Stealing Harvard Review
by Karina Montgomery (karina AT cinerina DOT com)September 13th, 2002
Stealing Harvard
Catch it on HBO
Sadly, while director and Kid in the Hall Bruce McCulloch is a great comedian and sketch writer, he has repeatedly proven that when at the helm of a feature-length film, he getsŠlost. I will tell you right now - I saw this movie first because it was free, and second because it had Jason Lee in it. The general notion was interesting too - otherwise moral, upstanding guy (Lee) has to raise tuition for his precocious niece, and of course, he has to do it in a non-standard and (hopefully) comedic way.
Then enters Tom Green, making me only willing to see this movie for free. I don't know if Tom Green is always like this - lurching through dialogue, glazed eyes looking off into space like he's reading cue cards, but also sounding like he is riffing off-script. But he was pretty annoying. When the movie succeeded in making me laugh, which, I will admit, most of the situational stuff did, it generally it was everyone but Tom. I wonder how funny this film could have been without him. At the same time, I acknowledge that Lee's desperation could not have been as acute without Green's total twitness. But it could have been someone else's lessŠpointless weirdness. Drew, you're too good for him! In short, Green distracted from what could have been a pretty mediocre film.
Now - more upbeat notes. Lee's character works at a medical supply store called Homespital, run by his future father-in-law, Dennis Farina. Farina's casting is inspired, and helps make up for a lot. The fiancee in question is played by Orange County's Leslie Mann, as abrasive as Teri Polo's character in Meet The Parents, but also a character that could go either way, good or evil. This sounds like a criticism, but it works great for the film. We hate her but we love her. It's cool.
Some of the best moments in the film, like so many Kids in the Hall sketches, the overall scene thrust is not always what made me laugh. Sometimes it was an aside, or a line delivery, or just a facial expression. Sometimes it was Megan Mullally (cast against type as Lee's trailer trash hussy sister) just doing what she does. Often it was Lee or Farina just doing what they do. Some of the sidebar characters are the most fun of all, even for reasons that look as if the actor brought them, rather than the script. Keep in mind, again, I think McCulloch is one funny guy, and everyone should buy his CD, Shame Based Man, but sadly, his pacing and editing and focus needs some work. Jason Lee, you have graced films so far below you (Chasing Amy) for so long, when will you come out from the so-so films and show the world what you've got?
I'd say catch the Network Premiere instead of HBO, but then all the language will be cut out, and most of the best, even the best Tom Green moments happen to be ones with adult language in them.
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These reviews (c) 2002 Karina Montgomery. Please feel free to forward but just credit the reviewer in the text. Thanks.
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