually seem to know how to end the movie, but you know when it ends.

This is a take it or leave it proposition, but worth a place on your NetFlix que.

Go to List of New Reviews

Go to Index Archives of past reviews