Movie Review: Year One

By Kevin Coll • June 19, 2009 • 3 Comments

Year One is well-done homage to the Mel Brooks comedies of yester-year with great chemistry and comedic timing between its 2 stars Michael Cera and Jack Black. That being said its still has its hard moments of poorly executed areas but not enough to lessen the movie’s comedic presence as a fun and entertaining laughable film.

The film follows two lazy hunter/gatherer guys in the ancient world. Zed and Oh, get kicked out of their Garden of Eden paradise and begin a search for what life is all about. Going on an adventure of a lifetime through the ancient world.

Zed (Jack Black) is your typical lazy guy living his life the way he wants it. Enjoying life in his primative village he can’t help but wonder what lies out in the rest of the world and that there is more to hunting, gathering and sleeping. Then there is his partner in crime Oh (Michael Cera) basically filling his namesake he is always reacting to things and is your typical along for the ride sidekick. On the adventure Zed is very quick to assume that he’s been chosen by the gods for some great mission. He thinks that will give him meaning in his life. He’s a searcher. He wants to figure out what the hell is going on in this strange world. Oh simply wants to settle down and fall in love and die.

For such primitive characters you realize they had the same things that make us human today, the same ambition and curiosity but Ramis and his writing team made a nice joking experience about it. Oh and Zed travel through history and meet some of the ancient world’s most famous residents: Cain and Abel (Paul Rudd and Davis Cross), Abraham and Isaac (Hank Azaria and Christopher Mintz-Plasse), and the denizens of the city of Sodom (including a High Priest played by Oliver Platt that is hysterical). When the two meet Cain, he is about to kill his brother and he basically has no morals or ethical center to speak of and Cross really captured that well. Interesting that the chemistry was not lost between Black and Cross who used to appear on Mr. Show together.

Throughout the film you have the comings and goings of the characters as they journey through Abraham’s promise land, where we meet Abe about to sacrifice his son Isaac to God is interrupted by the travelers. Azaria’s performance was okay it was like he was impersonating Patton playing Abraham. Then you enter with some well to do Mel Brooks type circumcision jokes and the humor rolls along. Moving along on their way, Zed and Oh’s quest becomes not simply figuring out what life is all about, but saving two women from their village – Maya and Eema, who also happen to be the objects of their affections.

Like all good love stories, theirs was not without obstacles. Zed has strong feelings for Maya, but finds himself rebuffed at every turn. Oh has a crush on Zed’s sister, Eema, but he can’t quite admit it to her.

Ultimately the film doesn’t bore and though it has very funny moments it also as very yawn moments. It is not the best comedy of year by any means but it is a solid laughter with a great bit of chemistry between the two leads. The ensemble cast is great and though it is a combination of Mel Brooks’ History of the World Part 1 it also somewhat reminds you of Ramis’ friends Bill Murray, playing a Cro-Magnon man with a completely hip and contemporary vibe and John Belushi played a Neanderthal Man as an idiot.

Overall the film is solid but not epic. I see many critics not liking it but I also find a few will most certainly enjoy its pure Ramis humor.

Score: 7 out of 10

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