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    		•

    FILMS

    Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999)
  • Starring Rob Schneider, William Forsythe, Eddie Griffin, Arija Bareikis, Oded Fehr

  • Directed by Mike Mitchell

    • Generally speaking, I don't go in for movies that could be easily categorized as "dumb humor." Yet even as I type that, I'm thinking of the myriad exceptions to this rule. So, maybe if I want to say something closer to the truth I could say that I don't go in for Adam Sandler movies that so obviously look dumb from the trailers. And yet I still find myself farther from the truth than I'd care to be. After all, Happy Gilmore was pretty funny—especially the part when Bob Barker kicks Happy's ass. And then there was The Wedding Singer which, after everything was said and done, was a non-threatening, good comedy filled with awkward romance. Granted, there are probably four or five Adam Sandler pics that I haven't seen yet—and have no plans too because they're "dumb."

    Maybe I'm just four-square against Saturday Night Live alumni achieving any modicum of success because so much of SNL is bad. And then I consider Mike Myers and Austin Powers. Hrm, I guess it's not that. (Or perhaps it is, and Myers is merely the exception.)

    Such is the queer and finicky duality that is me.

    So it was with much trepidation that, a year ago, I agreed to watch Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo. I suppose the fear came from the pitch-meetings I imagined Sandler (who's is listed as an executive producer) and Schneider (who plays the part of aforementioned Gigolo) having:

    "OK, I got it! Rob, this puny runt of a man, finds himself in a situation where he has to sell his body to women for sex, right? But he's so unattractive that the women only pay him $10. And he can only get the mutant girls with serious physical, psychological, or emotional deformities. Get it!? The script practically writes itself. Hilarity will ensue."

    Perhaps that never happened. Perhaps it did. But does it matter? Of course not.

    Because Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo is funny.

    When I first saw this movie I watched it with a friend who thought Deuce was incredibly funny. But she was not over-eager in an annoying way. My friend simply wanted me to enjoy the gags and jokes of the movie as much as she did. (Some people, the annoying kind, are more interested in showing you the movie than letting you watch it and finding the humor yourself. Sometimes I can be the annoying person. I hate that about myself. Grrr.)

    Because my friend was into the film and had lightened the mood to the perfect emotional temperature so conducive to ignoring my inner-critic, I found myself—incredulous as it may seem—kicking back and letting the complete idiocy and stupidity of Deuce to wrap its sleazy arms around me like a common street-perv. To my astonishment I found that I enjoyed the experience. (The humor of the movie, that is. I don't think I want any dudes on the street hugging me in that "familiar" way. Not unless they're paying lots.)

    I liked this movie. In fact, I liked it so much that a few weeks ago I bought it for $10 at Blockbuster.

    In this movie you'll find:

    Deuce Bigalow (our hero, the he-bitch man-whore), Detective Chuck Fowler (the cop who whips "it" out all the time and scares people), T.J. Hicks the Pimp (or Male Madam if you prefer), Kate the Blind Date (not actually blind, but her roommate is), Antoine Laconte (consider his last name and get back to me if it's dirty), Claire the Hooker (who kicks Deuce's ass with moves that parody The Matrix), Bob Bigalow (father and enthusiastic bathroom attendant), Jabba Lady (this one, thankfully, warrants no further discussion), Ruth with Tourette's Syndrome (nothing funnier than someone yelling "shitballs" at the top of their lungs), Bergita (recently blind and is having difficulties adjusting), Tina the Tall One (think "Al" from Police Squad), Carol the Narcoleptic (to humorous effect), Allison the Fish Shop Clerk (buying snails was never so much fun!), Neil the Aquarium Dealer (uber-gay, constantly making references to the "back door.")

    If the above paragraph doesn't sell you on this film then I can't do much for you. You're probably wouldn't like Deuce Bigalow even if I paid you to lie about it. But don't feel bad, this movie is not for everyone. I'll freely admit that. Not everyone thinks it's funny when a blind person, in the pursuit of making an omelet, drops the yolk on her cat's head. That's not, I suppose, universal humor. Personally, I think it's the funniest part of the movie—but what the hell do I know?

    Summation: Apparently I have a naughty old man and an inner child who collaborate and scheme against me, both of whom get a huge kick out of getting me to watch silly movies. Or perhaps the snobby English major in me doesn't like to openly admit that he enjoys stupidity. I'm a closeted fan with little hope of redemption. (Some might call it a guilty pleasure—though I hate that phrase.)

    Maybe I'll go out and rent The Animal ... just to see if I hate it.