L'incroyable Burt Wonderstone

Good comedy has a ring of truth and reality to it. This movie was mostly nonsensical. It had some laughs here and there, but I was pretty much the only one in the audience of three parties laughing. I think the comedians in it are funny, but the story is kind of shallow and stupid.

It wasn't a total waste of time but it wasn't something that held your attention very well either. It was sort of a time killer type comedy. Parts of it were just plain disgusting or scary, making it hard to laugh. People in the audience actually seemed to be in a bad mood watching it.

Jim Carey was funny as a sex symbol magician and Alan Arkin was funny as a cranky old man. They were just funny characters. There were little ironic jokes here and there but the piece didn't hold together well.

A lot of times I go into a movie with an opinion already formed about it. It's not based on any research or critical reviews, simply on the trailer. That was case with The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. My opinion of the film was not too positive going in. I was dragged to it by a friend of mine with questionable taste in movies to begin with. I could have not been more surprised. I found myself laughing through the entire feature.

The movie is pretty farcical to say the least, at some junctures borderline silly, but found myself quite enjoying the humor. It was a nice change of pace from all the recent comedies that have to go to the extreme with language and sex humor to make their point. It pokes fun at inter-workings of the illusionist and the final scene before the credits is classic.

The characters were very well cast. It is no secret based on past films and TV that Steve Carrell has experience in magic tricks, and he pulls it off in the film. It was also refreshing to see Steve Buscemi reprise a comedic role and carry, an impressive contrast to bootlegger Knucky Thompson. And as you would expect, Jim Carrey steals the show as the antagonistic shock magician, Steve Gray. For those who like these actors, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is a silly, light hearted but enjoyable hour and forty minute movie.

'THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE': Three Stars (Out of Five)

A movie with a cast like this (Steve Carell, Jim Carrey, Steve Buscemi, Alan Arkin, Olivia Wilde and James Gandolfini) can't be all bad and I'm a little puzzled at how poorly it's done at the box office. I think it's just the premise; no one is eager to see a movie about competitive stage magicians and I wasn't either (that's why I wasn't entirely sold by the previews despite the cast as well). The reviews for the film have been mediocre to negative too so I did go into it with somewhat low expectations. In my opinion that's the best way to see any movie because if it doesn't completely blow you're happy. This movie doesn't completely blow. It's funny and the cast all gives decent to good performances. It's not one of the most well written or best directed comedies in recent years but it's decent. Carell, Carrey and the rest of the cast have all done much better work but this isn't too big of a blemish for any of their resumes.

The film stars Carell and Buscemi as popular magicians, Burt Wonderstone and Anton Marvelton, who've had a sold-out stage act on the Las Vegas Strip for years. They met as children and learned magic together but in recent years they've grown apart. As Burt's ego has only gotten bigger and bigger he's learned to take Anton for granted and is only interested in getting laid. Their act has grown old and unoriginal as a result of their lack of motivation and passion. They've also now been threatened by a new street magician (Carrey) who's grown in popularity as theirs has diminished. An old idol (Arkin) and their mistreated assistant (Wilde) do what they can to help bring back the duo's magic and friendship.

The film was directed by Don Scardino (a veteran TV director) and written by Jonathan M. Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Chad Kultgen and Tyler Mitchell. With all those writers you'd think they could have came up with a better script but usually the more writers there are the poorer the writing tends to be in Hollywood. Scardino isn't the most experienced director to deliver the power to the punch lines these jokes need either. Still the movie isn't amateurish and like I said the acting is all good. Carell is always a great leading man, Buscemi is good in any role he's put in and it's nice to see Carrey trying a supporting turn as the movie's dislikeable villain. He's in great shape for the role and gives it his all (and I think he's probably paying Carell back for all the supporting turns he did in Carey's movies earlier in his career). The movie is definitely not bad, it's funny, and while the laugh out loud jokes might be a little few and far between the film is still always mildly amusing in the least.

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I couldn't help but enjoy this movie. Everything was telling me that this was a stupid ridiculous comedy but it was still quite funny. Magicians are a special breed, what they can do can be shocking but when it comes down to it they will always be kinda weird and geeky : )

Steve Carell and Steve Buscemi play the "old school" magicians i.e. Siegfried and Roy, and Jim Carrey plays the intense "too cool for school" magician i.e. Criss Angel. Their portrayals may be over the top but they are a completely accurate spoof of them. It was so pathetically funny watching their ego's destroy them.

If you normally don't enjoy comedy from Steve Carell and Jim Carrey then you probably won't like this movie. This is classic them in every way. Silly, a little lame and completely over the top but nevertheless still enjoyable.

The problem with most reviews today is that people have lost their innocence and playfulness the world once new.

The days when the family would go to the cinema together and buy popcorn and coke and it was a rare treat for all seem to have been replaced with an over critical and harsh assessment of anything!! The film itself deals with a similar subject when Burt Wonderstone loses his ability to realise that to somebody, even an old trick is a new one that can bring wonderment to even the oldest audience.

Lets stop and look at the film for what it is! Its not supposed to be a drama or intense film like The Green Mile. Its a innocent throw back to the era of stage magicians when rabbits from hats would trigger gasps of amazement by crossed legged kids watching in the front row.

The introduction of a 'Criss Angelesque' character was to show the shift in social attitudes in regards to what we consider entertainment is (and jim carrey does it hysterically).

Yes the story is not meant to be compared to anything of a serious nature but does have some underlying content that should make us think a little.

Today when films like 'Kickass' and 'Jackass' seem to warrant high ratings and are viewed by kids its sad to see such a fun, innocent and laughable film getting a bad rap.

In Australia at my cinema everyone was in hysterics (and this was a late session 1/4 full).

If you liked Jerry Lewis and can still laugh ... you'll love it if you enjoyed the fun of films like back to the future ... you will love it If hearing a 13 year old girl in kickass say "Suck my &*#$" was funny to you... then you missed the boat on what funny really is.

Take a chance be amazed and let yourself laugh like no one is around... let it out and let the joy of "Burt WOnderstone" lighten you heart for just a couple of hours.