The Ten

This movie was truly horrific. I like anything from black comedies to just very straight forward humor, but this wasn't funny at all. The writing seemed juvenile, forced and all over the place. I mean come on: the stories are based on the ten commandments. There has got to be some humor in ten random rules on which to base morality. Yet this didn't even come close to pointing out anything at all. I also can't seem to figure out how they got funding for this and all these normally very funny actors participated. I can understand how a movie can seem good on paper, but to not work on screen, but to know this wasn't going to work at all you barely have to be able to read. If you are planning to go see this movie: don't!

This is the first film I have chosen to comment on so forgive me if my review is not on par with some of the more knowledgeable film buffs out there! I feel I should also point out that I have no prior knowledge of the director or any of his previous works.

Therefore, reviewing this as a stand-alone movie, I would have to say that it was somewhat below average. While there were some scenes that I did laugh at and in my opinion the acting was great (though it has to be said that the actors were playing rather shallow characters) all in all it was a rather disappointing film. As many people have said, the plots were VERY loosely tied to the Ten Commandments (in some cases I found it hard to find the link at all) and I actually felt embarrassed for the actors during some of the more cringe worthy scenes. It just felt to me as if they were trying too hard. In some cases the dialogue was highly commendable but in others it was just lacked subtlety. Don't get me wrong - I love humour that is intended to shock and appal but as I said earlier - this film just felt like it was trying too hard to do so and thus, for me, lacked integrity.

Greetings again from the darkness. If you are familiar with "Wet Hot American Summer", Stella Shorts and MTV's "The State", you will have some idea what director David Wain has in store for you. Still, given the talent involved, I was amazed at the lack of creativity involved in most of the 10 vignettes loosely based on the Ten Commandments.

Even the best ideas fall flat and leave us with only a couple of chuckles. Adam Brody being implanted in the ground after a skydive, Winona Ryder shacking up with a wooden marionette, a doctor's goof that leads to his prison "romances", twin brothers learning of their odd gene pool while embracing Oliver Platt's Ah-nuld impersonation, a perky Jessica Alba, Liev Schreiber's attempts to keep up with the Jones', and Justin Theroux as Jesus H. Christ all had potential for true insight into human nature. Instead we are force fed a few quick hits in the "Reno 911" mold.

The ongoing between commandment scenes with Paul Rudd and Famke Jansson could have been classic, and a few scenes with Gretchen Mol will usually save a film. I appreciate the concept but am saddened by the result.

Once upon a time there was a good movie called 10. They should have borrowed on that title and call it "1". As it is the worst thing someone put on the screen. To call it a 'comedy' is a big stretch, nothing at all is funny in that silly movie. It looks like a high school production, and its amazing how some of the actors agreed to be in it. The humor is juvenile, and it is just pure silly. I can't see it even as a cult movie at midnight.... There are really not enough negative comments to say to describe this total waste of time, and money...how they got the funding is a mystery...did anyone read that? Save time, money and stamps before you go see this ONE.....

(Mild Spoilers)

Okay, David Wain's "The Ten" isn't attempting to redefine the genre of sketch comedy or satire, nor does it pass judgement on the religious iconography it uses as a template. It merely cheekily plays with the idea of the commandments in a smutty and more often than not, unique way. What I think the strongest part of this film is, is its pre-occupation with the perverse and how one can play that out on screen. The repetition of the Spanish word for vagina, Winona Ryder's hysterical relationship with that dummy, Oliver Platt's "Arnie" impression, Liev Schreiber's cat scan machines and the untimely death of hundreds of children, are all irreverent and interesting approaches to the lessons or moral codes of the ten commandments. Whilst some are better executed than others, I particularly appreciated the astute connection between the "Adultery" segment and Woody Allen's films. The use of the stamp jazz soundtrack as the camera moves down a busy New York street, the inclusion of Dianne Weist as a needy wife, and the self-indulgence of our two infidels all really hit the mark. Even their dialogue seems to be mocking Allen's neurotic adulterous characters. Which, as a Woody Allen fan, I really got into.

If for anything else, one should give "The Ten" a go for its wonderful utilisation of well- known actors for comedy. They seem to really be holding absolutely nothing back, and that is actually a thrilling experience to watch. Particularly the work of Winona Ryder, whose drive off into the sunset with no hands on her steering wheel, crying and laughing like a lunatic whilst sitting next to her lover, a wooden dummy, got me so giggly I couldn't breathe.