filmcritic.com presents a review from staff member James Brundage. You can find the review with full credits at http://filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/2a460f93626cd4678625624c007f2b46/845fb5161e1558bd882569770011bd2f?OpenDocument
THE LADIES MAN A film review by James Brundage Copyright 2000 filmcritic.com filmcritic.com
Ok. Where in the contract for an SNL cast-member does it stipulate that they will finance your ill-conceived film, no matter what it is? What kind of shyster agent dreamed that one up? And why does said movie ever have to be granted approval to be released to the general public?
These three questions, along with "How the hell does a lisping moron actually have game?" predominate a thinking viewer's mind as it wanders through the cerebrally deficient film The Ladies Man. But then your brain reminds you that you're not here for it. You're here so your brain can turn off for a long, long time.
The Ladies Man is the latest of those SNL skits to turn "pro" as a feature length film. Joining the ranks of such greats as Wayne's World and such abysmal failures as A Night at the Roxbury, The Ladies Man only earns the modest title of being one of the better SNL spin-offs thanks to the utter failure of most of its competition. Sure, there are some laughs. And you can count tem on both hands, but will you even bother renting this film? I doubt it.
For those who don't know the story (which is to say, the lead character), Leon Phelps (Tim Meadows) is the ladies man: a lewd Chicago sex show host that comes off like Howard Stern with a speech impediment and a lower IQ. Fired from his radio station after breaking FCC codes, Leon and his producer Julie (Karyn Parsons) head off in search of new jobs, a mysterious millionaire benefactor, and true love.
Although this proves to be minimally enjoyable at times, and although there is a musical number about a group of people devoted to killing Phelps that will make you bust out laughing, the rest of the movie proves to be so poorly constructed that it's almost unbearable. While I'm not yet yearning for It's Pat, the Sequel, the prospect of ever seeing The Ladies Man again sounds too unbearable to stand.
RATING: **
|----------------------------------|
\ ***** Perfection \
\ **** Good, memorable film \
\ *** Average, hits and misses \
\ ** Sub-par on many levels \
\ * Unquestionably awful \
|----------------------------------|
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Reginald Hudlin Producer: Lorne Michaels Writer: Tim Meadows, Dennis McNicholas, Andrew Steele Starring: Tim Meadows, Karyn Parsons, Will Ferrell, Lee Evans, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen
http://www.ladiesmanmovie.com/index_net.html
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