Into The Woods

Sure there were far better comedies made in 2004, and I will admit that when it comes to the comedy genre I am much easier on such films than other, far better critics and film reviewers are. Without a Paddle is not particularly high art, nor does the movie reinvent the wheel-in fact it could have better not only better written, but also more funnier-yet the movie clearly has its heart in the right place. The cast is pretty solid overall, with Seth Green, Matthew Lillard as part of a trio of friends who set out to try and satisfy a promise they made to a now deceased friend when the entire group was just kids.

Throwing really wacky and crazy adventures at the hapless trio results in some amusing moments, yet the film isn't as hilarious as it could have been due to some of the jokes falling flat. Really its not enough to have some idiots who clearly don't know anything they are doing run around in the wilderness-you have to set up the gags and properly execute them better. The other problem is that the pair of brothers are not really that humorous at all, nor are they even decent villains. Perhaps the movie would have been better off poking fun at say, Deliverance or other wilderness survival type movies where things go horribly wrong, but maybe the film's director did not want to completely go down that route.

Even after making Boogie Nights its clear that Burt Reynolds needed more money for whatever -a house payment, some new girlfriend, typical bills to pay, etc. since he willingly choose to be in this movie, playing a mountain man that really looks more like a drunken homeless person living under some bridge. Look, making a movie that is about a bunch of guys truly finding themselves is all well and good, yet if you are going to make it a comedy it should contain more laughs, really. I don't hate Without a Paddle, and I recognize that its type of humor appeals more to those even more easily amused than I am. Hey there's a comedy niche for everyone these days, which isn't completely a bad thing I guess. 60