I saw this for the first time during high school. It was amusing, but it didn’t feel right. There were some good jokes, but there was also a lot of time spent that just seemed to pad things out. I’ve known a few people that really love this movie, so I decided I should give it another try.
I had a greater appreciation for it, but it still isn’t right.
What it reminded me of was It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World, but without the fantastic performances to hold it together. There’s a similar level of madcap destruction, but something about the direction slows the pace down, making most of the jokes fall flat. There are still some great lines sprinkled throughout, and plenty of good ideas. But the one gag that felt timed just right was really close to the end, when their car falls apart.
A skilled editor could probably trim this movie down and turn it into a really solid comedy, but as it is, it doesn’t feel like a comedy to me. Even the stuff I should be loving, like the cars piling up and crashing into one another, leaves me wondering if it was intended to be funny.
I appreciated the music more than I did before. But the performances seem a little too polished. The mix is very clear, and the bass playing really felt like it cut right through. I did find myself enjoying Aretha Franklin’s performance much more than I expected. Stevie Wonder does well. I didn’t care for James Brown.
I wonder if this is just a time period thing, or if I’m actually right about this.
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