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Review #409 of 365
Movie Review of Reno 911!: Miami (2007) [R] 85 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $5.50
Where Viewed: United Artists Denver Pavilions Stadium 15, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 26 February 2007
Time: 10:30 p.m.
Film's Official Website • Film's Trailer
DVD Release Date: unscheduled
Directed by: Ben Garant ("Reno 911!")
Written by: Ben Garant (Night at the Museum), Thomas Lennon (Night at the Museum), and Kerri Kenney ("You Wrote It, You Watch It")
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Lennie Loftin (Flags of Our Fathers) • Danny DeVito (Deck the Halls) • Ben Garant ("Reno 911!") • Niecy Nash (Code Name: The Cleaner) • Mary Birdsong ("Reno 911!") • Kerri Kenney ("Reno 911!") • Wendi McLendon-Covey ("Reno 911!") • Carlos Alazraqui (Happy Feet) • Cedric Yarbrough (Unaccompanied Minors) • Thomas Lennon (Herbie Fully Loaded) • David Koechner (Unaccompanied Minors) • Nick Swardson (Click)
Soundtrack: order the CD below
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
Beginning with the candid but probably not too surprising revelation that I have never watched a single episode of "Reno 911!" the television show created as a parody of "Cops" depicting the lives of the Reno Sheriff's Department—non existent law enforcement agency with unscripted dialogue. After seeing the film, which had its somewhat humorous moments, I'll probably not be rushing to the iTunes™ Music Store to download seasons 1-4 anytime soon, however. While the humor in the film was a few steps above what's been seen recently in the pure comedy genre, certainly this film surpasses duds like Let's Go to Prison and Beerfest, primarily due to the cast of zany characters and actors who take themselves way too seriously to the point of great parody, the net effect of the story of this film which has the gang traveling to Miami for a police convention and being called into action to defend the entire city when the bulk of the nation's law enforcement officers are quarantined in the convention center due to an infectious, biological hazard break-out is silly and unnecessary. The point of brilliant satire or parody is to move thinking forward, challenge paradigms, take on the establishment, foster action against social injustice, etc. When one thinks of raunchy parody that works, one thinks of "South Park". Matt Stone and Trey Parker have perfected this in our modern time like no one else. You want to see a meaningful parody of police see their Team America: World Police. In any case, to give credit where it is due, Reno 911!: Miami co-written and directed by Ben Garant, isn't terrible it just doesn't really do much.
"…somewhat humorous moments…all from the preview…best left undiscovered."
Sure, it's funny seeing Lieutenant Jim Dangle running about "like a cheetah" in his non-standard issue shorts and shying away from fighting real crime, but overall, there's nothing really innovative or new here. The plot has a manufactured feel to it, and most of the most humorous moments are available in the preview. The actors do a fair job with their characters whom one might think would be a little more well-developed after years on television. Far too much of the humor surrounds the tensions of race and gender preferences and non-fashion model body types. I could have lived my whole life without seeing Lt. Dangle joking with an airline passenger during luggage check-in and playing around with what he thinks looks like a device for illegal narcotic smoke inhalation but which really turns to be something a proctologist uses—I'll let your imagination figure that one out. By and large, Reno 911! Miami might have started out as a good idea somewhere, or maybe it was always designed to exploit the franchise for more cash, either way, it ended up being quite nearly a waste of time and certainly not worth the price of a ticket. Not to rub more salt in the wounds of Danny DeVito and the other producers of the film, but if they've got so much money to toss around, why not honestly use it on a comedy that might actually contribute something useful to the culture? It's certainly not impossible to achieve. As for fans of the television show, I have no idea if they will be pleased or not with this big-screen effort, maybe yes, maybe no. For the rest of us, this little slice of a world we had not known in the first place is best left undiscovered.
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Other Projects Featuring Reno 911!: Miami (2007)
Cast Members
Lennie Loftin
• Danny DeVito • Ben GarantNiecy Nash
• Mary Birdsong • Kerri KenneyWendi McLendon-Covey
• Carlos Alazraqui • Cedric YarbroughThomas Lennon
• David Koechner • Nick SwardsonCo-writer / Director
Ben Garant
Co-Writers
Thomas Lennon
• Kerri Kenney| Related Product | Related DVD | Related Product |
Reno 911!: Miami (2007) Review-lite [150-word cap]
"Cops" parody "Reno 911!" depicts the lives of the Reno Sheriff's Department has reached the big screen as Reno 911!: Miami with its somewhat humorous moments though not enough to induce a downloading frenzy for seasons 1-4 from iTunes™. While the humor was degrees above duds like Let's Go to Prison and Beerfest, primarily due to the cast of zany characters and actors who take themselves way too seriously to the point of great parody, the net effect of the story wasn’t terribly entertaining. Co-writer / director Ben Garant has probably re-created the look and feel of the show. Unfortunately, the result is only semi-humorous with too much focus on the tensions of race and gender preferences and non-fashion model body types. Fans of the show may enjoy this; but, for everyone else, this little slice of a world we had not known previously is, perhaps, best left undiscovered.
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