Rat Race

I must say that I had some very high expectations when I saw the names of the actors that played a role in this comedy. With people like John Cleese and Rowan Atkinson, I hoped for the best, although I must also admit that I'm not a fan of Whoopi Goldberg, which still made me doubt about it. However, I didn't see it as a reason not to watch this movie and that's why I gave this "Rat Race" a try.

When a group of billionaires is searching for something new to bet on, they find the perfect solution for their 'problem' in the new game that Las Vegas casino owner Donald P. Sinclair has invented. He has pulled a group of six strangers together and tells them that they will have to race to Silver City, New Mexico, where the first one to arrive will be able to retrieve $2 million hidden in a locker. The only rule is that there are no rules. Everything is allowed in order to get there first. At first they don't really believe this is a true race, but it doesn't take long before the narcoleptic Italian immigrant, the desperate father, the disgraced NFL referee, the decent lawyer, a team made up by a mother and daughter and another one made up by two weird brothers all embark on this weird adventure.

What I liked most about this comedy was that it didn't rely on all those fart jokes and other toilet humor that you find too often in today's comedies. This is still a movie full of decent jokes and I must say that I had some very good laughs with it. However, that doesn't mean that this was a perfect movie. Take for instance Rowan Atkinson. I normally like all his parts, but this time I was quite disappointed by his performance. I'm not saying that I know someone better to play the role of Enrico Pollini, but this certainly wasn't Atkinson's finest. On the other hand I must say that John Cleese was very nice as the eccentric casino owner.

Overall this isn't the best comedy ever, but I like to see it as one of those guilty pleasures, which can sometimes lighten up a miserable day. The story is completely over-the-top and absurd, but that's OK, because this is a comedy. The acting is pretty good most of the time and especially John Cleese and Cuba Gooding Jr. were a nice surprise. That's why I give this movie a rating between 6.5/10 and 7/10.

From a point of view it is not convenient to give a very high mark to a movie like this, but I believe that movies have to be rated in different categories. So it could happen that such a movie receives a greater mark than a movie from a different category, which by the way has a greater artistic value.

Anyway, if you like non-sense movies with absurd scenes, this is for you. The movie succeeds without clever jokes, with its hilarious scenes to make fun of the greedy or the "don't know how to spend their money" people. One absurd scene follows the other, and if you like such humor you will soon find yourself convulsed with laughter. Sometimes it may appear forced, but this is a characteristic for the genre. If you just want a fun and action packed movie, this is a very good choice.

After seeing the first trailer for this film, I thought

it would too hokey for my tastes. However, like has happened on many other occasions, I was surprised by the humor in the film. While the principal characters were important in the movie, why didn't Wayne Knight get any billing? He's probably one of the best overweight actors since John Candy, and this guy can't get any work!? He was the only good reason to watch Seinfeld. Anyway, I felt this movie was quite a departure for some actors, and a great one for those who have made a movie such as this before. Jon Lovitz was excellent in this film, along with Mr. Bean (or Rowan Atkinson as he is called by non-Mr. Bean fans, who must be a sad group of people). The only downside to this film was the ending, which had yet another bad song by Smashmouth (and it was All-Star once again!). Overall, a good movie.

It would be a shame to be too sophisticated to enjoy this silly movie. Critics hammered it for being a remake of It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, or accused it of reverting back to MMMMW's formula of selling the movie with a hundred big names who do little more than mug for the camera.

But these guys are all busting their butts to entertain us. Yes, post-adolescents will be able to see most of the gags coming a mile away, but when their execution surpasses our expectations what's not to like? This is, after all, directed by the same Zucker who gave us Airplane, and it shares the same DNA.

Watch it with your kids, and appreciate the ending that leaves them with a nice message as a bonus. Even if you only cherry pick the scenes featuring a bus load of Lucy impersonators it's worth the rental.

AIRPLANE! crashes into MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD!

Duck and cover. The antics are silly, but they come at you fast and furious -- a transvestile Lucy (in a whole bunch of Lucys), squirrels, cows, balloons, a dead dog, a heart transplant, car wrecks, bowel movements, a bullet train, and much much more.

It's slapstick and double take time in this zany comedy about human greed and just plain old stupidity. The story line gets pretty ragged at times but it is funny. And it even has a message.

If you want to lose yourself for two hours in a nutty comedy, this is a good bet.