Getting Away with Murder

I got quite a lot of chuckles out of this movie. But does that make it a really good flick? Not necessarily. It's better than most people say it is (well, the few people who've seen it). Hell, I figured "Jack Lemmon's in the cast. How bad can this movie be?" Dan Aykroyd's career definitely isn't as successful as it was in the seventies--his SNL days. I still think he's very talented, but like Chevy Chase he's starting to fall into that ditch with other has-been SNL alumni of the seventies. Lily Tomlin is another veteran comic, but let's face it--what was the last big movie she was in? I love Dan and Lily, but they're two people who wouldn't surprise me if they were to do a bad movie, despite their talents.

But actually, this isn't a bad movie at all. People may criticize the subject matter involving Nazi Genocide, but I'm flexible when it comes to comedy. I have a pretty dark sense of humor myself, and I don't mind dark humor at all and believe that almost anything can be made funny if handled in the right manner. "All in the Family" is one of the most successful sitcoms of all time, and the show constantly dealt with the subject of racism.

There are a good deal of funny moments, though worthy of chuckles and not laughs. But the movie just lacks a certain energy. I can't point out exactly what could've been done better, but the film just has a bland feeling to it. It needed more bite.

The acting is great, though. Aykroyd gives an enthusiastic performance. Lemmon performs the same way he would in any of his Oscar-winning films. And Tomlin is impressive as well, in a role that requires her to be somewhat dramatic and not the goofball she usually plays. So basically, what we have is a first-rate cast in a second-rate movie.

As I said, not a bad movie--just needed more bite.

My score: 6 (out of 10)

This is a rather mild and forgettable comedy, but I think it deserves a **1/2 rating, if only because it dares to deal with some ambiguous subjects (like vigilantism) without become overly moralizing. The viewer is allowed to think (or not think, if he does not wish to) for himself. It's not a funny movie, I'll grant you that, and Jack Lemmon is thoroughly wasted, but it's an interesting one nonetheless.

Professor Lambert lectures on ethics and morals at a local University and lives alone in a quiet suburban area. However when his neighbour, is accused of war crimes as a Nazi he isn't sure what to think. When he is told that Mueller is about to leave for Ecuador, where he will be free to live out his life without extradition he cannot morally accept it and decides to take action by murdering him. However Lambert's ethics and need for justice soon cause the whole plan to crumble in a moral mess.

I'd never heard of this film when I watched it but Dan Aykroyd is usually an OK bet – even if he's not as funny as Bill Murray often manages. However after watching this I understand why I hadn't heard of it. The plot is OK at the start but the moral reasoning that drives much of the latter stages doesn't ring true and it feels like the film is just trying to muddle through to a very unsatisfactory ending that also feels like they weren't sure how it should end so they just stopped!

As a drama it doesn't work at all, sadly as a comedy it has no laughs at all. Not a smile, I assumed it was a bad drama until a glance at the listings told me it was meant to be a comedy! A misguided drama I can understand, but to pitch something so lame as a comedy is beyond justification.

The cast are wasted here. Names like Tomlin, Lemmon, Aykroyd and Adler really need better material than this to show what they can do. Here they do the best they can but they can turn a sow's ear into a purse.

Overall this is a failed comedy and a drama that is failing with every plot step. The end result is a film that is neither funny or dramatic – it is merely mediocre and very dull.

Maybe it's just because I like Dan Aykroyd: I have never seen a movie with him that I did not enjoy. I decided to put in a few lines of appreciation for this one, considering the bad reviews read here. It certainly is not the ultimate masterpiece of comedy but I found it thoroughly enjoyable, and despite the fact that I was very tired it kept watching it until 2am.

I bought this movie for one reason and one reason only, Bonnie Hunt. I can not believe she sank so low! Her character is the only good thing about this film, and I hate to say it, her character isn't that great! This movie was the worst thing I had ever seen! Usually Lilly Tomlin is funny, she wasn't. and I was so suprised at Jack Lemmon's character too. Why did you people make this movie? WHY?!?!?!

This Movie will forever sit on my shelf never to be watched again!