By Chris Howell
Skate on back to the lounge everyone, and try to impress the judges along the way. This month we review the new comedy, “Blades of Glory.”
In this film, Saturday Night Live alum Will Ferrell, (“A Night at the Roxbury,” “Kicking and Screaming”) joins forces with Jon Heder (“Napoleon Dynamite,” “School for Scoundrels”).
The movie is directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck, two relatively new directors. They are currently directing the new TV show “Cavemen,” a show based on the Geico commercials.
Ferrell plays skating rebel Chazz Michael Michaels, a skater with a bad attitude and even worse ego. His main competition is prodigy skater Jimmy MacElroy, played by Heder, the golden boy of the skating community.
These skaters are exceptional in the singles division, but despise one another due to their contrasting skating styles. Their hatred for one another escalates into a fist fight during medal presentations and both skaters are banned from skating in that division for the rest of their lives.
After laying low for a few years, MacElroy discovers that he can compete in professional skating if he skates in the doubles division. It is at this point that he joins with Michaels to do what no man has done before: skate doubles with another man.
The duo quickly learns to work together and, to the surprise of everyone, skate well. This gains the attention of the reigning champs, the brother and sister team of Stranz and Fairchild Van Waldenberg, played by Will Arnett and current Saturday Night Live cast member Amy Poehler.
The Van Waldenbergs are not happy about sharing the spotlight, and will stop at nothing to defeat Jimmy and Chazz.
If you’ve seen the previews, you have a good grasp of what takes place over the course of the 93-minute film. Most of the movie’s success is due to the physical comedy of Ferrell and Heder. The scenes where they skate together and practice their choreography are especially funny.
On the other hand, the characters are strikingly similar to those Heder and Ferrell have portrayed in other films.
Ferrell keeps tapping into the success of “Anchorman” and “Talladega Nights.” In all three films, he delivers dialogue in the same way. All the characters have big egos, and when they lose the fame or skill that they once had, they develop a drinking problem.
Heder seems to be able to play only one role, that of a bumbling fool. In film after film, he’s either a nerd, loser, or a flat-out weirdo. “Blades of Glory” is no different.
Now it’s time once again for the judges to hold up the score cards. In spirit of the movie, this week we’ll rate the movie in skating medals.
Although the movie was entertaining and got some laughs out of me, I felt as though I had already seen it. The premise for the movie is funny, but it is a very typical Will Ferrell and Jon Heder comedy. If you didn’t like “Talladega Nights,” keep your $9.50 and wait to rent it on DVD.
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