Genre: Comedy

Directors: Josh Gordon & Will Speck

Certificate: Blades of Glory  was rated 15A by the Irish Film Censor's Office (www.ifco.ie) i.e. suitable for those of 15 years of age or upwards.  Those under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult.

Violence = mild. Drugs = none. Sex/Nudity = moderate. Language = mild.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:

Blades of Glory

I was just about to put this one in the Lame Ducks section… but the four or five genuinely funny moments in the 95 minute running time saved it from that fate.  However, if this is the calibre of film that has made it to the top of the US box office I despair.  It tells the tale of two rival ice skating champions Chazz Michael Michaels (Will Ferrell) and Jimmy Mac Elroy (Jon Heder) who receive a life time ban from the skating federation for brawling following a competition.

They bury the hatchet several years later after being consigned to humdrum jobs and return to the world stage as a pairs team (yes a men's pairs team!) as there's nothing in the rules to say they can't… 

The jokes are predictable and bordering on the childlike at times, but every now and then there are flashes of genuine comedy but it all seems to be held together by chewing gum and there's not enough of it to go round or keep the momentum going.  There's a subplot involving a rival team and a romance for Jimmy who's all teeth and tan, but Ferrell dominates as the loud talking , streetwise, heavy drinking cynic. 

Ferrell is not your mainstream Hollywood leading man and with the greatest respect has a face made for comedy, however, I believe he has real talent sadly however this is not the showcase for it and I cringed at some of the dialogue and the script (I use the word script loosely).  It's a no brainer for when you have some friends coming round for a pizza and a few beers. Wait for DVD(and rental only at that).  In a word - Lame. 

Mary Kate, Premier Movie Reviews 2007

Blades of Glory is Josh Gordon and Will Speck’s shot at pro figure skating.  Even though it is full of gay references, there is nearly no good skating, and reality seems to have been flushed down the toilet, the movie has a good feeling about it. 

When Chazz Michael Michaels (Will Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder) tie for a gold medal at the winter games, they get into a fist fight on the podium.  They are stripped of their medals and banished from men’s figure skating.  Luckily there are two loop holes that will allow them to skate in pairs skating and skate together. 

Will Ferrell sexes up Chazz Michael Michaels, the lone wolf of figure skating.  Ferrell’s performance left me rolling my eyes and smiling.  Jon Heder makes Jimmy MacElroy’s numerous neuroses enjoyable.  His germaphobia, precise movements and childlike demeanor are well blended by Heder.  Together Ferrell and Heder give a comical tension to most of the scenes in the movie.  Sure, the movie is packed with childish gay jokes that aren’t funny but the interpersonal strain is enjoyable.  The movie also has a pretty charming love story sub-plot. 

The costumes in the movie were pretty fun.  Julie Weiss, Blades of Glory’s costume designer, makes no shortage of funny costume decisions.  In the beginning Jimmy MacElroy wears a blue suit with a peacock head on his hand.   At the end, there is a surprising little detail to the costumes that makes the performance especially fun.   

This movie must have been a proper irritation for actual figure skaters.  Even I could see there was a considerable difference in ability between the actors and real figure skaters.  I didn’t expect them to become world class skaters but it is annoying when you can see the faces of the “stunt figure skaters”.   There is one scene in particular you can see the double’s face and it looks like his wig is going to fall off.  They can afford two directors but they couldn’t afford ten more bobby pins?  When the actors can’t actually do what is physically necessary to complete the story, the attention to editing is important, even in stupid comedies.  It would have been nice to see some quality figure skating at all during Blades of Glory.  Even the scenes with stunt skaters were not particularly well choreographed or exciting and the scenes were short.  

The story is simple and doesn’t require too much thinking on the part of the audience.  This movie has five writers to make a plot a six year old could come up with.  Jeff Cox, Craig Cox, Busy Philipps, John Altschuler, and Dave Krinsky either each suck so badly they couldn’t come up with a more complex plot between them or they spent their time ripping each other’s rewrites apart.  I just don’t understand why there needs to be six writers on a movie like this.  As if five writers weren’t enough, the movie has two directors, Josh Gordon and Will Speck.  I’m still scratching my head about why this movie has as much bureaucracy as the California school system.  

Look, I don’t know exactly why I liked this movie.  I am not a fan of the “stupid comedy”.  Blades of Glory definitely falls into that category.  Even though it isn’t my usual cup of tea, I really had fun.  Maybe I was grumpy and just needed a little pick-me-up or was feeling particularly vulnerable to ridiculous situations, but I caught myself giggling numerous times.  I don’t think anyone will file this one as best movie of the year, probably not even stupid comedy of the year but maybe stupid comedy of the week.  I don’t suggest this movie if you want to get the best cinematic bang for your buck.  I do suggest this movie if you have had a hard day and want to veg out a little. 

LaRae Meadows, Premier Movie Reviews 2007

Will Ferrell

Jon Heder

Will Arnett

Amy Poehler

Jenna Fischer

William Fichtner

Craig T. Nelson

Romany Malco

Nick Swardson

Scott Hamilton

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