“Movie 43” is a compilation of shorts worked on by countless directors, including Elizabeth Banks, Steven Brill (“Mr. Deeds”) and Brett Ratner (“Rush Hour”) and writers, as well as about a dozen well-known celebrities. The story is framed around a once-prosperous film writer who brings his best pitches to a prominent producer in hopes of getting back into the spotlight. As the film plays out, the audience watches each pitch, and these make up the shorts that comprise the film.
As the film goes on, the shorts become less humorous and more ridiculous. In fact, viewers may find that after a while the movie ceases to hold their attention simply because the sordid comedy is no longer funny after the first few segments. What results is a 90-minute movie that seems to last for hours. Overall, the film adheres to a low standard of entertainment, making fans wonder why so many A-List stars agreed to be a part of a project like this.
The star-studded cast surely adds interest to the film. With headliners like Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman, Dennis Quaid, Halle Barry, Richard Gere and Emma Stone—to name a few—“Movie 43” is packed with celebrities. Even more intriguing is the fact that many of these actors have not typically done this type of comedic work in the past, which illuminates a new and humorous side of their careers.
However, “Movie 43” is not for those with weak stomachs. The humor used throughout the film is crude, disgusting and wildly inappropriate, sometimes—or actually, often—to the point of being distasteful. There is even one short in which Halle Barry is seen making guacamole with a rather unorthodox body part as a result of a twisted game of truth or dare.
But the gross factor doesn’t stop there; this is a film in which soulmates defecate on each other to show their love, body parts are attached to the wrong parts of the body and leprechauns get blown to bits like a scene from “Pulp Fiction.” The film also features fictional commercials interspersed without, such as an advertisement for the “iBabe,” an mp3 player shaped like a life-sized naked woman. These ads are more silly than funny, and don’t seem to really add anything to the humor of the movie.
What’s more, some of the shorts are just plain disturbing. Among them being one during which a homeschooled boy’s parents attempt to give him every “normal” high school experience by humiliating him whenever possible and even providing him with his first kiss (can you say ew?).
Then there’s the segment in which a girl hits puberty at the worst possible time, and the males around her have no idea what to do short of handing her a sponge and some towels. In reality, these sketches are just plain unsettling, but in the world of “Movie 43” this type of comedy is commonplace.
“Movie 43” is an interesting idea backed by a lot of important people, but the execution fails to deliver. Even the biggest fans of raunchy comedy may find this flick has just gone too far. Though the cast is top notch, it’s strange to see some of the industry’s best dramatic actors doing a comedy of this sort. So while there are admittedly a few hilarious moments throughout the film, as a whole “Movie 43” is distasteful and disturbing, and certainly not a movie for the faint of heart. Viewers may want to stay away from this one, at least until it goes to DVD.
