Year One (2009) starring Jack Black, Michael Cera, Oliver Platt, David Cross, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Vinnie Jones, Hank Azaria, Juno Temple directed by Harold Ramis Movie Review

Year One (2009)   2/52/52/52/52/5


Jack Black in Year One (2009)

Oh Harold

Once in a while I see the poster for a movie and just have a feeling, that feeling is usually that it is going to be bad and I had that feeling when I first saw the poster for "Year One". Just the combination of Jack Black and Michael Cera gave me a bad feeling and the fact that they were cavemen or at least some sort of ancient tribe just added to that sense that I wouldn't enjoy this movie. And sadly my instincts were right as "Year One" despite being directed by Harold Ramis is just 90 minutes of lame humour which whilst might appeal to some did nothing for me.

As to what happens, well we have to sad sacks in Zed (Jack Black - Tropic Thunder) and Oh (Michael Cera - Superbad) who after Zed eats the forbidden fruit get expelled from the tribe. Their journey in the wilderness leads them to meet various people including Cain (David Cross) and Abel (Paul Rudd) whilst ending up in Sodom where they discover that their tribe have been captured and enslaved. Seeing an opportunity to prove themselves and win the affection of the women they like they plan to rescue them.

Michael Cera in Year One (2009)

I will say up front that there was nothing at all in "Year One" which worked for me and so this review is basically going to be short and about everything which didn't work starting with the combo of Black and Cera. There is no comic chemistry between them as Black just shouts his dialogue whilst Cera acts weak in everyone's presence. It just doesn't work and all it does is make you think of other movies where they have done the same thing just in different clothes.

But then there is the humour and if watching an attractive cave woman lift her arm to show a hairy pit makes you laugh then the chances are you will find "Year One" a riot. I didn't and the plethora of body gags, penis jokes and general other bottom of the barrel gross out comedy which fills the movie left me wishing I hadn't started watching. The sad thing is that "Year One" had the potential to be fun with its various biblical references it could have been a witty satire but instead it just went the gross route.

What this all boils down to is that "Year One" is simply a lame comedy which never works unless you really enjoy the most stupid of gross out comedy which then you might actually find it amusing.


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