Killer Robot Comics, Design and Illustration

The Queue: Role Models

Role Models fits right in between “Funnier Than I Thought The Trailer Made It Look” and “Less Funny Than Everyone I Know Made It Out To Be”. I have really enjoyed Paul Rudd’s last few years of work. He was amazing in Anchorman, and I couldn’t help but love his complete breakdown in Knocked Up. He’s the reason I wanted to see this movie at all, and I have to say that he lived up to what I was expecting. He was funny, smug, and strangely easy to relate to. Sean Williams Scott basically played the character he’s always played, but I don’t mind thinking that maybe he’s just the dude that went to Ithaca University in Road Trip, and somehow this is how his life has ended up.

What made this movie a blast to watch was the LARPing (Live-Action Role Playing). I’ll admit it. Between the ridiculousness of McLovin battling with a foam sword, and the KISS-obsessed ending, it was definitely worth staying awake the whole movie. The real downfall of the film was that it was slow. Things took a while to evolve, and it seemed like every scene lasted a minute or so longer than it needed to. And while the dialog kept me laughing a good portion of the time, the ending fell a little flat in the creativity department. If you like R-rated comedies — that are light on the raunchiness — it’s worth a watch.

What To Add It For: The Dialog.
I love movies that do a good job of making you feel like these are actual conversations between real people and not pre-written scenes by a writer with a PhD in wit (The O.C., Dawsons Creek, et al). (See: Shaun of the Dead, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Cabin Fever for examples of how to write dialog.)

What To Remove It For: Middle Of The Road Comedy.
You won’t waste your time watching this movie, but if for some insane reason you have thousands of movies in your queue, you wouldn’t miss this one.

Rating: 3/5