It seems that movies tend to go in genre waves. Remember when the explosive action films blazed the screen and all the plots seemed so similar that you couldn’t remember which one starred Arnold or who it was that Steven Segal and Bruce Willis were battling? Now that Hollywood has had its action overdose (at least for now), the screen seems to be flooding with another genre: quirky mobster comedies. Since all-time favorite mob flicks like The Godfather or Goodfellas, spoofs on ‘the family’ seem to be the next logical step. Remember last summer’s Analyze This with Robert DeNiro? Boy, Vito Corleone of The Godfather II sure came a long way. So far, in fact, that his son, Sonny (James Caan), tries to do the same thing in this summer’s Mickey Blue Eyes.
Produced through Simian Films, a production company established by Hugh Grant and long-time girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley, the lead role in Mickey Blue Eyes seems to be a little too tailored to the film’s lead player. Grant returns to his all-too-familiar romantic comedy role, with stuttering frustrations and pouting baby blues, similar to what we saw in Notting Hill and Nine Months. He stars as Michael Felgate, an English auctioneer who after only three months decides it’s time to marry girlfriend, Gina (Jeanne Tripplehorn). Between them there is absolute zero chemistry. After meeting her father, Frank (James Caan), he suddenly finds himself tangled up in ‘the family business’. Ooh, can you guess what happens next? Let’s just say there’s an over-abundant amount of mishaps and long, drawn-out jokes.
The idea of placing an up-tight Englishman in such an extreme circumstance could have been carried out humorously, but because of the film’s predictability and absurd slap-stick rhythm, the basic premise gets lost, resulting in neither authentic nor realistic comedy. Jeanne Tripplehorn’s stoic gaze makes it difficult to care for her character, Gina. And her relationship with her father, underplayed by Caan, is unbelievable, lacking emotion and depth. It’s hard to find humor and enjoy a movie when the characters are so flat and empty.
With a supporting cast of likable familiar faces, you’d think at least someone could help carry the film. Not so! James Fox (Patriot Games) is more of a nuisance as the art gallery’s owner and Grant’s boss. His clich timing and stupidity come off as annoying rather than comical. And I can’t forget Burt Young (Rocky) as the vengeful Vito Graziosi. His tight-lip and ‘I know what you’re up to’ stare and grunt make him look more constipated than intimidating.
By taking such a deep, interesting subject as The Mob and turning it into farcical humor, Mickey Blue Eyes is pretty much a guaranteed flop. Instead of generating laughs, this film comes across as just plain silly. Hopefully Hollywood has learned its lesson and will stray from this type of ludicrous mob spoof. In the words of Michael Felgate himself,
“Foogedaboudit!”
+ Ashley Adams
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