BY MIKEY MIGO
Over the past year I've indulged myself in Gervais's work from "The Office" (way better than the US version) to "Extras" to his stand up specials. I missed the boat early, but I had no embarrassment boarding the SS Gervais in 2008. The man rocks. I was already a fan of Greg Kinnear. I think he's one of the most underrated actors in the world. And I've always enjoyed Tea Leoni, especially in "House of D". Then I saw that Kristen Wigg ("SNL") and Alan Ruck ("Ferris Beuller's Day Off" and "Spin City") were among the supporting cast. I was interested from the start. The movie itself was hit or miss. It starts off fine, drags, and then picks up big time at the end. It's a good movie, but the best compliment I can give it is that it's a very charming movie. It had an 80's comedy feel to it. I could have seen a Bill Murray or Dan Aykroyd rocking either of Gervais or Kinnear's roles, but that's not knocking the casting at all. In a way, that's a compliment because they just about always choose great projects. Like Gervais's fellow country man Simon Pegg's "How to Alienate People" came out around the same time AND was pretty much another paint by numbers movie, but both manage to still make it work. It's not a slap-sticky goofball comedy, but it has a lot of heart. I liked this movie and will watch it again once it hits DVD. I'd suggest the DVD, but if you're not going to go that route then you should for sure watch it when it hits cable. It's definitely a good Sunday afternoon movie to watch in your pajamas. Movies like that are often more appreciated than many of us will like to admit.
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