Fun with Dick and Lay, I mean Jane

Some bloggers do spoilers, some do witty satires, some do critical reviews, I just spout my immediate reaction of a film.

Once again I made the epic, and sure to be repeated again (to be redundantly redundant), mistake of not reading anything about Fun with Dick and Jane before entering the theater to see the film. (I blame the fact that I was on the East Coast and was disconnected from my movie critic base.)

All I knew going in was: Movie probably based on the books. Jim Carrey is funny. I like Tea Leoni. Well, mostly I have a major crush on her husband, but that's beside the point.

Fun with Dick and Jane starts off innocently enough: White, middle to upper class, suburban parents working hard at their respective careers (travel agent and corporate salesman) to provide for their son who is also cared for by a live in, Mexican nanny. This, of course, results in the little boy speaking Spanglish and using a Mexican accent often when speaking English. (This, I found hilarious because I was a governess to a family in a similar situation--white little boy, Spanish accent.)

Well, soon things start looking up for the family. Dick has been tapped, by the president of his company, as the new Vice President of Communications. Dick is thrilled. Dick is so excited that he tells his wife to quit her job so she can spend time with their son, which she does.

Next thing you know, he is told by the president that he is going on "Moneyline" (a CNN type television show) to put a "positive spin" on what's been going on with the company. He has no prep time. They throw talking points at him just before he goes on air. A Lou Dobbs type character begins to interrogate Dick as to why the president of his company has recently sold 80% of his stock in the company. Dick, of course, looks like a deer in headlights. Dobbs guy continues on with the Spanish Inquisition, Dick continues to look like a bumbling idiot, and Portia gets a sick feeling that this is all about Enron. Feeling confirmed.

The story continues with the company's stock virtually disappearing in a matter of minutes, thousands of files are shredded, and everyone loses their job. Except, the president is sitting pretty, having foreseen this some time ago. Oh, did I mention the pres. was played by Alec Baldwin? That should have been my first clue this wasn't going to be a right leaning film.

The film ends happy enough. And I thought that the comedy in between was actually quite funny, but it was definitely a bittersweet experience--on the one hand, I thought it was funny, on the other, I was cringing because it was all an underhanded stab at Enron, et al.

To confirm my suspicions, as the credits begin, rather than seeing "Directed by," you see, "Thanks to: Kenneth Lay--Enron" followed by a whole list of others who have been indicted or are going to be for corporate fraud or whatnot.

So, entertainment and politics. Not what I was expecting. And actually made me quite angry since there seemed to be no hint of the subplot in the previews.

You live and learn. Meanwhile, it's funny. So, if you're dying for an okay comedy, rent it. Don't spend $9.00 on it. I don't like backhanded criticisms masqueraded as children's book stories.