 (And Next Up.. A Ramble of Glorious Proportions..)
Its not much of a surprise that "Grilled", was taken off the 'going to be a major release' pile and thrown into the 'direct to DVD' group. The reasons are abundant. It is poorly directed. It hold little comedy in it. Also, it is barely entertaining. Staring Kevin James and Ray Romano, you would expect a real laugh machine, but instead you get a machine that is dysfunctional at creating chuckles.
Now you might be asking at this very moment.. Mr. Machado, What is "Grilled" about? I would then have to say: its about meat darling. And if your a male, don't take offence to that.. cause I call every one darling. The story is predominantly about a couple of salesmen played by James and Romano. They will go thru anything to sell one of their meat packs. Particularly, this day that we encounter in the movie, where it appears that they have stumbled upon a dry spell. In attempting to sell one, to a supa hot chick (or so the movie screams at us that she is..) played by Sofia Vergara. Then while attempting to seduce and sell, they stumble upon a couple of bad guys, who make things difficult for them. Like threaten to kill them...
But then you ask: Is there more?
And I say: Sure!
Also, in the movie you have failed attempts at creating a funny story!
Okey dokey, if the summary of the movie seems slim and brief, that is because there is not much to the movie. It does very much feel like a made for DVD movie. It had many interesting elements, yet, they were greatly misused.
Miracle Market
One thing that I mildly did enjoy, was the very few parts where they speak about meat. The reason for that is the fact, that I once was a meat cutter. I worked at a lil' store in Compton, called "Miracle Market" for about two years. An interesting two years may I add. Not just because I was in great fear of being shot.. since I am a white (but Mexican) man, who has green eyes. But also because I learned much about all types of meat. Plus, all things relating to meat. Yet even with that in my mind, the movie did very little exploiting of the subject. It spoke about the beauty of meat, for mild moments and then returned to trying to make us laugh.. but doing a very poor job at it.
The Story
The story was that simple. It consisted of two guys driving around attempting to sell meat. Oh.. yeah.. and also they stumble upon a couple of 'ganstas?', or "bad guys" who make things difficult for them to.. er.. sell more meat. So in the end, the feeling that this movie gives, is a better showing of a made for T.V. movie.
A Dynamo Couple.. Or so I hoped
When I first auidibled (or heard) about Ray Romano and Kevin James making a flick together, I was like "Right On Brother!".. I mean.. I really felt that they would knock it out the park. A joke fest, is what we would receive, or so I preconceived. Yet, we receive the very contrary. Both were funny in a minor manner and were used also in a poor way. Now, it might just be me... but it looked like they were following the director's directions, and in the uncomfortableness they lost the funniness. Both, I have enjoyed before in their respective shows: "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "The King of Queens". But I feel, that the certain spunk that they had in those shows, was lost in the movie. Just a couple of guys saying nutty things, and hoping that you felt they were not just nutty but also funny.
What I kinda liked..
The only true thing that was good, was the performance of Juliette Lewis. She played a drunk woman, who is a good friend of the other female in this movie, Sofia. She gave us drunk in a great way. She was funny and terribly amusing. For a small moment, I wished that she would have been the main attraction rather than the two unfunny comics who are.
Also, a guy by the name of Burt Reynolds is in this movie too. And I would want to say, that he did a good job, but it would apply to the five minutes that he was on screen. He is also someone that the director should have used more. He was more funny in his five minutes than James and Romano in most of the film.
The one other person, that I immensely believed was under used was Mary Lynn Rajskub. You see her in only two scenes, yes TWO scenes. Yes.. I know she might not be the highest of caliber when it comes to actors, but she is more entertaining than much of whats in this movie. Her, you might remember from a lil' show called "24" and in one of my favorite movies called "Punch-Drunk Love". Her quirkiness I think, would have been great potential for funny lines.
In the end, that is the dilemma. We find very little funny lines in this movie. Most of the ones that are thrown at us, are sent, in an obvious way.. making us just frown at how much freshness they lacked.
"Grilled" was rightfully sent from being a big screen movie, to one that went directly to DVD. Its content is very uninspiring and lacks the funny. It makes poor use of two previously very funny guys. And tells a story that is television material at best. That fact, is no surprise since the director Jason Ensler has produced nothing but material for television. So maybe sticking to sitcoms would suit him better. Also, this may be one for television, but it has the mouth of a sailor. So leave the kiddos eyes off, of this one. I mean the F word, is used like a thousand and two times.
If this movie was an edible piece of meat, you would find that it is undercooked, under seasoned, and totally not from Miracle Market.
ZeN
Have you seen the film called "Grilled"?
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