The problem in making a great sequel to a popular original film is that the filmmakers involved with the sequel often end up trying only to match the previous films box office success. Rather than bother with the creation of something new, or at the very least a variation of the original, 'Next Movie' rides Tommy Chong into a sophomore slump (Chong was an unaccredited Director for 'Up In Smoke') of sorts, as the movie becomes nothing more than a faded carbon copy of 'Up In Smoke'. Following the familiar formula of success from the last film, this film has the duo falling into strange and sticky situations that somehow always leave them on the outside of the joke, just able to slip through each scene unscathed and unaffected. These excursions into the bizarre rarely hit for big laughs (the office scene excluded), but rather only lead to a semi comic payoff.
You can't set your sights too high when the first words that are heard in the movie are those coming from Chong saying, "This is bullsh*t". Seeing that Tommy Chong directed this movie, I'll take him at his word. The thing is, although I would agree that 'Next Movie' is largely bullsh*t, it doesn't really matter to Cheech & Chong as they continue to look entirely comfortable going down the same road of comedy, doing the same things for laughs. They wander the streets of Los Angeles, they smoke a lot of pot, they become involved in many different surreal moments of chance that ultimately culminate into a makeshift performance on a stage in a Los Angeles nightclub. Sound familiar? Did I just describe 'Up In Smoke' or 'Next Movie'?
Fans of Cheech & Chong will defend the movie, but you would expect as much. If you've seen 'Up In Smoke' recently and liked it and have never seen 'Next Movie' then I would say you might like 'Next Movie', but don't get your hopes up too much. For the most part the laughs come out at you front on and totally obvious. On the rare occasion that a laugh comes at you from out of nowhere it almost always arrives not from Cheech & Chong, but rather from one the talented extras in the cast.
The performances from the rest of the cast, most notably Paul Reubens and Edie McClurg are what stand out as good. Watching Paul Reubens loose his composure at the hotel desk, then later at the nightclub are by far the best scenes in the movie. Edie McClurg has a very small part in the film, but is funny in every scene she's in. And of course 'the office' scene where an narcoleptic man is constantly burning his own leg with a cigarette while nodding in and out of sleep while an old man sitting nearby offers no help, but only bothers to laugh at him at every burn is truly inspired. But the attempt from Cheech to play a new character named 'Red' doesn't really add much to 'Next Movie' and comes off as desperation wrapped in a wig with an endless supply of weed and zig zags. And let's face it, the only time this type of desperation is ever funny is when the paper is confetti and the dope under the wig is Rip Taylor.
6/10 Clark Richards
You can't set your sights too high when the first words that are heard in the movie are those coming from Chong saying, "This is bullsh*t". Seeing that Tommy Chong directed this movie, I'll take him at his word. The thing is, although I would agree that 'Next Movie' is largely bullsh*t, it doesn't really matter to Cheech & Chong as they continue to look entirely comfortable going down the same road of comedy, doing the same things for laughs. They wander the streets of Los Angeles, they smoke a lot of pot, they become involved in many different surreal moments of chance that ultimately culminate into a makeshift performance on a stage in a Los Angeles nightclub. Sound familiar? Did I just describe 'Up In Smoke' or 'Next Movie'?
Fans of Cheech & Chong will defend the movie, but you would expect as much. If you've seen 'Up In Smoke' recently and liked it and have never seen 'Next Movie' then I would say you might like 'Next Movie', but don't get your hopes up too much. For the most part the laughs come out at you front on and totally obvious. On the rare occasion that a laugh comes at you from out of nowhere it almost always arrives not from Cheech & Chong, but rather from one the talented extras in the cast.
The performances from the rest of the cast, most notably Paul Reubens and Edie McClurg are what stand out as good. Watching Paul Reubens loose his composure at the hotel desk, then later at the nightclub are by far the best scenes in the movie. Edie McClurg has a very small part in the film, but is funny in every scene she's in. And of course 'the office' scene where an narcoleptic man is constantly burning his own leg with a cigarette while nodding in and out of sleep while an old man sitting nearby offers no help, but only bothers to laugh at him at every burn is truly inspired. But the attempt from Cheech to play a new character named 'Red' doesn't really add much to 'Next Movie' and comes off as desperation wrapped in a wig with an endless supply of weed and zig zags. And let's face it, the only time this type of desperation is ever funny is when the paper is confetti and the dope under the wig is Rip Taylor.
6/10 Clark Richards