It's not a masterpiece but you'll laugh all the way through it

Rating: 6/10 (5 May 2007)

American comedy has taken a royal nosedive since the turn of the millennium. Jim Carrey went all thesp, Bill Murray forgot how to use his facial muscles (to great effect) and the only bankable comic stars were the ghastly Wayans Brothers, Adam Sandler and the "frat pack". Leading the pack was/is Will Ferrell, and his deluge of so-so comedies. Anchorman was alright, but everything since has kinda sucked. So along comes Blades OF Glory, a buddy-comedy about a couple of knuckleheads duking it out in the fierce sport of ice-skating. I could feel the groans coming on in my system, as "Here" I thought, "We'll have yet another comedy that makes a slew of gay jokes, this time about men having to wear latex tights and oggle other men in front of an audience". No I was not looking forward to it. Shame then, because it is very funny when it wants to be. From start to finish I was never low on larfs, particularly in the incredibly slow and awkward shopping mall chase. Jon Heder, he out of dynamite, provides able support, proving that movie was no flash-in-the pan, and there are many moments where Will Ferrell's previously annoying flapping-your-arms-about-the-place routine is actually very well placed here. It may not be Fellini, but it skates all over Talladega Nights.