In the nineties, the Farrelly Brothers were dominating the comedy/drama genres with their energetic, screwball scenarios for their quirky, genial subjects to fall into. From the charming goofiness of There's Something About Mary to their passably dopey Dumb and Dumber, the Farrelly's seemed to pitch every possible idea to Miramax and they willingly committed to making it happen. The directors were the studio's biggest moneymaker, so as a result, we got all different kinds of films from the directors, good and bad.
And after watching both of the previously mentioned efforts and was met with marginal satisfaction, my idea to venture into the Farrelly's lesser-known film Outside Providence, which was critically underwhelming and financially disastrous compared to the previous films. The film is simple, good-natured, and an easy watch, but at no point does this become more than a methodical tip-toe through the woods of clichés.
Our main character is Timothy "Dildo" Dunphy (Shawn Hatosy), an underachieving high school senior with a strict father (Alec Baldwin) and a handicapped brother (Tommy Bone) he treats like a regular person to avoid showing any resemblance of superiority or difference towards him. The small family resides in Pawtucket, Road Island, and after Timothy and friends crash into a parked police car with marijuana on their person, his father tires from his blatant incompetence and sends him to Cornwall Academy, a strict prep school in Connecticut.
Upon arriving, Timothy is placed in the lower-level classes and is mocked, tormented, and left a social pariah with the other more advanced men of the school. He quickly becomes acquainted with Amy Smart's Jane Weston, an attractive blonde girl he believes is the nicest, prettiest one there. At the same time, while being harassed by a number of the kids, Timothy finds that Cornwall's dorm master, Mr. Funderburk (Timothy Crowe), is out to get him and continues to devise plans to avoid him or even pull the occasional prank or two.
The film was based on a book written by Peter Farrelly a year before, with Farrelly stating the film is a marginally fictionalized account of his real experiences at a prep school in Connecticut. I could already assume that the film is pretty fictional, because I would expect quirkier, more unique experiences from one of the most famous comedy directors in the business.
Shawn Hatosy gives us a kind-hearted, but overall, bland character to deal with, proving that he has the charisma and screen presence but not the proper material to sustain a ninety-five minute excursion. The most admirably compelling performance in the film is that of Alec Baldwin's whose cut throat, east-coast attitude is somewhat out of place but not the less welcoming in a film filled dead-end material.
Ultimately, the highest regard I can pay to Outside Providence is its wonderful use of seventies songs, all of which easily recognizable and wonderfully engaging. From "All Right Now" to "Free Bird," and don't forget the little nuanced things like a copy of Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the Farrelly brothers and co-writer, Michael Corrente, clearly recall the seventies with vivid clarity. And to be fair, as competent, basic entertainment, Outside Providence maybe just what some are looking for. It's a rather quick comedy, over in the blink of an eye, and you're left to either praise it for its simplicity or bash it for the same reason. For the comedy genre, it won't be the straw that breaks the camel's back. For the Farrelly's, it may have gotten Miramax to wake up.
Starring: Shawn Hatosy, Alec Baldwin, Amy Smart, Timothy Crowe, and Tommy Bone. Directed by: Michael Corrente.
And after watching both of the previously mentioned efforts and was met with marginal satisfaction, my idea to venture into the Farrelly's lesser-known film Outside Providence, which was critically underwhelming and financially disastrous compared to the previous films. The film is simple, good-natured, and an easy watch, but at no point does this become more than a methodical tip-toe through the woods of clichés.
Our main character is Timothy "Dildo" Dunphy (Shawn Hatosy), an underachieving high school senior with a strict father (Alec Baldwin) and a handicapped brother (Tommy Bone) he treats like a regular person to avoid showing any resemblance of superiority or difference towards him. The small family resides in Pawtucket, Road Island, and after Timothy and friends crash into a parked police car with marijuana on their person, his father tires from his blatant incompetence and sends him to Cornwall Academy, a strict prep school in Connecticut.
Upon arriving, Timothy is placed in the lower-level classes and is mocked, tormented, and left a social pariah with the other more advanced men of the school. He quickly becomes acquainted with Amy Smart's Jane Weston, an attractive blonde girl he believes is the nicest, prettiest one there. At the same time, while being harassed by a number of the kids, Timothy finds that Cornwall's dorm master, Mr. Funderburk (Timothy Crowe), is out to get him and continues to devise plans to avoid him or even pull the occasional prank or two.
The film was based on a book written by Peter Farrelly a year before, with Farrelly stating the film is a marginally fictionalized account of his real experiences at a prep school in Connecticut. I could already assume that the film is pretty fictional, because I would expect quirkier, more unique experiences from one of the most famous comedy directors in the business.
Shawn Hatosy gives us a kind-hearted, but overall, bland character to deal with, proving that he has the charisma and screen presence but not the proper material to sustain a ninety-five minute excursion. The most admirably compelling performance in the film is that of Alec Baldwin's whose cut throat, east-coast attitude is somewhat out of place but not the less welcoming in a film filled dead-end material.
Ultimately, the highest regard I can pay to Outside Providence is its wonderful use of seventies songs, all of which easily recognizable and wonderfully engaging. From "All Right Now" to "Free Bird," and don't forget the little nuanced things like a copy of Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the Farrelly brothers and co-writer, Michael Corrente, clearly recall the seventies with vivid clarity. And to be fair, as competent, basic entertainment, Outside Providence maybe just what some are looking for. It's a rather quick comedy, over in the blink of an eye, and you're left to either praise it for its simplicity or bash it for the same reason. For the comedy genre, it won't be the straw that breaks the camel's back. For the Farrelly's, it may have gotten Miramax to wake up.
Starring: Shawn Hatosy, Alec Baldwin, Amy Smart, Timothy Crowe, and Tommy Bone. Directed by: Michael Corrente.