Plot: What’s it about?
Gilly Noble (Chris Klein) was raised in an orphanage and has never found his real parents, so he has some issues when it comes to commitment. He wants to meet the right woman and fall in love, but it hasn’t been in the cards, at least to this point. Gilly works at an animal shelter and has just put away his latest catch, a cat named Ringo, when someone tells him the new town hottie. It seems this beautiful woman is named Jo (Heather Graham) and while she can’t cut hair well, she looks fantastic and that’s worth a hacked hairstyle. So Gilly ventures down to Jo’s salon to meet her and as he sits in the chair, he learns that Ringo is Jo’s cat. The two make plans for dinner that night and sparks fly, as the two quickly become close and finally, it seems Gilly has found the right woman. Soon enough, Gilly proposes and Jo accepts, which means the two will become married soon and of course, live happily ever after. But when Gilly’s private detective reveals that Jo is Gilly’s sister, the romance turns sour and unless something amazing happens, Gilly is doomed to be alone once again.
I’ve been a fan of the cinema of Peter & Bobby Farrelly, so when I learned that had produced this movie, I went ahead and gave it a shot. While Say It Isn’t So doesn’t measure up to films like Kingpin and Dumb & Dumber, it does offer plenty of laughs and that’s what counts. The humor seems just as lowbrow and that should please fans, but I didn’t find the comedy to be as consistent, which was a let down. This means a few slow spots creep in and you don’t want that in a slapdash comedic picture, not by any means. But when the movie gets some momentum, it can be downright hilarious and while not all the jokes work, most of them do pan out. It seems like the writing gets a little desperate at times however, which isn’t helped by the presence of Chris Klein. I’ve never cared for Klein’s skills and in this case, he never quite grasps the nature of the material. He does a decent turn at some points, but all in all, I do think this was a mistake in the casting process. In the end, Say It Isn’t So is a very humorous picture and while it isn’t up to the usual Farrelly standards, it is well worth a rental and for fans, a purchase is in order.
As one of the hot comedic actors of the moment, Orlando Jones has been popping in all sorts of movies, it seems. Jones is best known for his work on those 7-Up commercials, but he has made the transition to cinema in fine form, at least to this point. He has a high profile presence, but has been pushed into supporting roles up until now, which he can more than handle. His role in Say It Isn’t So is quite small, but he has some decent screen time and more than uses it well, even keeping the flick breathing at times. Jones is best when it comes to physical antics, but he also nails his vocal moments here, without a doubt. You can also see Jones in such films as The Replacements, Evolution, Office Space, Double Take, Magnolia, and Bedazzled. The cast also includes Heather Graham (Boogie Nights, Committed), Chris Klein (American Pie, Election), Sally Field (Forrest Gump, Norma Rae), and Richard Jenkins (Random Hearts, The Mod Squad).
Video: How does it look?
Say It Isn’t So is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. As you’d expect from Fox, the image looks very good and presents no serious problems. The print is in great condition and free from defects, which is to be expected since the film went from theaters to disc in the same year, 2001. The contrast is even handed and never becomes too dark, which means detail is never obscured in the least. No errors surface in terms of color either, as the hues remains vivid and flesh tones look natural also. I knew this would be another great transfer from Fox and of course, I was right in that assumption.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included Dolby Digital 5.1 track won’t disappoint, but this material isn’t that powerful, so don’t expect too much. The main surround presence comes from the musical soundtrack and a few audio intensive scenes, such as the ones with Dig’s plane. The atmosphere is active when it needs to be, but that it isn’t often and as such, the front channels handle most of the burden. This is how it should be however, as the film is dialogue driven and the vocals are well presented, with no real issues to report. This disc also includes 2.0 surround options in English and French, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
In a welcome notion, Fox has loaded this disc with supplements, such as an audio commentary with director James B. Rogers and star Chris Klein. This is by no means a technical session, but the two share some stories from the production and provide some humorous moments also. I wasn’t too taken by Klein’s comments, but fans of his will like his contributions and in any events, Rogers offers enough discuss for both participants. You’ll also find a brief behind the scenes featurette, but it is promotional in nature and offers little in terms of insight. It has some decent interviews though, which make it more than worth a look. This disc also includes a selection of deleted scenes, five television spots, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
