Zachary FenellBlades of Glory Kicks Ice
May 7th 2007 02:37
Blades of Glory is an entertaining figure skating farce teaming up Will Ferrell (Talladega Nights, Anchorman) and John Heder (Napoleon Dynamite, School for Scoundrels). When Chazz Michael Michaels (Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy (Heder) tie for the gold at a world competition and then promptly get into a fight, the result is both of them being banned from figure skating. There is a loop hole as Coach (Craig T. Nelson) points out, and both of them find themselves skating together in the pairs competition, and once again, for the gold medal.
This movie is classic Will Ferrell comedy. He shines in the role of the narcissistic sex addict: “It’s a real sickness”. How could he not be hilarious in skin tight unitards trying to look graceful? He plays the rebel of ice skating, a rock star on skates. He is the crowd pleaser with a flamboyant personality as wild as his outfits (designed by the talented Julie Weiss).
Michaels despises MacElroy for his effeminate routines and costumes. MacElroy was adopted and raised to be the next champion male figure skater, and his father (played by William Fichtner) went to the ends of the earth to make that happen. Michaels grew up in a hard neighborhood, so he naturally has contempt for MacElroy who was given everything he had ever wanted.
When the two of them get into an uproariously side-splitting fight while being honored for their winnings, chaos ensues. They wrestle to the ground, taking the podium with them and catching the mascot on fire as they go. For this display of unsportsmanlike conduct comes the decision that both skaters be banned for life from figure skating.
Losing his self worth in the loss of his image, Michaels becomes a drunk (even more so than before) and creates a memorable scene of vomiting in his wizard costume in a demeaning icecapade wannabe show: Grubblets on Ice. While he is suffering, MacElroy is working at a skate shop which shows to be a demeaning job as well. Depressed, he seeks the help of Coach (very suitable for Craig T. Nelson’s character) who makes the announcement (while both Michaels and MacElroy sit in a jail cell) that they could re-enter skating if they skated together. The skating rule book has no specifications about gender in the pair competition, so hey! It could happen! Of course, Michaels and MacElroy team up, but only under duress and complaining. When they enter Coach’s house they sound more like two teenage boys rather than two adults.
To add “tension” to the film, America’s sweetheart sibling couple Stranz and Fairchild Van Waldenburg (played by real life husband and wife team Will Arnett and Amy Poehler) enter, smiling to the cameras and diabolically planning to remove Michaels and MacElroy from any competitions. The acting is over the top villainy. The hints of incest make the pair even creepier. Fairchild is extremely possessive of her stance as ice princess; her brother is an idiot and basically does whatever she desires (making the pair even MORE creepy); and their little sister Katie (Jenna Fischer) is the only member of the family with morals. Katie falls for Jimmy, Jimmy falls for Katie, Michaels winds up in Katie’s room, Jimmy thinks Michaels has given in to his sex addiction, and there you have the story. Oh, did I mention it all happens the night before the competition? Both Michaels and MacEloy are detained by the van Waldenburgs leading to a comically disgusting bathroom scene with MacElroy, and a chase with Michaels on skates that is worth the price of admission.
Of course the running gag through out the movie is how ridiculous it is to see men skating together, dancing together, lifting one another, etc. That is, beside the constant sex jokes (“YOU slept with Michelle Kwan?”) to the crotch jokes and slapstick comedy (no pun intended). Look for cameos by Sasha Cohen, Nancy Kerrigan, Peggy Flemming, Brian Boitano, Dorothy Hamill and Scott Hamilton. They bring a comical authenticity to the movie.
Again, Will Ferrell shines in Blades of Glory. For humor alone, I give it four out of five stars. However, due to the nature of the humor, for family friendliness I would have to give it two stars, with the recommendation that parents with younger children view the movie first to see if it is suitable for their little one’s viewing.
Released by Paramount for Dreamworks. Red Hour/Smart Entertainment production. Producer: Ben Stiller, Stuart Cornfeld, John Jacobs. Executive Producer: Marty Ewing. Co-producer: Colin O’Reilly. Directors: Will Speck, Josh Gordon. Screenplay: Jeff Cox, Craig Cox, John Altschuler, Dave Krinsky. Rating: PG-13. Running time: 93 minutes.
Next up for Ferrell? Semi-Pro. A movie about basketball. Will that be a slam dunk too? I don’t know, but I can’t wait to see it!
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