Same old ingredients, different presentation

Rating: 5/10 (7 February 2009)

"Blades of Glory" might as well sell itself as a live production called "Ron Burgundy and Napoleon Dynamite on Ice." Stars Will Ferrell and Jon Heder do nothing to escape the comedic shells that have consumed their careers and while the results are sometimes funny in that cozy, familiar way, it's all rather stale, especially when thrown into a typical sports underdog plot line.
The film applies both the styles of Heder and Ferrell to the world of professional figure skating, which the writers must have thought was ripe with comedic opportunity. Instead, it ends up being full of spots to crack homophobic jokes and bathe in the comedic awkwardness of guys touching guys. Essentially, the two world-renowned skaters' hostility costs them their careers, leaving their only chance to skate again up to a loophole in the skating world that says they can compete as an all-male pair.
Ferrell is at his most stereotypical playing a Chazz Michael Michaels, an ignorant, childish and narcissistic sex-addict, not all that different from when he made a cameo as another Chazz in "Wedding Crashers." It works sometimes because it's Ferrell doing what he's best at: tossing out creative insults and flaunting his unfit, harry body, but with years having past since "Anchorman," it's a tired act. Heder, who hasn't found much luck post-Napoleon Dynamite, doesn't get any luckier playing Jimmy MacElroy, a wimpy, whiny child skating prodigy. These comedians aren't channeling their talents into new characters, they're merely spitting out lines in attempt to be funny because their characters are written to their strengths and not to be unique, or entertaining for that matter.
The most likable thing about "Blades of Glory" might be its supporting cast. While there's always the Saturday Night Live junket (Will Arnett and Amy Poehler play Tanya Harding- esquire antagonists), Jenna Fischer of "The Office" plays the love interest and Craig T. Nelson makes the most amusing appearance as Michaels and MacElroy's coach, a role he made famous on television in the show "Coach." Nick Swardson, a Happy Madison product, is also quite enjoyable as an effeminate psycho-stalker of MacElroy.
There's a decent amount of good material, like Arnett chasing Ferrell through Montreal on ice skates or Ferrell ruining the on-ice kids show that employs him when he begins vomiting inside his costume, but there's nothing exciting or new to latch on to that makes the film more than simply worthwhile. It's easy to watch, but it's certainly at the bottom of the pile for Will Ferrell and others.