I greatly appreciated the Comedy Central Series(which was cut down somewhat pre-maturely for my money),and so I anticipated this movie for quite a while. I finally got to see this on video the other day and I have to say that I was...well,satisfied. Not overwhelmed but certainly able to like it enough to give it a semi-enthusiastic recommend.
Basically a "pre-quel" or prologue to the t.v.series,Jerri Blank(Amy Sedaris,full-contact hilarious)has spent thirty-two years ruining her life in every way possible and is inspired to go back to high school not long after release from prison. This inspiration is in no small part to the fact that her daddy(Dan Hedaya,saying barely anything and making the most of it)has gone into a stress-induced coma from his daughter's truancy,and has been told by the doctor(Ian Holm,one of a host of what are basically cameos)that the only possible cure for her father's condition is if she "makes something of herself". So she eventually finds herself volunteering,once in high school,to take on a science fair project. Of course,she has little or no interest in science and thus makes the sledding all that much more difficult for her team in the competition.
The host of celebs playing fifth-fiddle in this story is a nice little list:Matthew Broderick(as a competing science teacher),Sarah Jessica Parker(as a bored grief counselor),Philip Seymour Hoffman(as a school board exec),Allison Janney(as his Hoffman's mate,another exec),Kristen Johnston(as the gym coach) and Holm. Other regulars,Greg Hollimon(as the deliriously duplicitous Principal Blackman),Stepehen Colbert(terrific as the achingly closeted science teacher Noblet),Paul DinNello(not only the art teacher Jellyneck but also the director and co-writer),Deborah Rush(as Jerri's way-less-than ingratiating step-mother),Joseph Cross(as Jerri's harsh step-brother)and Maria Thayer(as Jerri's best friend Tammi)make the return and do all the things you expected out of them in the series,for the most part.
Perhaps the movie was made a little TOO late in regards to when the series was closed. That could explain some of the glaring differences(the location of Flatpoint high;Orlando,Jerri's other friend,replaced with a Jakartan science whiz whose name escapes me;the different gym teacher and the lack of the Flatpoint high "bulletin messages"so prevalent in the series),between movie and t.v.show. Since the movie hinges strongly on the series,those gaps tend to hurt much more than enhance. The pacing of the jokes and gags aren't as crisp as the show,and one feels like the science fair competition concept stretched thin by movie's end. But Miss Sedaris never disappoints as the disgusting protagonist,and the movie has JUST enough of the original show in it that it should please most people who frequented the series.
Basically a "pre-quel" or prologue to the t.v.series,Jerri Blank(Amy Sedaris,full-contact hilarious)has spent thirty-two years ruining her life in every way possible and is inspired to go back to high school not long after release from prison. This inspiration is in no small part to the fact that her daddy(Dan Hedaya,saying barely anything and making the most of it)has gone into a stress-induced coma from his daughter's truancy,and has been told by the doctor(Ian Holm,one of a host of what are basically cameos)that the only possible cure for her father's condition is if she "makes something of herself". So she eventually finds herself volunteering,once in high school,to take on a science fair project. Of course,she has little or no interest in science and thus makes the sledding all that much more difficult for her team in the competition.
The host of celebs playing fifth-fiddle in this story is a nice little list:Matthew Broderick(as a competing science teacher),Sarah Jessica Parker(as a bored grief counselor),Philip Seymour Hoffman(as a school board exec),Allison Janney(as his Hoffman's mate,another exec),Kristen Johnston(as the gym coach) and Holm. Other regulars,Greg Hollimon(as the deliriously duplicitous Principal Blackman),Stepehen Colbert(terrific as the achingly closeted science teacher Noblet),Paul DinNello(not only the art teacher Jellyneck but also the director and co-writer),Deborah Rush(as Jerri's way-less-than ingratiating step-mother),Joseph Cross(as Jerri's harsh step-brother)and Maria Thayer(as Jerri's best friend Tammi)make the return and do all the things you expected out of them in the series,for the most part.
Perhaps the movie was made a little TOO late in regards to when the series was closed. That could explain some of the glaring differences(the location of Flatpoint high;Orlando,Jerri's other friend,replaced with a Jakartan science whiz whose name escapes me;the different gym teacher and the lack of the Flatpoint high "bulletin messages"so prevalent in the series),between movie and t.v.show. Since the movie hinges strongly on the series,those gaps tend to hurt much more than enhance. The pacing of the jokes and gags aren't as crisp as the show,and one feels like the science fair competition concept stretched thin by movie's end. But Miss Sedaris never disappoints as the disgusting protagonist,and the movie has JUST enough of the original show in it that it should please most people who frequented the series.