The Pink Panther (2006) - Martin's Sellers imitation is a trial to sit through

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Co-star Steve Martin dons a classic costume as a classic character on this simple poster for Shawn Levy's The Pink Panther

An enormous diamond ring known as the Pink Panther is stolen from a soccer coach who is murdered in Paris, where the respected police chief inspector tasks his hopeless inspector Clouseau with investigating the debacle, - in order for himself to look better in comparison.

 

The Pink Panther is written by Len Blum (Feds (1988)) and co-writer/co-star Steve Martin (Baby Mama (2008)), with Michael Saltzman (The Middle (2011-13)) contributing story elements, and directed by Shawn Levy (Address Unknown (1997)). It is the 10th film in the Pink Panther franchise, which began with The Pink Panther (1963).

Even if you are game and onboard team Martin, this film comes apart. Martin plays a kind of imitation of Peter Sellers' hilarious classic turns as Clouseau throughout the film in a foolish, forgettable plot without any real highlights. Martin and Emily Mortimer (Mary Poppins Returns (2018)) seem to compete in who can look dumber in their awkward scenes, meanwhile Beyoncé (The Lion King (2019)) plays the part of a one-sided sexpot (why ever did she take on this 'role'?)

There is a bit of fun: But scenes that could be labeled 'Martin with a speech coach'; 'Martin parking his smart car into other cars' are about it, and these minor strikes of mirth drown in a veritable sea of bad jokes and bad gags, randomness that fails to make sense or be fun (such as a burning mojito cocktail) and embarrassments. Martin clearly should have invented his own Clouseau, because this imitation is a shipwreck.

 

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Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 80 mil. $

Box office: 164.1 mil. $

= Flop (returned 2.05 times its cost)

[The Pink Panther premiered 19 January (France) and runs 93 minutes. Martin was paid 3 mil. £ for his script service and 28 mil. $ in total for his work on the film. Shooting took place around May 2004 in New York, California and in the Czech Republic, including in Prague. The film opened #1 to a 20.2 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weekends in the top 5 (#3-#3), grossing 82.2 mil. $ (50.1 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 10.5 mil. $ (6.4 %) and Spain with 8.4 mil. $ (5.1 %). Roger Ebert gave it a 1.5/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. The film made in excess of estimated 23.2 mil. $ on the North-American home video market alone. Despite the film's flop status, a 2009 sequel with Martin and co-stars returning was made to graver flop status. Levy returned with Beyoncé: A Woman Like Me (2006, music video), Pepper Dennis (2006, TV-series) and theatrically with Night at the Museum (2006). Martin returned in Baby Mama (2008). The Pink Panther is rotten at 21 % with a 4.20/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of The Pink Panther?

It's Complicated (2009) - Meyers' delightful romcom star vehicle

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+ Best Poster of the Year

Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin make a terrific bed couple on this luxurious, instantly likable poster for Nancy Meyers' It's Complicated

After having been divorced from each other for 20 years, Jane (Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia! (2008))) begins an affair with her newly remarried ex-husband Jake (Alec Baldwin (The Cooler (2003))), which she balances with a budding romance with a sweet architect (Steve Martin (Cheaper by the Dozen (2003))) and her relationship with her three grown children.

It's Complicated is the wonderful 5th film from great Pennsylvanian writer-director Nancy Meyers (The Parent Trap (1998)). It is a super-funny all around good experience with all three abovementioned stars giving terrific performances in each their own way. John Krasinski (Leatherheads (2008)) is good in a supporting role as a son in law, and Hunter Parrish (All Nighter (2017)) makes for first class eye candy, although the film maybe overdoes its lust for eye candy a bit in other instances. Meyers goes in for the lush Santa Barbara high-style of living that her well-off Jane character enjoys, where everything seems beautiful, large, clean, well-functioning and new.
It's Complicated is polished alright, but it is also a great, fun film.

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Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 85 mil. $
Box office: 219.1 mil. $
= Box office success
[It's Complicated premiered 10 December (Westwood, Los Angeles) and runs 120 minutes. It was shot in New York and California from April - August 2009. The film opened #4, behind hold-over hit Avatar and fellow new releases Sherlock Holmes and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, to a 22.1 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it stayed in the top 5 for another 2 weeks (#4; #5) and grossed 112.7 mil. $ (51.4 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Australia with 14.1 mil. $ (6.4 %) and the UK with 13.8 mil. $ (6.3 %). Roger Ebert gave the film a 2.5/5 star review, translating to two notches harder than this review. The film was nominated for 3 Golden Globes, a BAFTA and won a National Board of Review award for Best Acting by an Ensemble. It's Complicated is rotten at 57 % with a 5.8/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of It's Complicated?

Bowfinger (1999) or, Making Chubby Rain

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+ Best Big Flop Movie of the Year + Best Los Angeles Movie of the Year + Best Parody of the Year

Two of Hollywood's biggest comedy stars meet for the first time in what appears a simple con plot on this poster for Frank Oz's Bowfinger

 
Steve Martin (iThree Amigos! (1986)) plays Bowfinger, a man who desperately wants to make a Hollywood movie hit. With a persevering team of amateurs, one involuntary, unknowing major star, Kit Ramsay, and Ramsay's unknown, dim-witted brother, Bowfinger somehow succeeds in creating the action science fiction film, Chubby Rain.

 
Bowfinger is written by writer/co-star Steve Martin (L.A. Story (1991)) and directed by Frank Oz (The Dark Crystal (1982)). 

While the film might be no major laugh fest, it works wonders as a major enjoyment for lovers of classic comedy and the Hollywood movie business, which it parodies gleefully. It is entertaining and very agreeable and a somewhat nostalgic trip to a way of making comedies that's not being done much anymore, (regrettably.)
The pairing of Eddie Murphy (The Golden Child (1986)) and Martin, two of big screen comedy's biggest stars in the preceding decades, is a merry success.
Bowfinger is a funny film with a slew of good supporting actors as well: Heather Graham (Wander (2020)), Christine Baranski (The Bravest Knight (2019, TV-series)), Adam Alexi-Malle (Hidalgo (2004)), Terence Stamp (Unfinished Song (2012)) and Robert Downey Jr. (Only You (1994)) are all very good.

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Watch a trailer for the movie here

Cost: 55 mil. $
Box office: 98.6 mil. $
= Big flop (returned 1.79 times its cost)

[Bowfinger was released 13 August (North America, Switzerland) and runs 97 minutes. The enormous cost is likely to be ballooned by sky-high fees for Murphy, Martin and Oz, but they are regrettably unreported. Shooting took place from June - September 1998 in California, including in Los Angeles. The film opened #2, behind hold-over hit The Sixth Sense, to a an 18 mil. $ weekend in North America, where it spent another 4 weekends in the top 5 (#2-#4-#4-#5), grossing 66.3 mil. $ (67.2 % of the total gross. Roger Ebert gave the film a 3.5/4 star review, translating to a notch over this one. Oz returned with The Score (2001). Murphy returned in Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000); Martin in The Venice Project (1999). Bowfinger is certified fresh at 81 % with a 7/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of Bowfinger?