Friday 9 August 2013

Friday film club: The Campaign, The Change Up and Hope Springs

I have a trio of comedy movies for you here so something for everyone this Friday Film Club...


The zany one... The Campaign

If you like Will Ferrell's sense of humour, you'll like this film. He hits as much as he misses but this is a funny tale of two candidates for local office in a Southern American town called Hammond. Cam Brady (Ferrell) has won the position every year, hands down, for as long as people can remember as no one else runs and he says the generic things that people want to hear. This year is different as some local business men make a bet they can get local weirdo but all round nice guy Marty Huggins (the hilarious Zach Galifiabakis from The Hangover) elected who they then hope to bend to their will.

The story follows the antics of the typical over the top American political race with some funny outcomes and a dash of slapstick humour.

See it if you liked: Anchorman, The Hangover, Talladega Nights.


The fun one... The Change Up

You all know the story. Two opposite people who are friends get magically switched one day after thinking the grass is greener on the other side, waking up in  the other person's body. Dave (Jason Bateman) is a dad to three kids who works himself to death and has forgotten what fun is. Mitchell (Ryan Reynolds) is your typical lothario, living a student type lifestyle despite being 30 something and only thinking about today.

Cue a cheeky pee in a local water fountain (don't ask), and Dave and Mitchell wake up the next day in the other person's body. At first they're not so keen after all but then they realise how much fun / how much meaning their new live entail. 

It's a predictable story but fun nevertheless. If you like the two leads then you'll like this but be prepared for a very sweary Reynolds / Bateman as the   character Mitchell.

See it if you like: Freaky Friday, Van Wilder.


The touching one... Hope Springs

Starring the amazing Meryl Streep and a particularly grumpy Tommy Lee Jones, this film is the story of a married couple who have drifted apart into a predictable routine after 31 years together. Streep's character Kate decides to do something about it as she misses the loving side of her marriage and enrols them both into couples counselling in Maine.

Her husband is less than keen but goes along with the plan. The rest of the film follows their counselling sessions with Steve Carrell and their homework tasks afterwards at trying to get intimacy back in their marriage.

It's a touching film that is a little light on the laughs compared to the trailer but the two characters are real and likeable. There is a cheeky scene with a banana and all the 'action' is sensitively but realistically handled. This is a feel good film at it's finest.

See it if you liked: As Good As It Gets, The Bucket List.
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