If you see a movie with Ben Stiller and Jack Black in it you have certain expectations. Stiller will be the everyman, just trying to get by in life, who makes a few wrong choices. Mr Black you want to see mugging his way across the screen in a non grounded, over the top comedy performance. Both of these are in effect in Barry Levinson's satirical comedy Envy. The premise consists of Black's daydreamer coming up with the idea for an invention which the hard-working Stiller thinks is stupid. When Black makes his idea a reality...and a spectacular money generating bonanza...Stiller is left to Envy his best friends lavish new lifestyle. So far, so solid a concept.
The bad news is the script; it's not funny. Stiller gets into wacky situations...Black dances around parading his wealth, but it doesn't amount to many laughs. Rachel Weitz is wasted as Stiller's wife, and so becomes an opportunity to flex her American accent. The satire, mocking the American Dream, isn't that sharp and the comic set pieces too few and far between.
There are three saving graces:-
1/ Jack Black's invention is a spray that makes poo vanish. Yes, it's a comedy about poo.
2/ The set piece involving the transportation of a deceased horse does at least raise a smile.
3/ Christopher Walken is on top, loony tunes form.
A come home from the pub on a Friday night when you're completely trashed kind of movie.
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