Year One (2009) - Film Review
Jack Black and Michael Cera Pair Well in this Primitive Comedy
Oct 15, 2009
Like its two protagonists, Columbia Pictures and the Apatow Company's Year One is primitive and sophomoric. Viewers who don't expect that by now from a Jack Black comedy (they should) may feel cheaply deceived by the movie's theological setting. Those who know what to expect from the unshapely half of Tenacious D (not that either half is shapely) will find the movie to be strangely amusing. Deeply devout Christians may want to avoid Year One altogether.
Year One is the Bible, Harold Ramis-Style
Directed by Harold Ramis (Caddyshack, National Lampoon's Vacation, Groundhog Day), Year One is but a shadow of Ramis' earlier comic genius. Yet, the writer/director/actor still has some funny left in him, and Year One proves it.
Consistently amusing though never really laugh out loud in its execution, Year One re-writes the Bible as experienced by the Bible-interjected, un-Shakespearean Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead variety (with a modicum of the wit, none of the Brit, and nowhere near as brilliant). The story begins by introducing its dynamic duo: Zed, an incompetent hunter in a caveman-like tribe, and Oh, a feeble gatherer of the same tribe. After eating from the Tree of Knowledge, Zed, played by Jack Black (Shallow Hal, Nacho Libre, Tropic Thunder), is expelled from the village. Oh, played by Michael Cera (Superbad, Juno, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) reluctantly follows him.
On their travels, Zed and Oh come across a more famous pairing, Cain (David Cross) and Abel (Paul Rudd). As the story goes, Cain quickly (but likely more comically) disposes of Abel. He then convinces Zed and Oh to return home with him and to later flee.
Journeying through the desert, the three come across slave traders who have captured members of Zed and Oh's village, including their unrequited love interests, Maya (June Raphael) and Eema (Juno Temple). Cain sells Zed and Oh to the traders and hurries off.
Reunited with their village but bound by chains, Zed and Oh head toward a life of slavery. But slavery doesn't last long; the Sodomites, led by the ruthless Sargon (Vinnie Jones), attack and take the slaves as their own. Zed and Oh escape during the melee.
This sets up the unlikely heroes' quest, to save their would-be loves from the Sodomites. Along the way, they meet other men of the Bible, like Abraham (Hank Azaria) and Isaac (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, better known as McLovin from Superbad).
Year One, though Produced by Judd Apatow, is Not Pee-Your-Pants Funny, but it is Fun Comedy Nonetheless
Year One is an amusing movie, but no laughs are all that memorable. Perhaps the scene stealer comes from Abraham, played by comedy's chameleon and man-of-a-thousand-voices, Hank Azaria (The Birdcage, Mystery Men, Along Came Polly). Abraham invents circumcision and tries to sell the others on the idea. For men everywhere, the scene is painfully funny.
Jack Black is typical Jack Black — boisterous, obnoxious, over-the-top, vulgar, and yet somehow likable — and Michael Cera is, well, typical Michael Cera — mousy, sarcastic, spineless, and yet somehow endearing. Neither shows any greater or worse acting chops than their earlier films, nor do they show any ability to differentiate between earlier roles and those in Year One.
Vinnie Jones (Snatch, X-Men: The Last Stand, The Condemned), almost always an excellent villainous maniac, and Bill Hader (Superbad, Hot Rod, Adventureland), a great addition to any ensemble comic film cast, were both underutilized. David Cross, as any fan of Mr. Show with Bob and David would agree, also put in a typical showing, which was actually a fairly good choice for Cain given Cross' dark humor tendencies.
Other cast members were both unmemorable and unimportant, save perhaps for Oliver Platt's High Priest, who was disgustingly flamboyant. Making an appearance as a eunuch who throws his own testicles at Zed is Black's band mate, Kyle Gass.
Year One is not as Bad as Some Reviews Say and Well Worth a Rental Fee (Minus Late Fees)
Year One ends with a fizzle rather than a bang, but the enjoyment the journey through brings is somewhere between winning $1.00 on a scratch ticket and eating a home-cooked meal. Released on DVD and Blu-Ray on October 6, 2009, Year One is worth renting unless the renter can't remember to return his or her movies on time.
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