Year One

Posted on June 23, 2009 at 3:26 pm by rbaglin | Permalink

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Out to own on DVD and Blu-ray 2nd November 2009

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In a nutshell, Zed (Jack Black) and Oh (Michael Cera) are your typical losers with a heart on a journey of self-discovery. Here, they are cavemen who have been expelled from their Garden of Eden paradise. So, off they trot on a road trip through the ancient biblical world - apparently one can get from jungles to farms, to deserts, and transcend hundred of years, just by walking forward. Who knew?! Things get even more complicated when the women they loved from their tribe get kidnapped, sold into slavery, and get catapulted into this random mash-up of history, too.

Sounds like it could possibly be funny, especially with Black and Cera involved? Wrong. Unfortunately Year One lacks the one thing you require from a comedy - ‘comedy’! It feels like it could have been written by a teenage boy who came out of a history lesson, having not really listened, got stoned and decided to write a film about what he has learnt. The film is just lazy, from the script to the gags to the casting. Perhaps writer/director Harold Ramis (Groundhog Day, Analyze This) took advice from his producer Judd Apatow (Superbad) when casting? Did he really think that by throwing Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Paul Rudd into the mix it would make this film funny?

Michael Cera brought quite literally a couple of laughs with his subtle sarcasm, but not enough to compensate for the travesty that is Year One. Jack Black is so overbearing and, sadly, very tired. Can he be blamed though? Well, yes if he insists on playing exactly the same character as he has done for the past nine years. We have heard every line and seen every facial expression this guy has to offer, so even he can not save this film. In fact he only adds to the pain! By the way, Vinnie Jones even makes an appearance as a Roman Soldier, although he does bring the only genuine performance, it is all just a bit too random.

Sadly, comic genius Ramis misfires with his latest offering and the whole thing is all over the shop. Saying that, I am sure there are a few teenage boys out there that will revel in the constant genitalia and farting jokes, and enjoy the half-naked girls. So, for that it is not a complete failure. But if this film is trying to compete against Apatow’s previous hits, then they really do have to go back to ‘year one’ and start again.

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By Rachel Baglin

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Synopsis

After being banished from their homeland, tribesmen Zed and Oh embark on a journey through their ancient world. Along the way, they encounter a host of biblical characters including Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel and Abraham.

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Film Facts

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Official site: http://www.sonypictures.co.uk/movies/yearone/

UK Release Date: 26th June 2009

Director: Harold Ramis

Writers: Harold Ramis (screenplay & Story), Gene Stupnitsky (screenplay), Lee Eisenberg (screenplay).

Cast: Jack Black (‘Zed’), Michael Cera (‘Oh’), Oliver Platt (‘High Priest’), David Cross (‘Cain’), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (‘Isaac’), Vinnie Jones (‘Sargon’), Hank Azaria (‘Abraham’), Juno Temple (‘Eema’), Olivia Wilde (‘Princess Inanna’), June Diane Raphael (‘Maya’), Matthew Willig (‘Marlak’), Bill Hader (‘Shaman’) and Paul Rudd (‘Abel’).