There is only one thing worse than a bad film. That is a bad film that should have been a great film. Absolutely Anything has, like its premise, galactic comedic potential. It stars Simon Pegg, the hottest thing in British comedy right now, opposite the dazzling Kate Beckinsale. It features the voices of the living members of Monty Python. It enticed Eddie Izzard into a supporting role. And it is likely to go down in history as Robin Williams’ final cinema release. As the voice of a dog. In a dog… of a film.
The big name behind all this is Terry Jones, of Monty Python fame, who co-wrote and directed this mess. Clearly he is a God of the comedy screen industry. And clearly he can get any project a green light.
In fact this film is proof he can get Absolutely ANYTHING a green light.
Pegg plays Neil, an Englishman, a high school teacher, a dog owner and a bit of a sap. He’s granted the power to do “absolutely anything” by an Intergalactic Council of Superior Beings – voiced by the Pythons – as a test to see if humanity can be trusted with the choice between good and evil.
He chooses to let his dog talk.
Yes, he does other things, but that decision is indicative of the comedic originality and excitement you can expect from this flick.
There are certainly a handful of easy chuckles to be had here, but the tepid mess of half-baked concepts that have been tied together doesn’t hold up against either the comedic potential on offer in terms of the talent on and off screen, nor the comedic potential in the plot.
I am confident that you, dear reader, not only could come up with better comedy based on this subject, but already have.
This would be an ok family comedy if Jones hadn’t determinedly inserted swearing in the absence of punchlines. Instead this is a nothing comedy.
An Absolutely Nothing comedy.
‘Absolutely Anything’ Movie Times
