SAY IT ISN'T SO! A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 2001 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): **
SAY IT ISN'T SO! is another comedic misfire produced by the Farrelly brothers (ME, MYSELF & IRENE). Although there are a few good laughs in it, most of the film stays at the crudely unfunny level with jokes about a wife who uses her armpits to salt her husband's food and a guy who gets his arm stuck up a cow's anus. "Saturday Night Live" writer Peter Gaulke and first-time writer Gerry Swallow also look for sources of humor in the repeated theft of the artificial legs belonging to an amputee (Orlando Jones) and in the constant humiliation of a stroke patient (Richard Jenkins). First-time director James B. Rogers's next film is AMERICAN PIE II. I can hardly wait.
When we meet animal control officer Gilly Noble, played with mind-numbing blandness by Chris Klein (AMERICAN PIE), he is looking for the love of his life, one who will produce goose bumps all over his body. When he first lays eyes on the town's new hairstylist, Jo Wingfield, who hacks up hair with all of the skill of a drunken barber at work on the high seas, Gilly is covered in goose bumps. Heather Graham (BOWFINGER) is fairly wasted as Jo since the script gives her little to do other than smile a lot with the intensity and honesty of a politician looking for votes.
Sacrificing more than just his hair to the cause, Gilly works his way into Jo's heart and bed. But -- surprise! -- he turns out to be her brother. And, even bigger surprise, he really isn't. (These "twists" happen early on and have been given away by all of the trailers.)
The body of the movie has Gilly trying to win Jo back before she marries Jack Mitchelson (Eddie Cibrian), the evil philanthropist of the close-knit town of Beaver, Oregon. Working against Gilly is Jo's bad mother, played by Sally Field in a performance that is itself quite bad.
In the spirit of full disclosure, there were a couple of scenes that were so surprising and shocking that I did laugh loudly. The best of these involves a dinner table discussion at the home of Gilly's boss. It is the show and tell part of the meal that I found so funny. And finally, the ending is cute even if somewhat predictable. It is also one of the few times in which they effectively use Graham's gift for innocent sexuality.
Wait for video and keep your finger by the fast forward button.
SAY IT ISN'T SO! runs just 1:33 but feels longer. It is rated R for strong sexual content, crude humor and language and would be acceptable for older teenagers.
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