By Susan Granger
Special to WestportNow
In “Stan & Ollie,” after fame and fortune left the world-famous vaudeville comedy team of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy far behind, they embarked on a career-concluding tour of Great Britain.
A brief prologue introduces the duo making “Way Out West” (1937). Flash-forward to 1953, when they’re desperately trying to attract audiences, trotting out classic routines, playing to half-empty music halls in the hinterlands before winding up on London’s West End, eager to secure financing for a new Robin Hood spoof, titled “Rob ‘Em Good.”
Disgruntled but not discouraged, they turn to public relations stunts to sell tickets. In addition to Hardy’s persistent health problems, they’re constantly bickering, dredging up old grievances.
Tenacious Stan (Steve Coogan) was always more driven, easygoing Ollie (John C. Reilly), a prolific gambler, was less ambitious: “We’re friends because (producer) Hal Roach put us together, and the only reason we stayed together is that audiences wanted it.”
The eventual arrival of their respective wives — domineering Ida Laurel (Nina Arianda) and doting Lucille Hardy (Shirley Henderson) — only makes the situation worse as it becomes painfully obvious that, while these funnymen can’t live with each other, they can’t live without each other.
Oozing authenticity, it’s based on A.J. Marriot’s “Laurel & Hardy: The British Tours” adapted by Jeff Pope as a poignant character study that’s confidently directed by Jon S. Baird.
“I grew up watching totally inspirational, ahead of their time Lauren and Hardy,” recalls John C. Reilly. “No political agenda, they wrote all their own routines. We re-created their skits and spent hours practicing.”
That includes Stan Laurel’s hangdog expression and the line, “Well, here’s another nice mess you’ve gotten me into!”
IF you want to know more, the 10-disc DVD “Laurel & Hardy: The Essential Collection,” compiling almost all of their sound-era shorts & features (1929-1940), is a treasure trove.
On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Stan & Ollie” is a bittersweet 7, recalling slapstick comedy long before Abbott & Costello and Martin & Lewis.
Based on the French film “The Intouchables” (2011), “The Upside” is a heartfelt comedy is about the developing friendship between an ex-convict and a quadriplegic Manhattan billionaire.
Confined to a wheelchair after a devastating paragliding accident, Philip Lacasse (Bryan Cranston) is calmly interviewing potential caregivers when surly Dell Scott (Kevin Hart) wanders into his penthouse by mistake, thinking he’s applying for a janitorial position.
Chastised by his parole officer, Dell must get three signatures to prove that he’s applied for jobs. He also needs a place to sleep since his angry ex-wife (Aja Naomi King) has tossed him out on the street, refusing to let this deadbeat dad see his young son (Jahi Di’Allo Winston).
Much to the consternation of his devoted, no-nonsense business manager (Nicole Kidman), Philip hires rudely belligerent Dell, sternly informing him of his DNR (do not resuscitate) order.
Although he’s grateful for this live-in position with its generous salary, Dell has no idea what his “life auxiliary” duties entail — like lifting Philip from his bed to his wheelchair, feeding him, and bathing him, including changing his catheter. (This is the basis for a raunchy but hilarious scene.)
Gradually, brooding, bitter Philip begins to enjoy life, particularly when Dell takes him joy riding in one of the sports cars he’s kept garaged. And Dell goes one step further, trying to encourage lonely widower Philip to meet the woman with whom he’s had “an epistolary relationship.”
Superficially adapted by John Hartmere and calculatedly directed by Neil Burger, it’s adversely afflicted by Kevin Hart’s abrasive, homophobic character’s curious lack of charm. On the other hand, it’s decidedly upbeat about human nature, odd-couple male bonding, etc.
FYI: While comedian Hart recovers from his Oscar-hosting fiasco, Bryan Cranston is currently dazzling audiences as Howard Beale in “Network” on Broadway.
On the Granger Gauge, “The Upside” is a crowd-pleasing 7, a feel-good film.
When did Keanu Reeves’ name become synonymous with sleazy sci-fi like “Replicas?”
Neuroscientist Will Foster (Reeves), along with his colleague/friend Ed Whittle (Thomas Middleditch), is conducting experiments on copying a recently-deceased person’s neural pathways — i.e. consciousness — and transferring them into a synthetic body — i.e. a robot.
They’re employed at Biodyne, headquartered in Puerto Rico, and their boss, Jones (John Ortiz), impatient at their disappointing lack of success, is threatening to cut their research funding.
So it’s not exactly the best time to go on vacation, but Will loads his vacuous blonde wife Mona (Alice Eve) and their three picture-perfect children into an SUV, heading for a boat trip. Caught In a rainstorm en route to the dock, they’re involved in an accident so horrific that only Will survives.
Grief-stricken, Will calls Ed to help him transport the dead bodies of his family back to his garage, where they set up a secret satellite laboratory with Biodyne equipment. Using Ed’s cloning technology, Will plans to regenerate three out of four family members. (There are not enough expensive incubation pods for the fourth.)
Does their bizarre experiment succeed? You bet!
“Hey, we made clones today!” Ed rejoices. But, of course, complications arise with their resurrection. In addition, Will discovers that Biodyne isn’t involved in healing veterans, as he thought. Instead, the company is allied with nefarious forces in the Middle East.
Based on Stephen Hamel’s story, it’s scripted by Chad St. John and directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff. The fast-paced nonsense includes an absurd scene in which Will performs a sensitive medical maneuver — plunging a needle into his eye — while perched on the toilet.
On the Granger Gauge, “Replicas” is a predictably preposterous 3, pushing the campy “mad scientist” concept way over the edge.
(Editor’s Note: Westport resident Susan Granger grew up in Hollywood, studied journalism with Pierre Salinger at Mills College, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with highest honors in journalism. In addition to writing for newspapers and magazines, she has been on radio/television as an anchorwoman and movie/drama critic for many years. See her reviews at www.susangranger.com.)
