 "Photo:")
Directed by Harold Ramis and produced by Judd Apatow, "Year One" is a comedy set in biblical times injected with contemporary humor. It stars familiar comedic faces Jack Black (Tropic Thunder) and Michael Cera (Superbad) as hunter Zed and gatherer Oh, respectively. They leave their primitive village behind after Zed eats forbidden fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and is cast out. Along their travels they cross paths with many biblical figures including David Cross (Arrested Development) as Cain, Paul Rudd (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) as Abel, Vinnie Jones (Snatch), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad) as Isaac, and Bill Hader (Superbad). Clearly, the supporting cast is loaded with comedic talent. Perhaps the funniest character of all is Hank Azaria (The Simpsons) as Abraham. Zed and Oh's travels are mainly influenced by the motivation to rescue two women from their village, Eema (Juno Temple) and Maya (June Raphael), who have been sold in to slavery, but the two have more than enough hijinks to sidetrack them at least once or twice.
The film is generally well-written and the jokes are delivered expertly by a great cast. The Old Testament setting is a refreshing change of pace from the slew of suburban comedies Apatow has produced over the past few years. It provides an impetus for some fresh jokes and situations. Contemporary jokes and actions in this setting work well.
Despite its great humor, the film does have its drawbacks. The plot is linear and nearly pointless, existing only as a vehicle for humor. There are a great deal of funny minor characters, but very few of these are developed beyond a few punch lines. Unlike Cera's affinity for Temple's character, Black's drive to rescue Raphael seems fake and out of place.
With the comedic equivalent of a star-studded cast, this film never quite lives up to its potential. It is a solid comedy and worth seeing, but it is not on par with other Apatow-produced films like "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" or "Knocked Up." You'll leave it having have a good laugh, but you shouldn't expect any intellectual stimulation. All in all, "Year One" is a typical comedy. If you feel like you need a laugh, go see it.
Be the first to comment on this article!