Rapid Movie Review: ‘BEING EVEL’ and ‘SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY’

Preston Barta // Features Editor

BEING EVEL | 99 min | NR
Director: Daniel Junge
Cast: Johnny Knoxville, George Hamilton and the Knievel family

I may not have been alive at the time American daredevil Evil Knievel jumped Caesars Palace or the Grand Canyon, but I can easily see how the man impacted the lives around him and the many generations that followed.

As a kid, I watched the Jackass crew, Tony Hawk, Travis Pastrana, and even Knievel’s son Robbie do great, big things. And if you’re like me, you may have built some ramps in your street when you were a young’n and/or had your friends line up on the sidewalk as you jumped over them on a skateboard or bike. Evel inspired so many.

While we can watch videos of his crashes and successes, the documentary BEING EVEL sheds light on his private life. Through this phenomenal piece we get insight into the complicated figure that was Evel, the injuries he suffered, the playboy he was, the people her hurt along the way, and the price he had to pay to be the most famous daredevil there ever was. It’s an invigorating story.

BEING EVEL opens today in limited release.
Dallas: Texas Theatre

 

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SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY | 93 min | R
Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Cast: Owen Wilson, Imogen Poots, Kathryn Hahn, Rhys Ifans, Will Forte and Jennifer Aniston

Peter Bogdanovich’s SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY is one of those films that is hardly made anymore. You know, those silly, wild and kooky to boot screwball comedies that we saw Woody Allen and even Bogdanovich make back in the day? The film definitely adheres to that style; however, what could have been a fun and sparkling farce comedy is all fizz and no laughs.

The film drops us on the set of Arnold Albertson’s new project. Albertson (Owen Wilson), a theatre director, finds himself caught in a love triangle between his wife (Katherine Hahn), her ex-lover (Rhys Ifans), and the call girl-turned-actress (Imogen Poots) in the production.

It is said when you have an all-star cast like this it’s usually the harbinger of a doomed movie. More times than not that is the case. Now, I wouldn’t call SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY a complete disaster; there are few good qualities here, including a dashing performance from Jennifer Aniston as a misanthropic shrink. However, in all, its flatly directed jokes and gags make you want to slam the theater door.

SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY opens today in limited release.
Dallas: LOOK Cinemas