Wes Anderson-Film-Wannabe

Rating: 3/10 (14 November 2006)

Notice the editorial style. Notice the hippie guitar songs in the background. Notice the cinematography. This film is a rip-off. The sad part is, it didn't deliver... it just DID NOT. I could overlook the fact that it's a rip-off from Andersons style of film-making--which is too obvious--but I couldn't overlook the fact that it's a rip-off from an avante-gard in comedy films, but still didn't quite succeed. Andersons films are innovative and smart, is this movie supposed to be those things too??? I think NOT. What hurts me the most is that it stars Jack Black. He's on OK guy for me. He's really got something to offer. The script could have made it, if it wasn't for the director's lack of originality and good-comedic-timing. The film tried too hard to be a "Rushmore", or a "Napoleon Dynamite". The film was so disappointing. There is not one funny scene in the thing. I'm sorry to all Jack Black fans. I could see why you like him, and I like him, too... This film is so not him.