Plot: What’s it about?
Sometimes it’s very liberating to watch a movie that’s not sent to me for review. Case in point, a few months ago my wife was channel surfing (or, since it was on Peacock, I’m sure it’s got a different term) and stumbled across this movie. I’d not heard of it, nor any of the actors in it other than Conan O’Brien (someone not known for his acting ability). I begrudgingly agreed to watch it (I tend to be a brat at times), and a few minutes in was laughing so hard that I had to stop and catch my breath. I was hooked. After finishing the film, I had to look up the three writers/actors: Martin Herlihy, John Higgins, and Ben Marshal and found out that they’re staff writers at SNL and have their own segment, aptly-titled “Please Don’t Destroy.” Makes sense. This is their feature-film debut and I don’t know if any of them will win awards for acting, it’s clear that they’re all very talented. Let us begin.
We meet three childhood friends: Martin (Martin Herlihy), John (John Higgins) and Ben (Ben Marshall) all in their mid-twenties and all of whom work at a sporting good store – Trout Plus. Ben’s Dad (Conan O’Brien) is the store manager who’s trying to get them to accept some responsibility, but the trio seem…distracted. Feeling this, they decide to head to the nearby mountains and take a crack at finding the aptly-titled “Treasure of Foggy Mountain.” Little do they know that they actually discovered the key to finding said treasure years earlier as kids while exploring the same woods. Of course not everything is as easy as it seems and standing in their way are some park rangers with an attitude, some animals (namely a hawk) and a clan of cult members who wear purple jumpsuits. What could possibly go wrong? Or, in this case, right?
Likely you’ll know in the first few minutes if this film is for you. I think we know where I stand. If you’re a fan of the Please Don’t Destroy shorts on SNL, this is essentially a 90-minute version of what they do there. I have no idea if there are more of these films planned (I doubt it), but this hit all the right notes. It’s got a decent cast, though I’d be lying if I said I knew where any of them were from and that’s the thing when you’ve got a cast full of comedic talent; it’s hard to pinpoint what makes it work. If sophomoric comedy is your thing then this one is for you. If not, there are plenty of other films out there that’ll fit the bill. I can see me watching this once a year for sure.
Video: How’s it look?
The film looks just as we’d expect – pretty darn good. Detail is sharp, contrast is strong and bold, bright colors. This is an oddly colorful movie (complete with the “cult” members dressed in their purple outfits). The 2.39:1 AVC HD image pulls no punches and with this being a new release, I think it’s safe to say that we all expected this to look just as good as it does. That’s nice.
Audio: How’s it sound?
I don’t think that the filmmakers put a whole lot of thought into the audio mix which isn’t to say it sounds bad by any means, but generally speaking comedies aren’t really made for dynamic audio. This is no exception. Vocals are pure and crisp and the unmistakable narration by John Goodman is a testament to how sharp they are. Surrounds are active throughout, though the front stage handles the majority of the action. It’s a good mix, but nothing that’ll shake the room.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Audio Commentary – Director Paul Briganti And Actors/Co-Writers Martin Herlihy, John Higgins, and Ben Marshall deliver exactly what you’d expect – a lot of laughs, self-effacing remarks and some oddly insightful comments about the film. If you’re a fan of the film, this one is a must listen.
- Deleted Scenes – Given the film’s running time of 92 minutes, I’d have thought a couple of these would have been included. But sometimes less is more.
- Gag Reel – I’ve never been too big a fan of gag reels, but there are some amusing bits in this one.
The Bottom Line
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stumbled across films that made me laugh out loud. Though I rarely ever watch SNL anymore, seeing these three might be a good reason to start again. While the film itself is a bit iffy in parts, it’s a good way to spend 90 minutes. Shout’s disc looks great and has just enough supplements to warrant a purchase if this film is your thing.
