Funny Bones (1995)

After reading most of the comments on this film, I feel relieved. When I saw it the first time in cinema, I really liked it, so I persuaded some friends o see it too. They were disappointed. All others I talked to about this film were not liking it too. I thought I may be the only one to find it a brilliant, deep movie but here I find more of my kind.What makes the movie so outstanding in my opinion, is the fact that it is none of Hollywood's favourite genres...in fact it can't even be categorized to one genre or two. Adding to it there is no small criticism about today's comedy and entertainment culture and how our modern society treats people not fitting in so well.All this is wrapped in a more than bizarre story about some mystic elixir hidden in wax eggs,french mariners, American comedians, family secrets, a long lost glamorous time of vaudevillian entertainment and two guys on the search of their role in life.One is Tommy Fawkes (Oliver Platt) the rising star of stand up comedy, son of a comedy great. Overcome with self doubt and after getting his spotlight stolen by his father, he begins looking for the heart of comedy in Blackpool, England. Many may not know this, but Blackpool, like Brighton, was once the center of cabaret and varieté culture in England. Platt delivers a great performance (I should say as often, because that he does) as the self-doubting comedian, who thinks he cannot be funny anymore.But what he lacks in comedian talent, he has in social talent. He is a natural leader and charismatic person.Then there is Jack, a guy who is born to a family of entertainers, too. He is a natural comedian, in such an extreme that he cannot interact with society on a normal level. He has somewhat of a dark past, but that gets apparent during the movie. Jack is played by Lee Evans, and this boy is FABULOUS! Look at his Radioman performance and tell me you did not laugh...i call you a liar.Both actors are surrounded by a more than strong supporting cast including Jerry Lewis, Leslie Caron and Oliver Reed.Together with its almost hauntingly sublime and beautiful cinematography this film becomes a very clever and deep movie about character development.My advice: Rent it, see it and make your own opinion. You may be disappointed, since this is not a movie for everyone. But if you like it, you will appreciate it the more.

This is one of the best comedies I've seen so far, but I only discovered that when I saw it for the second time. Isn't that strange? There are hilarious moments (the Lee Evans-fly in the mouth-gag, the French storyline with the feet) but there's a lot of drama too. Some of the vaudeville-like acts are wonderful, funny and amazing! The story is rich in detail and humanity. I thought the last few minutes of the movie were full of suspense! I was shocked to find out I probably saw the shorter version of the film; I hope a DVD comes out with the original (?) version of the movie. The DVD-packaging (regio 2)is awful, by the way; who thought up the 'Zany'-bit?

Oliver Pratt is Tommy Lewis in this tale of a child of a successful comedian, who after bombing in Vegas jets off to Blackpool, England to find the funny. He finds his half-brother, Jack Parker, while still unfunny, has inherited their father Jerry Lewis's genes (Ie. funny to the French). The father follows Tommy over, to make ammends for stealing the act he started with, but won't let poor Jack have the spotlight as well for the petty little reason that Jack is a murdering son-of-a-bitch. Silly Jerry. Well after kidnaping the policeman who is watching him, Jack gets to do his unfunny act. And apparently, the inhabitants of Blackpool are all French and love his shenenigans. Cheering because he doesn't kill Oliver in the process.. YAY!!! My Grade: D+

This amazing film won't let you go. I was never a Jerry Lewis fan, but his performance here is extraordinary. The movie is a Pirandellean exploration of the nature of comedy. It works on so many levels--acting, script, cinematography, plot, and of course comedy. The dark secret of humor is that a grin is really a grimace. Oliver Platt is amazing--I hadn't seen him before and will now go to anything he plays in on the basis of the performance. He plays a failed comic son of a famous comic father (Jerry Lewis) exploring the roots of comedy--his own personal family roots, the roots in his home town's vaudeville, and ultimately its roots in the human psyche. I can't tell much more without giving away some of the twists of the roller-coaster of a plot. If you like to think while being entertained, here's a movie for you.