Special Correspondents

Special Correspondents is funny but not anything spectacular. It's another one of those comedies where people make bad decisions and semi- funny things happens. I was eager to see this movie due to the cast and the story, and I expected to be entertained after seeing the first trailer. But unfortunately, it fell a little flat.

It's the perfect movie for those times you just want to watch something, be mildly entertained but not forced to really pay attention to the story. If you are easily entertained by stupid things, this movie is for you. But if you are tired of cheap jokes, clichés and stupidity, then this movie might not be for you.

My rating is based on the fact that in the end I did not feel like I had wasted a few hours watching it, it made me silently laugh a few times and it was decent. Decent but not special.

Interesting cast of Ricky Gervais, America Ferrara, Kelly Macdonald, Kevin Pollack, Benjamin Bratt, and Eric Bana. Vera Farmiga is a villain, the unhappy wife of Ricky Gervais.

Kelly Macdonald is the co-worker who falls for the beleagured Ricky Gervais. Gervais plays his usual role of the down-trodden common man who is under-appreciated. No jokes or one-liners here, just humor.

Most of the story is pretty warm-hearted interaction between the characters. America Ferrera steals a few scenes with the warmth and friendliness of her character, who plays the local bar / taco shop owner that helps Gervais and Bana pull off their radio news scam.

Eric Bana is playing the straight man to Gervais, and is a bit of a villain too. This movie reminded me of the old Abbott and Costello films. The chemistry between Bana and Gervais was straight from them. Like most of the old Abbott and Costello films, it was innocent fun with good intentions.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting to be fair, I love Ricky Gervais and I own everything he has done. A lot of negativity had come from various reviews I'd read and I thought - Well I'll be the judge, jury and executioner!

Admittedly the film has a slow start but does build, as the film continued I got more into it and was eventually gripped even though it was quite predictable the direction it was heading in. For me Ricky's on-screen presence makes it automatically feel-good, especially for me as I'm a fan of his work. Occasionally throwing some funny one-liners in, occasionally sounding like his character of Andy Millman from Extras which for me helped keep the Ricky we know and love current. Eric Bana was a great choice to play the main reporter, at first I thought it would be like sticking Arnie with David Jason kind of combo but they play well off each other and have great chemistry, Eric as we know is Australian so a convincing American accent was spot on.

Overall, ignore the harsh reviews, I know it's opinion but let's face it, they ain't got a clue what a genius Ricky is, it's not always about the comedy, the film isn't hilarious but is quite funny in places, Ricky has tried his hand here at something else and I believe pulled it off well. Highly recommended if you love Ricky's work and want to see him try something different then go for it, 9/10 is a deserved rating!

I laughed throughout this movie, it had a tight clever script that was delivered by a strong ensemble group.

If you like Ricky Gervais's work then this is of the highest order. I understand many won't get the British humour, the anti-hero, the underdog, the ironic situations, the self-deprecation, etc etc. But if you do this is a gem.

Pretty ridiculous storyline. It waivers towards the end as well.

But more than enough laugh out loud moments to go around. Good escapism at 10pm last night. I wasn't really expecting a tour de force in witty, edgy comedy.

It is difficult because other genres you can always take critics opinions seriously. They can look at the film as a whole rather than rating it on the gags. What I find funny will not be what others will find funny, so how much should we care about some person I will never meet totally panning the film?.

A good offering from Netflix. It will have an audience regardless of how many people are criticising it. It is what it is.