Admirable film.

A different way of telling a story

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I have three favourite films of all time, they are as follows, in ranking order;Step Brothers, Schindler's list, Gandhi.I need not say anymore.

Like with all of Adam McKay's comedies, the plot of 'Step Brothers (2008)' isn't really the main focus and as such isn't too refined. It hits all the necessary beats and feels more planned than some of his other work, though. The piece feels longer than it is and also skips over some of the more important narrative elements. Still, the movie is laugh-out-loud funny on more than one occasion, thanks mainly to the absurdist improvisation of its excellent cast, and is wickedly entertaining throughout. 7/10

Step Brothers is one of those movies that polarizes and divides. Some consider it one of the funniest films they've ever seen, and others write it off as another slapstick, goofball comedy that relies on gimmicky jokes and childish expletives. What people don't understand when they take this movie seriously is that it is basically an intentionally paradoxical satire of the over- privileged youth of white suburban America. Only the main characters aren't bratty children, they're bratty and unemployed 39 year old adults living with their parents. The concept seems preposterous, let alone the absurd behavior of both Dale Dobak (John C. O'Reilly) and Brennan Huff (Will Ferrell) who become stepbrothers during the film's opening, but it has this unrelenting charm that makes it impossible to not laugh at. We are introduced to both of the main characters after their parents meet at a business conference and proceed with a shotgun wedding of sorts. Both Brennan and Dale are unsure about their parent's decision and they have no problem expressing their concerns. "I didn't want salmon! I said it four times!!..This wedding is horse sh*t." Brennan exclaims as he storms out of the wedding reception. Later, after the pair have a physical altercation due to Brennan touching Dale's drum set, Dale's father punishes them by announcing "No TV for a week!". "What?!" Both Dale and Brennan exclaim in unison. "This house is a f*cking prison!" yells Brennan. "On planet bullsh*t!" adds Dale. "In the galaxy of This Sucks Camel D*cks!" Brennan loudly concludes. It's humor like this that infects the movie with wacky charm and awkward character interactions. It's borderline cringe-worthy as you watch "normal" characters react to Dale and Brennan's antics, but it only helps push the "manchild" narrative to new heights. Throughout the film, Dale and Brennan are eventually forced to get jobs and move out of their parents house after essentially causing them to divorce. The movie concludes when Dale and Brennan co-work the Catalina Wine Mixer for Brennan's ultra-successful brother, when Dale's father, feeling nostalgic for Dale and Brennan's bizarre, yet intrinsic childish nature, tells the boys to "never lose their dinosaur", basically telling them to be themselves and screw everyone else. The movie ends with both Dale and Brennan returning to their goofy selves, but with good jobs and respective significant others. I watched this in my senior year of high school, and coming back to it feels like I'm watching a piece of my past. It really is excellent entertainment, even if it's almost impossible to take seriously. 10 out of 10!

The movie serves as yet another vehicle for Ferrell's witless drivel. Reilly provides a slightly more amusing performance but fails to achieve anything beyond vulgar childish reprimanding of Ferrell. It's Thelma and Louise meets Dumb and Dumber, except their goal meant nothing and the movie's even more childish than the latter. If only Scanners pervaded the movie and caused the lead characters' heads to explode inside the chewbacca masks, spraying brain matter and wookie hair all over the audience like a bad day at the groomers. All in all, another sad excuse for a comedy, and a laughable excuse for remnants of drama.