An actor's movie

Rating: Null/10 (25 December 2008)

This film was probably a lot more fun to make than it is to watch (for people not immersed in Hollywood culture anyway). Numerous actors get to ham it up, quite well on most occasions but the film serves as nothing more than an excuse for actors to commit the craziest stuff they can think of (and get away with) to film. Robert Downey Jr. playing a black character right out of the 70's? Ben Stiller playing a range of roles from a "full" retard to Charlie Sheen in Platoon? Tom Cruise playing an obnoxiously aggressive bald fat guy? It's all here but the question is, is it fun to watch? For me the answer was moderately so, so overall this collection of acting had little substance and made for an unsubstantial viewing experience. I've seen much less enjoyable comedies but from the IMDb rating and the cast, I couldn't help feeling that there should have been more in store. I will give it credit for being watchable, not sinking to any real lows and not running out of ideas 3/4 of the way through which gives it enough points to bring it up to an average comedy. Perhaps for me this is a lesson in having heightened expectations.