A great argument turns down the life of two professional skate men, as they have been banned from participating in the final competition, the thing that makes their rage and sorrow, but incidents come to inspire them, when they know that they have the chance to participate in the double skate competition, the thing that leads them to end these arguments to win.
If they gave Oscars for Best Performance by a Comedic Actor playing an endearingly clueless oaf in a sports comedy... Will Ferrell would be up for the Lifetime Achievement Award by now.
This really shouldn't have taken five writers and two directors, especially considering the splendor costume designer Julie Weiss achieves all by herself. But it's not bad for such a thoroughly unitarded concept.
Ferrell isn't breaking new ground, but one day -- when he's branching out to play psycho killers and getting in touch with his inner Thespian -- we'll look back on his clowning period and wonder why he would want to do anything else.
Blades Of Glory does what a good Ferrell vehicle is supposed to do -- it strings enough good bits together to keep the tissue-paper story from tearing, and it comes in at 90 minutes. And that's as close to sticking the landing as it's going to get.
Antagony & Ecstasy
September 20, 2007
I can't imagine what circumstances would lead me to watch the film, in its entirety, a second time. But I'm glad I saw it once.
