The beginning of Drop Dead Fred reminded me of The Cat in the Hat because it was all about a comedian who was acting as bizarre as he could. I wasn't impressed. However, Drop Dead Fred becomes so much more than that. While both movies finish with morals, the Cat's has such a wishy washy, childish delivery that I don't really care. Fred finishes strong and is never so obscenely obnoxious (to the viewer) as the Cat.
The movie is still a little hard to watch. Partly because it has such a maniacal level of the "I Love Lucy syndrome" that I just want to cover my eyes. Partly because it's depressing most of the way though -odd for such a "screwball" comedy- and filled with failures to communicate.
Once the movie was over, however, I find that I really, really like it. Not because it's not playing anymore, but because the movie has a good ending and good closure. As good or better, even, than 9 to 5. And I really, really like Fred, despite all his foibles. Rik Mayall did a bloody fantastic job with that character. People have asked, what would this movie be like with Jim Carrey as Fred, and I must say, though I really like Jim Carrey, that I think the movie would have suffered.
There is a remake being planned. But it is not with Carrey. I am interested in what it will become, if only for comparison and curiosity's sake. I do not expect it to be as good of a movie as the original independent film.
This movie is much more than just "booger jokes", as some pretentious critics insinuate. Most of the humor is physical, but that's all.
Most intriguingly, for me, Drop Dead Fred has a very wonderful balance and integration of its fantasy world and its non-fantasy world, which is something I have been seeing a lot of and comparing a lot of recently (Pan's Labyrinth, Coroline, James and the Giant Peach, et cetera). It is never fully explained, but that's not the point.
Drop Dead Fred is one of the best films I have seen recently. It comes "Highly Recommended".
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