paulefortini
Joined Mar 2006
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paulefortini's rating
I will admit that I have seen maybe five minutes of "Jerry Springer". I don't consider myself a snob, but I really think that I am above watching what's on his show. You should try to elevate yourself above that too.
I saw this movie as part of a social studies event I was conducting. I was told that this movie really had little to do with Springer himself, rather it centered on the lives of those who would appear on "Springer." Handled better, this movie might have actually been a fascinating look at how pathetic these people's lives actually are. I will admit, I felt a twinge of empathy for Connie (Molly Hagan). This is all she has in life. How sad that she feels she must go on Jerry's show in order to resolve this.
I really feel sorry for Molly Hagan appearing in this. Have you noticed that after this movie, she has mainly been relegated to "B" roles on TV? I will say this about Hagan. She is an extremely beautiful and intelligent woman. I have no doubt that she is very earnest in her acting and she tries to play her roles with a lot of empathy. The problem is that Hagan can't carry a scene on her own. She just doesn't have what it takes to do a lead role. Her best work will always be Angel on "Herman's Head" (a show that was not great, but its heart was in the right place) and when she guested on "Seinfeld" as Sister Roberta.
I saw this movie as part of a social studies event I was conducting. I was told that this movie really had little to do with Springer himself, rather it centered on the lives of those who would appear on "Springer." Handled better, this movie might have actually been a fascinating look at how pathetic these people's lives actually are. I will admit, I felt a twinge of empathy for Connie (Molly Hagan). This is all she has in life. How sad that she feels she must go on Jerry's show in order to resolve this.
I really feel sorry for Molly Hagan appearing in this. Have you noticed that after this movie, she has mainly been relegated to "B" roles on TV? I will say this about Hagan. She is an extremely beautiful and intelligent woman. I have no doubt that she is very earnest in her acting and she tries to play her roles with a lot of empathy. The problem is that Hagan can't carry a scene on her own. She just doesn't have what it takes to do a lead role. Her best work will always be Angel on "Herman's Head" (a show that was not great, but its heart was in the right place) and when she guested on "Seinfeld" as Sister Roberta.
The only thing I really didn't like about this movie was that it was good when it could have been great. Enough has been said about the plot, but to sum it up, it involves a widowed dad played by Steve Carrell who is an advice columnist. He has three daughters. While away for a family reunion, he meets a wonderful woman at a bookstore not knowing that she is his brother's (Dane Cook) girlfriend. You can take it from there.
As a previous poster states, this movie goes for intelligence instead of "dumb-guy" humor. It seems to like its characters. Dianne Wiest and John Mahoney are terrific as his somewhat meddlesome parents (particularly Wiest). I don't like Dane Cook much, but even he turns in a decent performance. I also liked how the family, while quirky, does love one another. Another nice touch is how Dan has to sleep in the laundry room.
Unfortunately, I also wanted to slap Dan about half-way through the film. See, in real life, had such an encounter occurred, we would have the awkwardness between the guy and girl (that's a given). But they would have gotten over it, or at least kept it to themselves. Dan is so obsessed with her that it was getting on my nerves at times and he is willing to risk his relationship with his brother (I can't really relate to that as I have two sisters and no brothers. But I still wouldn't do anything to risk my relationship with them). But then again, we wouldn't have a movie if Dan wasn't so obsessed.
Despite the above, it's still a worthwhile to see this movie. It is refreshing to see a movie for adults with this level of maturity.
As a previous poster states, this movie goes for intelligence instead of "dumb-guy" humor. It seems to like its characters. Dianne Wiest and John Mahoney are terrific as his somewhat meddlesome parents (particularly Wiest). I don't like Dane Cook much, but even he turns in a decent performance. I also liked how the family, while quirky, does love one another. Another nice touch is how Dan has to sleep in the laundry room.
Unfortunately, I also wanted to slap Dan about half-way through the film. See, in real life, had such an encounter occurred, we would have the awkwardness between the guy and girl (that's a given). But they would have gotten over it, or at least kept it to themselves. Dan is so obsessed with her that it was getting on my nerves at times and he is willing to risk his relationship with his brother (I can't really relate to that as I have two sisters and no brothers. But I still wouldn't do anything to risk my relationship with them). But then again, we wouldn't have a movie if Dan wasn't so obsessed.
Despite the above, it's still a worthwhile to see this movie. It is refreshing to see a movie for adults with this level of maturity.
"Income Tax Sappy" is one of the last good Three Stooges Shorts. It is notable for several reasons. It was one of only a few released that year that did not contain stock footage. It was also one of the few "all-new" episodes released after Shemp Howard suffered a minor stroke.
Most notably, however, is that "Income Tax Sappy," much like other "all-new" episodes released late in Shemp's career, had a different look and feel to it. According to author Jeffery Forrester in his 1981 book "The Stooge Chronicles", these episodes were an attempt by Columbia to freshen up things a little bit. Columbia's reasoning was that audiences were getting a little tired of the standard Stooges routines. The viewer will notice that in episodes like "Income Tax Sappy", and "Goof on a Roof", the settings are much more middle-class (at least how TV and the movies showed the middle-class in the 1950s). The apartments in these shorts are actually rather up-to-date and spiffy! The earlier portrayals of the Stooges, as barely-employed low-lifes, would have seemed awfully dated by this time.
Did this attempt by Columbia work? Well, yes and no. "Income Tax Sappy", while okay, does not rank up there with the best of the Shemp episodes like "Brideless Groom" and "Fright Night." Though the Stooges give it their best, it was clear that things were winding down.
Most notably, however, is that "Income Tax Sappy," much like other "all-new" episodes released late in Shemp's career, had a different look and feel to it. According to author Jeffery Forrester in his 1981 book "The Stooge Chronicles", these episodes were an attempt by Columbia to freshen up things a little bit. Columbia's reasoning was that audiences were getting a little tired of the standard Stooges routines. The viewer will notice that in episodes like "Income Tax Sappy", and "Goof on a Roof", the settings are much more middle-class (at least how TV and the movies showed the middle-class in the 1950s). The apartments in these shorts are actually rather up-to-date and spiffy! The earlier portrayals of the Stooges, as barely-employed low-lifes, would have seemed awfully dated by this time.
Did this attempt by Columbia work? Well, yes and no. "Income Tax Sappy", while okay, does not rank up there with the best of the Shemp episodes like "Brideless Groom" and "Fright Night." Though the Stooges give it their best, it was clear that things were winding down.