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News / Columns / Critics Consensus
Critics Consensus: Year One Fails To Beget Laughs
Plus, The Proposal is a so-so rom-com.
by Tim Ryan | June 18, 2009
Discuss Article

This week at the movies, we've got Biblical bloopers (Year One, starring Jack Black and Michael Cera) and an engagement of convenience (The Proposal, starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds). What do the critics have to say?


15%
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Rotten

Year One

On paper, Year One sounds so promising; it's an Old Testament goof starring Jack Black and Michael Cera (as well as an embarrassment of other top comedic talent) directed by Harold Ramis. Unfortunately, critics say the film's jokes are nearly as ancient and musty as its protagonists. Black and Cera star as a pair of lazy hunter-gatherers who have been banished from their tribe. They become nomads and unwittingly provide a guided tour of the Book of Genesis, meeting the likes of Cain and Abel and visiting Sodom along the way. Critics say that as a satire, Year One is more profane than sacred, lacking the smarts of such previous historical comedies as History of the World: Part 1 or Monty Python's Life of Brian. Worse, as a comedy it's undisciplined, relying too much on the actors' mugging at the expense of funny situations or dialogue. (Check out our collection of some of Jack Black's most memorable movie faces.)


43%
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Rotten

The Proposal

No one attends a romantic comedy expecting a reinvention of the wheel; what they want is a fresh take on the familiar. So while some critics find The Proposal sweet and charming, others say it's formulaic to the point of tedium. Sandra Bullock stars as a high-powered (but ice-cold) book editor who's in a pickle: as a Canadian citizen, her work visa is about to expire. So she enlists her assistant (Ryan Reynolds) to marry her to stay in the country, and travels with him to meet his wacky family in Alaska. Will these crazy kids make it? Some pundits say The Proposal is better than most of its genre, with good chemistry from its leads and a scene-stealing supporting turn from Betty White. Others, however, say it squanders its actors with increasingly farcical proceedings and generic plotting. (Check out this week's Total Recall, in which we run down Bullock's best-reviewed movies, as well as our interview with Betty White, where she tells us her Five Favorite Films.)


Also opening this week in limited release:

  • $9.99, aa stylistically bold stop-motion meditation on the meaning of life, is at 86 percent.
  • Under Our Skin, a documentary about the threat of Lyme disease, is at 83 percent.
  • End of the Line, a doc about the perils of overfishing, is at 81 percent.
  • The Windmill Movie, an autobiographical film by film professor and director Richard P. Rogers that was completed after his death by one of his students, is at 63 percent.
  • Dead Snow, a Norwegian horror/comedy about an army of Nazi zombies, is at 61 percent.
  • Woody Allen's Whatever Works, starring Larry David and Patricia Clarkson in the tale of an upper-crust New Yorker who longs to lead a bohemian existence, is at 53 percent.

Related Items
Movie: The Windmill Movie
$9.99
The Proposal
Whatever Works
The End of the Line
Dead Snow
Under Our Skin
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Comments (1-20 of 58 posts) | Reply
Anthony M.
Anthony M. writes:
on Jun 18 2009 03:53 PM

i saw one day that year one was at like, 86%, checked the next day, in the twenties, i kinda want to see it, but im not. waiting for transformers next week!

(Reply to this)
MovieMaster
MovieMaster writes:
on Jun 18 2009 04:15 PM

Going to see both Year One and The Proposal despite weak reviews. Looking forward to Transformers next week as well.

(Reply to this)
Dachshund96
Dachshund96 writes:
on Jun 18 2009 04:16 PM

Year one looks like total garbage and none of the ads make me laugh at all. You couldn't pay me to watch this crap.

(Reply to this)
Chris B.
Chris B. writes:
on Jun 18 2009 04:17 PM

yeah i'm waiting for Year One on dvd. hopefully i'm finally going to go see The Hangover. can't wait for next week when Transformers 2!!!!

(Reply to this)
Bigbrother
Bigbrother writes:
on Jun 18 2009 04:51 PM

Very few historical comedies are as good as Life of Brian or History of the World Part 1. That's like criticizing a mafia movie cause it's not the Godfather. I may cough up some cash to see this. If nothing else it looks like it won't require much thought. Might break up the monotony of fishing. I'm actually surprised by how well the Proposal is getting reviewed. I didn't expect much from it.

