Blades of Glory
Will Ferrell and John Heder play two professional ice skaters at the top of their game. The diversity of their personalities, especially when compared to the typical international skating community, makes you wonder how they got there. Nevertheless, they are true champions — that is until they decide to doosh it out on the ice.
The rest follows the somewhat predictable heroes to zeros then back to heroes storyline with the usual discovery of a loop-hole in the rules, sex scandal, and characteristic blockhead bad dudes. And this is all used to make a fantastic mockery of elite, petite and snobbish world that is figure skating.
The only way the directors (Josh Gordon and Will Speck) were able to pull this comedy off, was with the choice help of Ferell and Heder (pronounced Heeeder just for interest). Ferrell's character was essentially Ron Burgundy on skates and Heder had the innocence of Napoleon Dynamite. The gags flowed like AWB kickbacks with each one hitting the mark. To understand how well they pulled this off, you'll just have to watch it yourself.
The high tempo pace of this film made it possible to fit so many gags in but it skimmed over some storyline defining moments that would have completed it. But who gives a fuck, it's not supposed to be a Shawshank. A small part of me thinks the script may have been written initially as a serious drama. Twenty years ago it probably would have cut it but today it would have gone straight to DVD. Thank the-big-man-upstairs it didn't happen.
If you go in to it expecting nothing then you'll be rolling around the aisles. Don't expect too much as it's not ground-breaking comedy. But like every good comedy it does have one gold scene which will make you wet yourself (ah la band camp). I'd rate this an $11 film (that is I'd pay $11 to see it).
3.9 / 5 Stars
Stewart Jones
