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The Films of Steve Martin

Started by Small Man Big Horse, February 28, 2018, 09:02:50 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Small Man Big Horse

As, quite by accident, I seem to be watching all his films right now I thought I'd start a thread for them. But first here's some reposting from the "Non-New Films" thread.

QuoteThe Jerk (1979) - Deeply silly and inventive throughout, whilst the odd joke hasn't aged well there's some great set pieces and Martin's performance makes it a classic. 8.0 / 10

Pennies From Heaven (1981) - Horrendously misjudged Steve Martin musical comedy about a rapey man. 1.3/10. Fine, fine, I'll take it seriously then, and as you might expect from a screenplay by Dennis Potter this is darkly bleak stuff. Bernadette Peters turns up once again but as ever that's only to the film's benefit, whilst Martin's great when it comes to miming and dancing but I'm not quite sure about his more dramatic moments, and it's an uneven performance compared to the rest. It's fortunately only a minor issue and more than made up for by the impressively inventive song and dance sequences, 90% of which are incredibly fun stuff. Christopher Walken's especially sexy, and it really is a feast for the eyes, as lazy critics used to say. 8.4/10

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) - Another Steve Martin film directed by Carl Reiner, the first 15 minutes are a bit slow and overall it's a overly reliant on it's central concept, but it did make me smile a great deal and laugh out loud a good few times. 7.3/10

The Man With Two Brains (1983) - The silliest of the four Steve Martin films I've watched recently, the first half of this is packed with an impressive amount of daft gags but the second half slows down a bit unfortunately. It's still great, don't get me wrong, but not quite the absolute classic it could have been if they'd maintained the hit rate. 7.4/10

Quote from: Shit Good Nose on February 28, 2018, 12:16:06 PM
I LOVE LA Story.  Love it.

Don't skip The Spanish Prisoner.  Not a comedy, obviously, but a cracking little film.

Leap of Faith and A Simple Twist of Fate are both okay, but more drama than comedy.  The latter also verges more into family/kids film territory.

Sgt. Bilko is nowhere near as bad as you expect it to be.

Mixed Nuts is a bit of a guilty pleasure.  Emphasis on guilty.

I remember enjoying Novocaine when I saw it at the cinema, but I've not seen it since then, so that's 17 years ago and I remember very very little about it.

He's good in Shopgirl, but I thought the film itself was otherwise very mediocre.  Ditto It's Complicated.

Love the Coopers isn't too bad, but it's more of an ensemble film.  And it's frequently schmaltzy and over earnest.

I quite like The Big Year, but that also requires not minding Jack Black and Owen Wilson both doing their usual schtick.  That's going overboard for most.


So his latter career isn't quite the massive wash-out that most people think it is.

And tonight I watched All Of Me (1984) which was a bit of a disappointment to be honest. Despite it's preposterous concept (Lily Tomlin dies and her soul ends up sharing Steve Martin's body) it's easily the most conventional of the films he's made so far, a fun rom com with some great physical comedy, but the main joke is overused and the dialogue just isn't as sharp as in the films mentioned above. 6.3/10

Edit: Funnily enough The AV Club's Sean O'Neill posted an article about the film today which praises it a great deal - https://www.avclub.com/steve-martin-gave-at-least-two-oscar-worthy-performance-1823239726 -

Shit Good Nose

People have always seemed to love All of Me, but for me it's Carl Reiner's worst from his classic period (79-85).  Not that it's a bad film, but when you compare it with Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid and, especially, The Man With Two Brains it just seems so mediocre.  I also LOVE Summer Rental - probably my favourite Reiner film - but will quickly acknowledge that's not for everyone.

Captain Crunch

My Blue Heaven (1990) is a good one, might be a tad too 'feelgood' for most but it's funny, well paced and has a great supporting cast. 

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Shit Good Nose on February 28, 2018, 10:22:28 PM
People have always seemed to love All of Me, but for me it's Carl Reiner's worst from his classic period (79-85).  Not that it's a bad film, but when you compare it with Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid and, especially, The Man With Two Brains it just seems so mediocre.  I also LOVE Summer Rental - probably my favourite Reiner film - but will quickly acknowledge that's not for everyone.

