|
Directed by: Bob Odenkirk Starring: Will Arnett, Dax Shepard, Chi McBride, Bob Odenkirk I was surprised that I never met anyone that actually has seen "Let's Go to Prison" and even more surprised that there's no sign of it here either. After all, it's directed by Bob Odenkirk of "Mr. Show" and lead by Will Arnett, one of the most popular characters from "Arrested Development." But after nearly five months of word-of-mouth blackout about the movie, I figured it was time to give it a try. Let's Go to Prison is about John Lyshitski, a career inmate who's been sentenced by the same judge, over and over, since he was a young boy. He blames this judge for him becoming the dredge he is, and plots elaborate revenge on the man only to find out he has been released just after his death. He then redirects his anger to the man's son, Nelson Biederman IV, frames him with a felony robbery and then follows him back into the system to enact a lengthy, systematic exposure to the very system that has so twisted Lyshitski. Then a lot of funny poo poo happens. Actually, getting to that point, a fair bit occurs as well. Basically, envision Gob, from "Arrested Development" in a 60 minute, elaborate prison scene. It sounds gimmicky and like a cheap grab at whatever heat is left on the AD corpse, and it would be if not for the direction of Bob Odenkirk. You can definitely see Odenkirk's fingerprint on the film, with Mr. Show-esque moments a-plenty. The deliveries are sharp and unpredictable, the situations absurd, and the writing very clever. Only a Mr. Show alum could make you believe that two men could find true love in the cruel backdrop of the American Penal System. Will Arnett (Nelson Biederman IV) is very funny in the movie, and basically plays a variation of his Gob character all the way through, a naive, spoiled, son of the elite, thrust into a terrifying world with no training on how to handle it. Dax Shepard (Lyshitski) is surprisingly good and pulls off his character well, with a good balance of humor and straight-man-itude. Chi McBride supports, and just about steals the movie, as Barry the romantic rapist. McBride's and Arnett's side story is one of the funniest components of the film. This isn't a universally funny movie, and not everyone will like it. But if you like the same type of humor seen in Mr. Show, Arrested Development, 30 Rock, and series of the like, this is definitely worth a rent. I enjoyed it as much as any comedy I've seen in the past year or so and definitely glad I spent the time and cash to check it out. I advise trying the same. RATING: 4.0 PROS: Surprisingly funny, rapist romance, Will Arnett playing Gob again CONS: Some flat jokes, off-beat humor that isn't for everyone ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454987/
|
#
?
Apr 7, 2007 06:40
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 03:15 |
|
|
I read a lot of terrible reviews of Let's Go to Prison, but I love Bob Odenkirk so I gave it a shot. I thought it was funny. It's not going to win any awards, but I laughed through most of it and there weren't any parts that seemed to drag. Comedy, action, adventure, and romance! What else do you need? 4/5
|
|
#
?
Apr 18, 2007 02:48
|
|
|
I heard about it and when I heard Bob Odenkirk was in it, I decided to watch it. It was pretty good, I laughed throughout and enjoyed the Pisces relationship. Best part, by far, was Tim and Eric's cameo. 4/5
|
|
#
?
May 5, 2007 04:33
|
|
|
Simply put, this is just a fun movie. It has a solid comedy storyline with great jokes in and out. It's not perfect and completely forgetable, but if you are looking for a good 90 minutes of entertainment with some laughs, it's worth a watch. 4/5
|
|
#
?
May 27, 2007 05:20
|
|
|
I checked this out because I love Mr. Show. I gave up at 38 minutes in, having not laughed once. I hope this serves as a warning to people who might be pulled in by Odenkirk's presence. 1/5
|
|
#
?
Jun 13, 2007 17:33
|
|
