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MGM inexplicably
delayed Dirty Work's DVD release until more than a year after
its short (and I do mean short) run in the theaters. My local
$1.50 theater even rejected it. Perhaps MGM was trying to
build the anticipation for its release? Doubtful. Had Norm
Macdonald's television show not been successful this past
spring Dirty Work might still not be available on DVD at all.
Mitch (Norm
Macdonald) is clever, suave, and sophisticated (compared to
his bar acquaintances). But his contempt for authority has
kept him moving from occupation to occupation. Finally his
girlfriend kicks him out, and he is forced to live with Sam
(Artie Lange). Sam's father, Pops (Jack Warden), has a heart
attack, and the doctor (Chevy Chase) tells Sam his father
will die without an expensive heart transplant. To raise the
money Mitch and Sam invent a "revenge for hire"
business. Finally their many years as degenerates are finally
paying off. Add in some mystery surrounding the descendants
of Pops and the inevitable love interest, and we've almost
got ourselves enough for an 82 minute comedy spectacular!
To me, Norm
Macdonald is one of the funniest guys on the planet. His stint
as the Weekend Update anchor on Saturday Night Live was about
the only reason to tune in on Saturday nights. His appearances
on talk shows are often a riot, particularly when he adlibs.
His television show has been uneven but it still stands out
amongst the network wasteland (even Suddenly Susan and Caroline
in the City have lasted an unfathomable number of years).
Norm would
probably be the first person to admit that he is not a very
good actor. He is much more natural doing standup than standing
in front of a camera uncomfortably waiting for his turn to
say a line. This would seem to hamper his dramatic film aspirations,
but comedies will forgive this amateurishness. In Dirty Work
he is still too deliberate at times, which distracts me from
the (un?)funny lines coming out of his mouth. Hopefully his
mannerisms will improve if and when he has another starring
role.
I expected
more from Norm, who was also one of three writers on this
screenplay. If you add up the funny parts of three of his
shows from television you will find more worthwhile comedy
than in Dirty Work, even though the television shows are much
tamer. A funny cameo by Adam Sandler as Satan (is he acting?)
and a few minutes of Chris Farley and Don Rickles make Dirty
Work more than viewable, if you happen to enjoy those personalities.
Dirty Work did manage to work one miracle: it made Chevy Chase
funny again. Maybe if Chevy sticks to ten-minute roles he
can resuscitate his given-up-for-dead career.
Bob Saget
(Full House, America's Funniest Home Videos) makes his feature
film directorial debut with Dirty Work, and hopefully this
will also be his last. Evidently he felt his experience as
a standup comedian and star of two of the more embarrassing
television shows ever to grace the small screen qualified
him to be a director. The only thing I would let Saget direct
is one of those lame home videos where the little kid swings
a bat and hits his dad in the crotch. Hopefully Saget will
be playing the dad.
Just for
some chuckles, check out the French language track. The delivery
styles of Don Rickles and Norm Macdonald are two of the most
distinct and effective in comedy. But the French dubs leave
a LOT to be desired. Although the Chris Farley dub is not
bad, if you can believe it.
Video: How Does The Disc Look?
The image
has a soft appearance despite being anamorphic. Colors
are slightly oversaturated, and fleshtones are inconsistent.
The clothing they wear during the film would win first prize
at Mr. Blackwell's Eyesore Awards, adding to my distaste for
the image. Perhaps some close-ups on the prostitutes were
in order to balance out the depressing obesity of Chris Farley
and Artie Lange. Luckily there is no cameo by John "Blues
Traveler" Popper.
Audio: How Does the Disc Sound?
For only
a scattered few seconds is the soundtrack distinguished as
5.1, which is par for the course for a dumb comedy. Actually
had the sound been in mono it probably would not have made
much difference. The dialogue is clear, and that is all that
this film really needed.
Supplements: What Goodies Are There? The back
cover states that one of the special features is an "exciting
booklet." I was not excited when I read this description,
and arousal failed to arrive as I read the booklet contents.
Unfortunately the booklet contains nothing but short passages
hyping the movie. They could have made the liner notes humorous,
with lines like "one of the biggest commercial disasters
of 1998," "MGM President Kirk Kerkorian says Norm
Macdonald will never work in Hollywood again," "most
people do not realize that Chevy Chase really did have his
limbs broken by people to whom he owed money," and "Chris
Farley died laughing when he watched this." Uhh, maybe
not that last one. A funny energetic trailer rounds out the
lightweight supplements.
Parting Thoughts
Dirty Work
is definitely worth renting for Norm Macdonald fans. If you
have never liked Norm Macdonald, this movie is unlikely to
change your opinion.
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