* out of ****
There isn't a more proper way to begin my review of "Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie" than to express me unending admiration for the comic duo behind it. Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim are gifted in the field of delivering random, awkward,… More
* out of ****
There isn't a more proper way to begin my review of "Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie" than to express me unending admiration for the comic duo behind it. Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim are gifted in the field of delivering random, awkward, inappropriate situations to use as comedic material; and I like their Adult Swim original series, "Tim and Eric's Awesome Show: Great Job". The show itself is nothing more than brainless - but engaging - escapism for all those who are open-minded. The trouble with the movie is that it's brainless, but it can neither be called engaging or "escapism". To be escapism, I'd think some effort would have to have been put into the movie being mentioned; and in this case, little is offered up.
I can already tell that this isn't going to be an easy write-up, so bear with me. I'm currently filled with an impeccable rage. I was looking forward to this movie from the moment that it was first announced, and so were the die-hard fans of the original show. I knew what to expect, I knew what I wanted to see; and frankly, that wasn't much. Just a lot of hilarious, random facial expressions and plenty of sufficient laughs brought on by the over-the-top absurdity that these two men so flawlessly tend to employ. Well, I got the facial expressions and some of the randomness; but you know what, I'm just going to come out and say it: this isn't funny.
And yet, it tries so very hard to be. Consider the main plot, for example: Tim and Eric play themselves, having been given a billion dollars to produce their own feature film, only to screen the finished product (which ran for about 3 disappointing, underwhelming minutes) to their employers; ultimately met with his primal disapproval of the ways in which they spent all that money. In fear, the boys flee town and settle down somewhere in a run-down, wolf-infested mall; which they attempt to bring back to both attention and life in order to be given the option of coughing up the billion dollars that they owe the studio and save some lives - including theirs - in the process.
There isn't much more to it. Tim heartlessly steals a janitor's young son (this is supposedly played out for laughs; there were none), the mall-bound canines attack pizza-donning decoys, and Eric finds himself a lady. Some of the plot elements are just so utterly ridiculous that they do indeed inspire some brief chuckles; although some are rather, should I say, cringe inducing. And that's just saying the least.
I expect nothing more, or less, than all-out irreverence from the comedy duo of Tim and Eric; but their movie goes to extremes in an attempt to make us laugh. Sometimes, it was just too twisted for my taste; and that's coming from someone who self-admittedly has a very dark sense of humor. When Eric decides to pierce his penis; I knew the film had crossed a line, and it was one that had yet to be drawn. If that doesn't tell you something, then I don't know what will; perhaps the disgusting sex scene between Tim and Eric's love interest will do the trick.
"Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie" is hopeless; a film lost in the creative freedom of its makers, and the excesses that it so joyously revels in. This is a movie so pointless, plot-less, and brainless that at moments; it becomes nearly unwatchable. I liked the cameos (Jeff Goldblum's was hilarious), I liked the cheesy effects that were brought over from the show to the movie, and of course, I liked the moments that actually felt the slightest bit like they were ripped from the collective minds of Tim and Eric; but I hated everything else. And I'm not exaggerating; I really despised just about every moment that was spent watching this film. I imagine that some of the show's avid fans will find something to enjoy here, and thus the cult of Tim and Eric will live on; but I'm betting on the possibility that those unassociated with Tim and Eric will be easily repelled, just like I was. And as I said; I like Tim and Eric when they have their sights set on smaller, more accessible (but still irreverent) things, but if their debut into the world of film tells me anything, it tells me to pray to the cinematic God that it's their last.