NEW THIS WEEK (8/14/09): THE GOODS: LIVE HARD, SELL HARD
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Jeremy Piven, James Brolin, Ving Rhames, David Koechner, Kathryn Hahn, Jordana Spiro, Ed Helms, Rob Riggle, Alan Thicke, Tony Hale, Noureen DeWulf, Charles Napier, Dr. Ken Jeong, Jonathan Sadowski and Craig Robinson.
WRITERS: Andy Stock and Neil Stempson
DIRECTOR: Neal Brennan (Chappelle's Show)
WEB SITE: http://www.livehardsellhard.com
THE PLOT: In tough economic times, you need a man like Don "The Goods" Ready (Piven). In the automobile world, he's known as a mercenary. He's a gun for hire. A mover and a shaker ... In other words, if you have cars to sell, he's going to get them sold because that's what he's all about: Delivering "the goods."
And someone who can move cars is exactly what Ben Selleck (Brolin) needs.
See, times are hard at Selleck Motors ... And Ben - despite the enthusiasm of his "growing" 10 year-old son Peter (Riggle) - needs Don's help. So he calls Don and his ragtag crew of the deep baritoned Jibby (Rhames), the strong-minded, whipsmart Babs (Hahn) and finance guru Brent (Koechner), Don is ready to sell some cars.
Don is also ready to make a move on an item that while connected to the lot, isn't up for grabs: Ivy (Spiro), Ben's daughter who just so happens to be engaged to Paxton (Helms), lead singer of the BigUps, an aspiring "man band," who just so happens to help run the competing Harding Imports with his father (Thicke). And once Don's ego - most likely because of what happened in 'Querque - gets the best of him, he's got 3 days to deliver ... Wait for it ... The goods!
THE TAKE: Here's an easy way to figure out whether or not you'll like The Goods - Ask yourself the following question: Did I enjoy the ribald, insane, not plausible in the real world but plausible in the universe in which this crazy movie is taking place humor featured in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby or last year's critically drubbed but rapidly becoming a cult classic on cable release Step Brothers? If the answer is "yes," stop reading this review and get your ticket now. For The Goods is arguably funnier than 2009's current comedy champ The Hangover and the film you are likely going to enjoy watching more often on DVD.
While Piven is the film's emotional center (if a comedy like this can have one), the rest of the cast is really what makes The Goods deliver on the film's title. Rhames is hilarious as a man who, despite his numerous conquests, remains a sensitive soul; Hahn, meanwhile, owns the room in what might be seen as a slight reprisal of her Step Brothers role as the sexually aggressive, independent Babs while Napier steals the show with a character that might be best described as a combination of Clint Eastwood's crotchety lead in Gran Torino and Bob Barker. Even Craig Robinson turns in a few laughs in his limited role as "DJ Request," a man who does his comedic best to never live up to his name.
Performances aside, if you don't know what to expect from an Adam McKay/Will Ferrell produced movie at this point (there's a cameo!), you probably don't like a lot of comedies. If you do, however, you will love The Goods as the one-liners come fast and furious (sorry - no Vin Diesel reference was intended, but it happened), the shocks are ridiculous but funny and the story is fun.
That combination of factors makes The Goods good for 90-plus minutes of laughs this summer.
RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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