(Reply to this)
Tyrant
Tyrant writes:
on Jun 18 2009 05:00 PM

Wait, a comedy that gets horrible reviews? THIS NEVER HAPPENS! No shock here, most comedies suck these days *glares at Madea*

(Reply to this)
scifimark
scifimark writes:
on Jun 18 2009 05:10 PM

ill probably wait to rent, but i never would look at reviews for comedy just because everyone has different tastes for comedy. What one person finds funny another person thinks is lame

(Reply to this)
Bigbrother
Bigbrother writes:
on Jun 18 2009 05:22 PM

In reply to this comment (#2514295)
LOL, poor Tyler Perry. Someone must love him. He keeps making movies and TV Shows. Can't say I've ever met someone, but they must exist. maybe Bigfoot is a fan.

(Reply to this)
TheCaptain of TeamLoyalty
TheCaptain of TeamLoyalty writes:
on Jun 18 2009 06:36 PM

Year One is so pathetic it is not even funny. THERE WERE NO CAVEMEN DURING THE YEAR ONE. Plus Cain and Abel were not around Year One. I understand historical inaccuracies but this whole movie is one.

(Reply to this)
CountBezukhov
CountBezukhov writes:
on Jun 18 2009 07:37 PM

THERE WERE NO CAVEMEN DURING THE YEAR ONE.

Well, sir... thet depends on what calendar ye%u2019re usin%u2019.


(Reply to this)
Premo Beat
Premo Beat writes:
on Jun 18 2009 07:58 PM

In reply to this comment (#2514325)
Cane and Abel were not real people. Year One had amazing potential and even had some witty previews. Very surprised at the t-meter, was hoping for and expecting more.

(Reply to this)
Premo Beat
Premo Beat writes:
on Jun 18 2009 07:59 PM

In reply to this comment (#2514325)
Cain, that is.

(Reply to this)
TheCaptain of TeamLoyalty
TheCaptain of TeamLoyalty writes:
on Jun 18 2009 08:03 PM

Okay if they are having the Romans/Greeks and Egyptians thus they are using the Western calender.

P.S. Are you sure Cain and Abel are not real? I mean because you made the claim you have to back it up. I was just saying that Cain and Abel, if they existed, they would not be around during the year ONE.


(Reply to this)
ledawg1138
ledawg1138 writes:
on Jun 18 2009 08:06 PM

I laughed a lot at the ads for "Year One". I'll rent it. I'm not to interested in "The Proposal". Kind of a lackluster summer week. Better than last weeks.

(Reply to this)
ledawg1138
ledawg1138 writes:
on Jun 18 2009 08:09 PM

I really want to see Woody Allen's new film. I mean, Allen, and Larry David? Epic.

(Reply to this)
Premo Beat
Premo Beat writes:
on Jun 18 2009 08:11 PM

Ever seen History of the World? Full of historical inaccuracies, one of the funniest movies ever. Who gives a s**t. And yes, I am quite certain that the Cain and Abel as presented in the Old Testament were never real people, but were used to convey a message to a people whose teachings came strictly from old stories, also known today as legends or myths or what have you.

David Cross as Cain? Tell me you didn't want to see that!


(Reply to this)
TheCaptain of TeamLoyalty
TheCaptain of TeamLoyalty writes:
on Jun 18 2009 08:13 PM

Epic failure that is...not it should be good. Larry David is hit or miss but him and Allen are a good couple.

(Reply to this)
Premo Beat
Premo Beat writes:
on Jun 18 2009 08:14 PM

In reply to this comment (#2514358)
I agree whole-heartedly. Though I wish Larry would enter the film realm as a writer himself. Curbs: The Movie? Punch my ticket now.

(Reply to this)
TheCaptain of TeamLoyalty
TheCaptain of TeamLoyalty writes:
on Jun 18 2009 08:15 PM

History of the World's inaccuracies were not so glarely as this one. Plus Jack Black along with Cohen are the two worst comedians of all time.

(Reply to this)
Premo Beat
Premo Beat writes:
on Jun 18 2009 08:23 PM

In reply to this comment (#2514369)
They may be your two least favorite comedians, but each is far from the worst. Come on, in a day where Jimmy Fallon is now the king of late night and Paul Blart Mall Cop is generating top revenues... You have got to be kidding me. Captain your arguments are sloppily put together and lack logic, sense, intelligence, etc.. I really wish you'd stop posting so many baseless claims that I feel a responsibility to refute.

(Reply to this)
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