The Broken Lizard team aren't one for conventional plots, and The Slammin' Salmon - set entirely in a restaurant - is no exception. In fact, almost the entire film takes place over the course of one evening, and most of the dramatic tension centers around waiters competing with one another for a bigger paycheck. It sounds implausible, but they pull it off pretty well, by making great characters, then relying on them to entertain us.
If you've seen Super Troopers, Beerfest, or Club Dread, you'll know what to expect. The characters are likable, memorable, and generally well conceived. And just like all their other films, they all could generally have used some more character development. Is it just me, or do Jay Chandrasekhar's characters never get enough screen time?
Unfortunately, Slammin' Salmon contains even more slapstick than their past works, and it really brings down the overall tone of the film. We're not watching you for slapstick! We want more awkward tension, more wit, and more character development.
They also moved across the jokes too quickly. The writers really set up some very funny situations, and then move on without capitalizing on them. For example, they set up a humorous interracial relationship between Cleon's sister and Rich, but spent literally only a minute on it before moving on and never returning to it. Take the time to develop your jokes! Imagine the potential dialogue there, between Cleon, his sister, and Rich. We'll never know.
When it comes down to it, Slammin' Salmon is funny. If you go into the movie wanting to hate it, Michael Clarke Duncan will make you laugh anyway. I just think that we could expect more out of these guys.
If you've seen Super Troopers, Beerfest, or Club Dread, you'll know what to expect. The characters are likable, memorable, and generally well conceived. And just like all their other films, they all could generally have used some more character development. Is it just me, or do Jay Chandrasekhar's characters never get enough screen time?
Unfortunately, Slammin' Salmon contains even more slapstick than their past works, and it really brings down the overall tone of the film. We're not watching you for slapstick! We want more awkward tension, more wit, and more character development.
They also moved across the jokes too quickly. The writers really set up some very funny situations, and then move on without capitalizing on them. For example, they set up a humorous interracial relationship between Cleon's sister and Rich, but spent literally only a minute on it before moving on and never returning to it. Take the time to develop your jokes! Imagine the potential dialogue there, between Cleon, his sister, and Rich. We'll never know.
When it comes down to it, Slammin' Salmon is funny. If you go into the movie wanting to hate it, Michael Clarke Duncan will make you laugh anyway. I just think that we could expect more out of these guys.