Step Brothers
Step Brothers is little more than an opportunity for two master riffers to face off in the ultimate Man-Child challenge. There is a plot, but it only exists to give Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly (co-creators with director Adam McKay) some focus for their juvenilia. While this sounds like a negative comment, it’s actually not. Director McKay (Talladega Nights and Anchorman) lets his starts walk away with this super-cartoonish imagining of two jobless men (ages 39 and 40) who still live at home and become step-brothers. McKay’s films are best at showcasing character and sacrificing story and relationships, but thankfully, this movie is all about relationships, and therefore works much better.
Producer Judd Apatow’s thumb has been in a lot of Peter Pan Syndrome pies, and this one is the most outlandish of them all. The best of them portray their sympathetic leads as “grown-up delayed” sweeties who just need a little push. These step-brothers are comically infantile, squalling, flailing, oblivious to the expectations of the world around them. The world wants them crushed and normal, but that ain’t funny, bub. Ferrell has of course made a career of being the Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up (even Stranger Than Fiction had him unable to truly live fully), and John C. Reilly just came off the delightful Walk Hard, which pitted his character against the perils of personal responsibility. Together they have a chemistry that elevates the otherwise middling materials.
Their newlywed parents, the delightful Richard Jenkins and Mary Steenbergen, negotiate their childrens’ psychic minefields with all the skill and care of the worst Jerry Springer family. They have enabled these monsters in different ways but still manage to love them and make themselves realistic characters. It’s their responses to the “boys” that provide the sly commentary on more modern (and disfavored) modes of parenting which center on and overindulge the child to the exclusion of all balance of privilege with responsibility, and eliminating the parents’ entire adult life in the process. Steenbergen in particular is such a victim of her oldest son’s (Ferrell) whims that he gets to remain four years old while she gives up hope of her youngest even attending her wedding. (As compared to Reilly’s mature 10 year-old self hanging with his dad.)
Ah yes, the other son. Derek (Adam Moore) is the completely douchebaggiest goon you can imagine, hawking ridiculous luxuries and domineering his weird little world. However, he at least is a functioning adult, so he’s the “good son.” Moore is tremendously, inspirationally slimy as Derek and provides the much-needed catalyst to get Ferrell’s and O’Reilly’s story going at last (well, him and wife Kathryn Hahn, of whom I am an instant new fan).
Occasionally the movie bogs down in its own conceit, with boyfights and talking about doing stuff and just letting the leads rock out as they do. Were I directing I would have trouble cutting away as well. Longtime editorial collaborator Brent White is on McKay’s wavelength, which is apparently “more of this is better,” but the movie suffers in pace for their parental indulgence of their talented stars. Not long into the movie I murmured to my companion that I couldn’t wait to see the deleted scenes – where such lengthy things belong. The wheels spun in the mud once in a while, but they did always regain their tread, even when launching into what Derek calls that “Hallmark stuff.”
Speaking of that, Step Brothers was rather obnoxious with its product placement. I’m not often bothered by it when it’s contextually realistic. We all specify brands in conversation at times, like “Would you please grab me a Sprite,” or even “Man, nothing gets me through finals like a bag of Doritos*” but the camera lovingly sits a little too long on some products, mentions a restaurant too obviously, and just, pushed it a little too far. It was weird and off-putting, but it’s not why I am only giving the movie Rental with Snacks. See it for the chemistry, stay for the message of keep your dreams alive, and save your money for a New Toasted Corn Doritos Fresh Pack while you watch the Sony Home Entertainment DVD.
*actual quote from college
MPAA Rating R - crude and sexual content, and pervasive language.
Release date 8/1/08
Time in minutes 95
Director Adam McKay
Studio Columbia Pictures
