This Review Reveals Minor Details About the Plot.
Minotaur in a jar, prison in a park.
Plot Overview
At age 35 Danny Donahue
(Paul Rudd) has for ten years been a circuit preacher for energy drink
Minotaur (“It's poison”) in L.A. schools. It's a “brainless
job” driving a tricked-out Minotaur-mobile SUV on rounds and using wild Anson Wheeler
(Seann William Scott) decked out in a “gay cow suit” to cheer
on stage. Finding himself in a rut and lacking any viable career
alternatives he impulsively proposes to his live-in girlfriend
of seven years Beth (Elizabeth Banks) a clearheaded lawyer who
bales. To make matters worse, Danny gets into a tug-of-war with a
tow truck driver (“It's not my problem”) resulting in
a 30 day sentence for him and his partner.
They take the community service option of 150 hours in thirty days with the judge's favorite organization Sturdy Wings that pairs adults (Bigs) with kids (Littles.) In terms of maturation on the clock, they're a day late and a dollar short. They'll need some fancy lawyering to keep them out of the hoosegow.
Ideology
In the medieval fantasy Live Action Role
Play (LARP) game
named Live Action Interactive Role-playing Explorers (LAIRE,)
which is the obsession of the Little Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse)
assigned to Danny, the nerdy kid “slays” King Argotron (Ken
Jeong) in mock battle. The king refuses to admit it and fall down dead
(“I have a temper & I'm under anger management,”) but
a blubbering Augie (“He hath too much pride”) refuses to back
down and so gets himself unceremoniously banned from the game.
(Prov. 13:10) “Only by pride
cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.” Danny does a
back room deal with the king to get Augie reinstated with conditions.
(Prov. 13:11)
“Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth
by labour shall increase.” Danny and Wheeler (“Will you
sign our sheets”) want the boss to pad their time sheets
(“give us a few more just for kicks”) little realizing
(“Round it up to fifty”) they're on thin ice as it is.
They really need to get into it and do their hours.
(Prov. 13:12) “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.” Shy Augie has a fantasy of kissing his first girl Esplen (Allie Stamler) goddess of Navalore, but it doesn't look like it's gonna happen any time soon. Danny hopes to kiss and make up with Beth, but it doesn't look like that will happen (“You need to take this breakup more seriously”) ever.
(Prov. 13:13) “Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.” Danny and Wheeler spout all kinds of blather (“don't BS a BSer, OK? Your ‘Presence’ here, court ordered”) as if they're smarter than the law and good sense, something along the lines of what author Bruce Zimmerman has remarked on: “In the immortal words of Jesse Unruh, sometimes we must rise above principle” (135.) They would do well to apply some of the gems they throw around as in one of the deleted scenes where, “The buddha said, ‘If you can't handle the problems in your life, they're gonna start to handle you’.” It would be a beginning.
(Prov. 13:14) “The
law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of
death.” At the end they wise up and get into role playing in
the game's finale, the Battle Royale, which ups their action, their
fraternizing, and their redeemability.
Production Values
“” (2008)
was directed by David Wain. The writing was a corroborative effort
finalized by Paul Rudd, David Wain, Ken Marino and Timothy Dowling.
The film stars Paul Rudd, Sean William Scott, Christopher Mintz-Plasse,
Bobbi'e J. Thompson, Elizabeth Banks, Ken Jeong, Ken Marino and Jane
Lynch. Banks plays but a supporting role as the girlfriend of Danny,
later embellished to be his lawyer as well, but she's still under-utilized.
Everyone performed well, but special kudos goes to the two youngsters
who handled their wacky children's roles with aplomb. Mostly the movie was
just well cast, so all they had to do was act naturally. 
A standout was Jane Lynch playing ex-drug addict Gayle Sweeny founder of
Sturdy Wings. She puts me in mind of novelist Bruce Zimmerman's character
Carol Wilkie:
a living, walking New Year's resolution. The kind of person you vow to be more like in the coming year. Athletic, healthy, full of drag-you-along energy. I'm not comfortable with relentless optimism, but Carol's brand got me every time. It was pure and strong and had nothing to do with innocence. (59)
MPAA rated it R for crude and sexual content, strong language and nudity. It's heavy on the profanity, even among children. There's an unrated Version included on my DVD, which includes 2:12 minutes of even grosser material. The theater version runs 1 hour 39 minutes. Music was crafted by Craig Wedren and cinematography done by Russ T. Alsobrook.
Review Conclusion w/a Christian's Recommendation
This movie was wall-to-wall bawdy bad taste, which should appeal to philistines if to no one else. Still, some effort went into it, especially the excellent casting and realistic action game footage. This one is worth skipping.
Movie Ratings
Action factor: Well done action flick. Suitability For Children: Not Suitable for Children of Any Age. Special effects: Well, at least you can't see the strings. Video Occasion: No good occasion. Suspense: A few suspenseful moments. Overall movie rating: Three stars out of five.
Works Cited
Scripture quoted from the King James Version. Pub. 1611, rev. 1769. Print. Software.
Zimmerman, Bruce. Thicker Than Water. Copyright © 1991 by Bruce Zimmerman. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, First Edition. Print.
bibles.n7nz.org