In-Step Brothers and Maron is Back!

In-Step Brothers

What do you expect from a Judd Apatow film?  Light and fun.  Usually some romance and maybe some redemption.

Step Brothers (2008) did not disappoint. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly who play the step brothers are very much in step.  The play off each other so well, it’s hard not to think that they aren’t blood brothers.  Will and John share a similar feel for comedy and their styles mesh well.  The step brothers were an easy match and they were entertaining in and of themselves. This pairing makes the movie well worth the time. And if you haven’t had enough, there’s a lot more gags on the DVD extras.

My problem with it was a matter of belief.  The premise is this: Two men, 39 and 40, still live at home with their single parents.  Until the parents meet and fall in love, get married and blend the families. Some of what brought them together was the full grown men they both had at home.  A dysfunctional family of course, like The Osbournes meet the Brady Bunch.  Though I enjoyed the child-like antics of the two “boys”, I couldn’t get past the fact that they are both men. Seems to me they might be bitter, maybe a little resigned, even have difficulty doing some things, but not act like they’re 7 years old.  The humor from all that, at times, and to be expected, felt a bit over the top, to me.

Overall, a fun move, if not simple and predictable at times. It could’ve been better, I think. The Step Brothers are in step, with a few missteps here and there.

Maron is Back!

Marc Maron is a funny guy who does a podcast.  Quite an interesting podcast, too.  We’ve known of him for a long time – back when he was a long-haired stand up on the original Comedy Channel.

These days he does a show about a guy who does a podcast. True enough, some of the stories surround his life as a comedian with a podcast. But it is unlikely all the scenarios are a direct reflection of his life.  However, the ring of truth always makes for more enjoyable comedy. The original Dick Van Dyke Show did that so well. The writers even admitted they stole story ideas from real life.  Real Life +  Fictional Details makes for rich stories.

Marc, in the show, is surrounded by quirky family and friends. Much like the beloved Dr. Katz (on which Marc appeared at time a two), comedians stop by regularly to keep the laughter flowing.  Anyone who can keep me laughing the better part of a 20 minute or so show, is doing something right.

The second season of Maron makes for a genuinely funny and entertaining half hour on IFC Thursdays at 10:00 (for the time being and no doubt repeated at other times).