Yeah, it probably hasn't helped that I've watched four really strong films of his, and if I'd started out with this I might have rated it higher, but ultimately the gag rate isn't that high and I didn't really buy in to the romance between Martin and Tomlin, whilst Victoria Tennant's performance is a bit naff.

Quote from: Captain Crunch on February 28, 2018, 10:31:16 PM
My Blue Heaven (1990) is a good one, might be a tad too 'feelgood' for most but it's funny, well paced and has a great supporting cast.

I remember enjoying that at the time and as I'm also a big fan of Rick Moranis I'll probably include that in my viewing list.

Dex Sawash

I love Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (mostly for Dsvid Niven)

Brundle-Fly

Bowfinger (1999) was rather excellent.

Bhazor

Jerk is one of my favourite films. One of those films that is just on the perfect wavelength with me. The Man With Two Brains is a fairly close second. I find his other films a little too traditional for me and find they lack that break neck pace.

Haven't seen Dead Men since I was little so I might have to give that another go.

Dr Rock

IMDb shows which ones he wrote, and they are the essentials, the rest are a mixed bag.

Gulftastic

Quote from: Brundle-Fly on March 01, 2018, 01:20:09 AM
Bowfinger (1999) was rather excellent.

Indeed. It does make sad watching it though knowing now it was a false dawn for both Martin and Murphy. At the time it felt like it was the start of them making decent films again.

Anyway, Martin is OK in Little Shop of Horrors. Totally upstaged by Bill Murray, but still OK.

Shit Good Nose

One of my all-time favourite Steve Martin films is The Lonely Guy, which has the bonus of an amazing turn from Charles Grodin as the meekest man who ever lived.

Dr Rock

Quote from: Shit Good Nose on March 01, 2018, 10:40:58 AM
One of my all-time favourite Steve Martin films is The Lonely Guy, which has the bonus of an amazing turn from Charles Grodin as the meekest man who ever lived.

Yup it's great, and probably my favourite of the films he didn't write. Grodin is super as usual.

Phil_A

Quote from: Dex Sawash on March 01, 2018, 01:17:40 AM
I love Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (mostly for Dsvid Niven)

I'm pretty sure the whole Cousin Ruprecht section crosses a line regarding using disabilities for lols, but fuck it, it's absolutely hilarious. Martin's physical performance in that bit is just perfection.

"He just loves to run and run and run!"

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Shit Good Nose on March 01, 2018, 10:40:58 AM
One of my all-time favourite Steve Martin films is The Lonely Guy, which has the bonus of an amazing turn from Charles Grodin as the meekest man who ever lived.

I enjoyed it a lot too, The Jerk's still my favourite comedy of his so far but it comes a close second. Mini-review time: The Lonely Guy (1984) - This sees us return to the more sketch based humour of The Jerk, at least for the first hour, whilst the final thirty minutes it becomes more of a standard romcom. It's extremely likeable with a great script, with Charles Grodin's mildly depressed best friend almost outshining Martin and my only complaint is that he's not in it more. 7.6/10

St_Eddie

Parenthood is easily my favourite film with Steve Martin.  It's very funny, movingly observational and thoroughly engaging.  It's one of those films where every time that it comes on TV, I think 'ah, I'll just watch 5 minutes of this' and then get sucked into to re-watching it in its entirety.

lipsink

No love for Roxanne?

Planes, Trains and Automobiles also.

I remember really enjoying Housesitter as a kid but I'm guessing it probably ain't so good. It does contain a fantastically funny scene of Martin's character being forced to sing a song to his dad.

Gulftastic

I love Roxanne. It's a great version of the tale, even with the Hollywood ending.

I remember quite liking LA Story when I watched it, too.

