Written by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, who collaborated on such films as “Talladega Nights” and “Anchorman,” the movie contains the same vein of obnoxious humor. Typically, when reviewing films, I make notes and include quotes that are especially interesting, but this time, I found that many couldn’t be repeated in polite company. While it may appear at first glance to be a family film, I would caution against this. The film opens with Brennan(played by Will Ferrell) making a junk-food breakfast as his mother Nancy (Mary Steenburgen) heads off to work; after she leaves, he proceeds to engage in inappropriate behavior on the living room couch. He is forty years old and has recently been let go from PetSmart, but appears to have never moved out of her house. Meanwhile, in another household, Dale (played by John C. Reilly) is playing guitar hero as his father Robert (Richard Jenkins) informs him that pizza money is on the counter; Dale has spent the past twenty-two years “going Kerouac on everyone’s ass,” and is similarly leeching onto his father’s generosity. Nancy and Robert meet that day, are irresistibly attracted to one another, and a wedding quickly follows. Both sons are displeased and say so during the wedding toasts, but they aren’t angry enough to move out on their own. Nancy and Brennan move in with Robert and Dale, and chaos ensues. A front-yard death match between Dale and Brennan results in Robert laying down the law: each son has one month to find a new job and move out. The boys instantly become friends after Dale punches Brennan’s biological brother, Derek(Adam Scott), and even Derek’s wife begins to worship Dale. Their alliance begins to drive their parents apart, and the two must find a way to pull the family back together. While the story is over the top, I think we all can recognize a few of our acquaintances here.
The plot is somewhat predictable, although I saw a few crude scenarios that I never expected to see on screen; profanity abounds, with the F-bomb being dropped more than in a 50 Cent song. This is not to say that it won’t make you laugh out loud, but Ferrell and McKay have captured shock value quite well. As McKay says in the making-of featurette, “the entire goal is to come up with something that will make the other person laugh, and will also be something that when we’re filming it, we can’t believe we’re filming it because it’s so idiotic and jackass.”As for the acting, John C. Reilly and Will Ferrell prove yet again that they can play the dynamic village idiot duo. Each has perfected the art of capturing the crudeness, competitiveness and the companionship that can be found amongst 11-year old boys. Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins perform the role of exasperated parents wonderfully;Steenburgen captures the spirit of the unconditionally loving mother in a sweet and sympathetic way, which makes it that much more hilarious when the writers work the F-bomb into her dialogue as well. Jenkins plows through the majority of the film as the firm and intolerant father figure who pushes his boys toward unreachable goals, but in the end delves into the realm of stupidity that Reilly and Ferrell inhabit. While “Anchorman” and “Elf” are amongst the pinnacle of Ferrell’s endeavors, this film is certainly worth watching. As they quote President George W. Bush, “Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream.”
The extra features are certainly worth watching and add to the hilarity. Pay particular attention to the music video. Features include:
Commentary with Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Adam McKay, and Special Guest Baron Davis
Extended & Alternate Scenes
Line-O-Rama
Gag Reel
Boats ‘N Hoes-Music Video
The Making of Step Brothers
Previews