Year One... is indomitable on paper. Jack Black, Michael Cera, Oliver Platt, Hank Azaria, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, David Cross, Vinnie Jones and Harold Ramis behind the camera... these are all legends in their own right. The story follows two low-life deadbeats as they wind their way through the first year after the birth of Christ. There's an irreverance in the air, but it doesn't land on either side of the fence... making it a lukewarm comedy terrain dependent on physical performances, rather than solid material and Ramis is unrecognisable without Bill Murray by his side.
Jack Black has carved his name in Hollywood with starring performances such as School of Rock and Nacho Libre with his zany off-the-wall rock mascot comedy. Michael Cera perfected the art of comedic timing in Arrested Development, moving on to star in smash hit, Superbad. Oliver Platt has run the comedy gauntlet with roles in The Ice Harvest, Lake Placid and TV appearances galore. Hank Azaria is a comedy tour-de-force, a guest star deluxe and a scene-stealer with regular voice spots on The Simpsons and funny supporting character roles in Run Fat Boy, Run, Night at the Museum 2 and The Birdcage. Christopher Mintz-Plasse wowed everyone with his nerdy role as McLovin' in Superbad and was more than convincing in Role Models.
David Cross is an Arrested Development legend with loads of funny appearances on TV and on film. Tough guy, Vinnie Jones, needs no introduction as the Juggernaut from X2 and memorable roles in Mean Machine and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. While Harold Ramis was one of the Ghostbusters and directed such comedy classics as Caddyshack and Groundhog Day. Basically, if all these guys were on form... there wouldn't be a dry seat in the house.
Fortunately or unfortunately, this is not the case. Year One's script is composed of lame jokes, toilet humour and too many dry spells. The lead duo in Jack Black and Michael Cera are an interesting combination, but there's less natural chemistry than you'd expect and its difficult to tell who's playing the straight man. The script seems unfinished, despite being spearheaded by Ramis and The Office writers, Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg.
The story just seems like window dressing to take a stab at some of the formative years in the age of Abraham with the Roman Empire and it just comes across like a lame Asterix & Obelix pairing without the magic or comedy. The fish-out-of-water comedy doesn't work since the audience has no point of context with the two bumbling Laurel & Hardy wannabes working their way through civilisation. This was done much better in Encino Man with Brendan Fraser and the script just doesn't have the shine you'd expect for a film with such a talented ensemble.
Ramis doesn't have the same zest without Bill Murray around and the cast seem to know that they're dealing with a limp script. As funny as Jack Black and Michael Cera are... there's just no salvaging weak interplay, especially when you're comparing it with Arrested Development for Cera and Cross's involvement. If watching someone urinate on themselves is the funniest scene in the movie, you've got to ask yourself... why is this charade even necessary? If you don't have the buddy movie camaraderie, or the spell-binding story or the laugh out loud comedy... what have you got? It's difficult to see a Jack Black film go down in flames, but Year One just doesn't have enough reasons to like it.
Without the all-star cast, there's very little to appreciate and simmering down to a half-baked climax is just not good enough these days when you never turn on the heat. Year One is strictly for fans of the cast... Oliver Platt has one of the funnier turns as the creepy High Priest and Michael Cera shines with his understated brand of humour. The rest of the bunch just seem like bananas past their sell-by date... and no monkeys are buying in.
The bottom line: Disappointing.