Small Man Big Horse

Three Amigos! (1986) - Given those involved it's not as funny as you might expect, and Chevy Chase doesn't have a lot to do other than look goofy for most of the time, but it's endearingly idiotic and gentle a comedy that's definitely got charm. 7.4/10

Shit Good Nose

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on March 13, 2018, 11:30:11 AM
Three Amigos! (1986)

Yep.  Sounds like I like it a lot more than you do, but glad to hear you're at least entertained by it.  That scene in the desert where Chevy's got all the water and lip balm kills me every time.  Just the innocent look on his face whilst the other two are dying.

"cuh-CAW, cuh-CAW.......LOOKUPERE, LOOKUPERE.......cuh-CAW"

"GREAT - you KILLED the invisible swordsman!"

Co-written by Randy Newman as well.


Ohhhhh man, I want to watch it now...

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Shit Good Nose on March 13, 2018, 12:10:20 PM
Yep.  Sounds like I like it a lot more than you do, but glad to hear you're at least entertained by it.  That scene in the desert where Chevy's got all the water and lip balm kills me every time.  Just the innocent look on his face whilst the other two are dying.

"cuh-CAW, cuh-CAW.......LOOKUPERE, LOOKUPERE.......cuh-CAW"

"GREAT - you KILLED the invisible swordsman!"

Co-written by Randy Newman as well.


Ohhhhh man, I want to watch it now...

I did enjoy it a lot, I just docked it a few points for perhaps slightly wasting the comedic talent involved. It was a very relaxing nostalgic watch though and I'm definitely glad I've seen it again.

Quote from: Gulftastic on March 01, 2018, 10:38:18 AM
Anyway, Martin is OK in Little Shop of Horrors. Totally upstaged by Bill Murray, but still OK.

I love both, but think Martin edges it just for the passion he puts in to the song. But then my views on such a thing can't really be trusted here as Little Shop of Horrors is one of my all time favourite films and near on perfect imho.

Artemis

Martin's been in some classics:

Roxanne
Parenthood
Bowfinger
Three Amigos
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Father of the Bride

Dr Rock

These are Martin's top ten films,  I reckon.

The Jerk
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
The Man with Two Brains
The Lonely Guy
Roxanne
All of Me
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
L.A. Story
Bowfinger

I don't care for The Three Amigos.

Artemis


phantom_power

I think I might add Spanish Prisoner in there somewhere, but I am not sure what I would take out

madhair60

Hello, Planes, Trains, yeah bye

Small Man Big Horse

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) - I loved this as a teenager and kind of wish I hadn't spoilt my memory of it. The first half hour is high on exposition and low on laughs, it's amiable enough but when compared to Martin's earlier work it lacks flare and invention. The middle section is the high point as Caine and Martin spar appealingly, but the final twenty minutes drag, especially if you're aware of / can guess the obvious ending. 6.3/10

Quote from: Phil_A on March 01, 2018, 05:50:31 PM
I'm pretty sure the whole Cousin Ruprecht section crosses a line regarding using disabilities for lols, but fuck it, it's absolutely hilarious. Martin's physical performance in that bit is just perfection.

"He just loves to run and run and run!"

Yeah that bit hasn't aged well at all, but Martin still managed to make me laugh, even if it was in a fairly guilty manner.

Dex Sawash

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on March 28, 2018, 11:59:43 PM
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) - I loved this as a teenager and kind of wish I hadn't spoilt my memory of it. The first half hour is high on exposition and low on laughs, it's amiable enough but when compared to Martin's earlier work it lacks flare and invention. The middle section is the high point as Caine and Martin spar appealingly, but the final twenty minutes drag, especially if you're aware of / can guess the obvious ending. 6.3/10

Yeah that bit hasn't aged well at all, but Martin still managed to make me laugh, even if it was in a fairly guilty manner.

Version I saw had David Niven instead of Caine. Try to find that one.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Dex Sawash on March 30, 2018, 01:18:13 PM
Version I saw had David Niven instead of Caine. Try to find that one.

You've got it wrong again, I think you'll find it's Dsvid Niven.