The Basics: This
is a 2013 comedy directed by Don Scardino and written by John Francis Daley and
Jonathan Goldstein. Don Scardino’s other directing work most notably consists
of the television show ‘30 Rock’. The
film began development 2006 under a different title entirely, but didn’t gain
production momentum until later in 2011. With a $30 million dollar budget,
filming began on January 10th, 2012 in Nevada and the film was
released on March 15th, 2013.
Plot: The story
follows two childhood friends as they grow up to become famous Las Vegas
magicians, Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carrel) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi).
After the two friends have a falling out, a new and dangerous street magician
named Steve Gray (Jim Carrey) begins to occupy the spotlight in the Vegas magic
scene. Burt and Anton must reunite to reclaim their fame and perform the
ultimate illusion. The storyline follows a widely used pattern by comedy films.
It isn’t really anything new, but what were you expecting? The story feels like
a family comedy through a lot of the film, but there is dark humor thrown in
every now and then to remind you that it is, in fact, an adult comedy. The film
also has its fair share of touching moments that keep it grounded. The story is
generic, but well fitted to the movie and is perfectly suitable for a comedy.
Acting: I just
going to go ahead and say that I love the characters in this movie. Steve
Carrel and Jim Carrey are two of my favorite comedic actors. Steve plays one of
those characters that is a jerk in the beginning of the movie, then finds himself
humbled by a crisis and becomes a good person. He also plays very well with
Buscemi, whose character is the underappreciated best friend. Jim Carrey’s
eccentric role is hilarious. He will make you laugh almost every time he comes
on the screen. Steve Gray is an obvious parody of the real street magician
Chriss Angel, and if you know who that is, the jokes will be twice as funny. The
cast is great and the acting is solid enough to pull off an occasional
(previously mentioned) tender moment.
Effects: The
effects for this film are exactly as good as they need to be for a $30 million
comedy. Most of the money probably went to the large flashy set-pieces. The
most memorable effects though, are Steve Gray’s incredibly disgusting magic
tricks. He basically just hurts himself in grotesque ways like drilling a hole
in his head or cutting his face open. While these are executed in a comedic
manner, they’re still pretty gross and you might turn your head. The gore is a
little nasty, but the effects here are totally fine.
Conclusion: The
movie is a good one, and it will make you laugh. It has a legendary cast of
comic actors, and odd characters. I really enjoyed watching this movie and will
probably watch it again soon. I am already quoting it around my friends and it
feels like it could definitely become a classic. The best jokes are spread throughout
the film so it keeps your attention. The movie did not disappoint.
Buy, Rent, or Pass?
Buy- This is of course, just my opinion. I simply had
a good time watching this movie. Like I said, it kind of feels like a classic
to me. So, I’ll probably be picking it up. If you just don’t share in this type
of humor, the movie might be a bust for you, and that’s okay. However, I will
be adding to my collection soon.