What do you think of when you hear the words Year One? I think of Batman, but Harold Ramis thought of something else: trouble in the garden of Eden. Year One stars Jack Black and Michael Cera as two bumbling cavemen that are forced out of their tribe and village after one last big mistake.
What follows is a voyage through one biblical fable after another, with the not-so-subtle humor you can expect from a film by Harold Ramis and camp Apatow. Working it's way from the forbidden fruit to Cain, Abel, and even a small shot at David and Goliath. Jack Black does his idiot with big ideas thing, while Michael Cera does his best sarcastically understated innocent bystander.
As they work their way towards reaching the nexus of their journey, which relies heavily on anachronisms for it source of humor, you're constantly reminded of how ridiculous everything is... and I mean everything. Literally, the film on it's own is ridiculous, while it shines a light on the ridiculousness in matters of religion, politics, and just life in general. While some of the jokes may have originated in a deep manner, by the time they made it into the script and out of the potty mouths of the cast, any intellect or insight has been stripped.
Unfortunately, because so many of the jokes rely on anachronism and characters talking like 2009 in situations that are purely BC, the chance of any real comedic innovation is gone. It only does the things that History of the World did great in a ok fashion. You definitely feel moments where the film could have gone for the jugular and instead pulls punches to deliver a few mild chuckles. I'm not saying that there aren't some genuinely hilarious moments, but they do come far and few between.
Though Year One is PG-13, don't be surprised if parents think that some of the language or ideas are more than they want their kids to be exposed to. I've seen much stronger and suggestive films at a younger age, but I'm a sick bastard that was raised on four letter word stand up comedy, and horror movies with exposed entrails. Besides, Jack Black eating a piece of poop is definitely not there for the sophisticated adult population. Yeah, it made me laugh, as did Oliver Platt as a tranny-like seer.
All in all, its good to see Harold Ramis make his directorial debut in the house of Apatow. While it wasn't the best offering we could hope to see, there is a lot of promise in what a more refined film in the future of this team up will bring. I'm thinking next time they should be brave and tackle a period comedy during a time that no one thought was funny: The Great Depression. Oh damn, I forgot about Johnny Dangerously. Never mind.
Overall Grade: B-
Vitals
Release Date: June 19, 2009
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Director: Harold Ramis
Screenwriter: Harold Ramis, Gene Stupnitsky, Lee Eisenberg
Starring: Jack Black, Michael Cera, Oliver Platt, David Cross, Hank Azaria, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Vinnie Jones, Juno Temple, Olivia Wilde, June Raphael, Horatio Sanz
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for crude and sexual content throughout, brief strong language and comic violence)
