Movie Info
Movie Name: The Man
Studio: New Line Cinema
Genre(s): Comedy/Action/Adventure
Release Date(s): September 9, 2005
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Andy Fiddler (Eugene Levy) is a dental supplies vendor headed to Detroit for a convention when he accidentally becomes involved in a gun buying deal being brokered by federal agent Derrick Vann (Samuel L. Jackson). Now, the gangsters think Fiddler is the one purchasing the guns, and Vann finds himself saddled with an inept partner that doesn’t want any part of the deal.
Directed by Les Mayfield, The Man is a police comedy action film. The movie was panned by critics and bombed at the box office. Eugene Levy was nominated for a Razzie for Worst Supporting Actor (along with his role in Cheaper by the Dozen 2).
This is one of those inane comedies that you look at and don’t see any redeeming quality. The movie is one of those movies that you could attach “zany” to…and I hate zany. Needless to say, this movie doesn’t do much for me.
The script is ridiculous. It is one of those so implausible plotlines that feels totally forced. The “tough cop” turned soft has been overplayed, and the idea of the hapless wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time recruit also been overplayed. There are a couple ha-ha moments but not enough for a comedy, but the script also resorts to some pretty weak fart jokes…the action portion of the action-comedy is minimal.
Samuel L. Jackson and Eugene Levy both play their typical roles in this movie. Jackson is loud, brassy, and no-nonsense…it just happens that this time he’s a cop. Levy just suffers from verbal diareaha and rambles until someone says another line. They both do it well, but it is tired. Luke Goss plays the criminal element (who has facial recognition technology but can’t seem to figure anything out) and Miguel Ferrer plays Jackson’s suspicious boss. There is also a small role by Horatio Sanz as the evidence room keeper.
The movie looks like a low rent action film. Despite set in Detroit most of the film was in Ontario, Canada…at least if they were going to make a cheap bad comedy they could have thrown some money toward Detroit!
The Man is a methodic and dull and not very funny. Yes, there are far worse movies, but this is the type of tedious film that just isn’t worth your time. Just watch Lethal Weapon or something again if you want a cop buddy movie…don’t give in to The Man.
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