Gratuitous Llama Netflix Movie Review

No, I didn't bother with the debate last evening. Instead, I popped in the 1988 Steve Martin/Michael Caine flick Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which I hadn't seen before. The story is about two con men, one high (Caine) and the other low (Martin), who fall into competition over a rich American gal in a little town on the French Riviera.

My opinion? Mostly harmless. Nice scenery. Not much else to it. The downside? Martin's brand of slapstick. Hasn't aged a-tall well. The upside? The part of Caine's butler Arthur is played by none other than Emperor Palpatine. Looks exactly the same. At one point he says to Martin, "Welcome to hell." You can almost see his eyes glowing.

Robbo's Recommendation: I'll give it one and a half Yips! out of five. As I say, there's really not that much wrong with it aside from the fact that it's only midly amusing, but at the same time there's really not much that would make one want to see it more than once.

Posted by: Robert at 09:10 AM

Comments

1 Come on. Prince Rupprecht? Dr. Emil Schuphausen? That's gold, Robbo. Gold.

It's actually one of my top ten or twenty favorite films of all time.

Posted by: The Colossus at November 16, 2007 09:34 AM (ivbbD)

2 I like The Jerk, Roxanne, and Planes, Trains and Automobiles much better. But, as you say, his goof-ball humor wears thin after a while. Did see him live at Texas A&M in 1978, and laughed until my cheeks hurt. Of course, my mood was artificially enhanced at the time.

Posted by: Hucbald at November 16, 2007 10:21 AM (llsdm)

3 Oh c'mon, Robbo. This classic deserves three Yips! on the Ruprecht scent alone.

"Ruprecht, do I have to get the genital cuff?"

And Glenne Headly is just adorable.

Posted by: Gary at November 16, 2007 11:11 AM (QoxB+)

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