Between Two Ferns: The Movie

Dir: Scott Aukerman

2019

***

There should be a law that states that television shows should never be made into movies – with very few notable exceptions. That said, Between Two Ferns isn’t really your typical television show. It’s not on television for a start but whatever, how you watch your shows doesn’t really matter in the scheme of things and this ‘movie’ isn’t being shown in cinemas anyway. While many don’t see Between Two Ferns as a real television show, it certainly still follows all other television shows that have over gone the movie treatment in theme. Movie versions of TV shows generally take the show on the road – outside of the studio, they include some big names and they have a bigger budget. Between Two Ferns does exactly that. While you can be cynical about the whole thing it actually feels like logical progression, although I’m not sure Zach Galifianakis’ exaggerated version of himself needed much backstory – he is what he is. It’s a weird one really and anyone who struggled with the TV show will probably still struggle with the movie. I liked the TV show but I didn’t love it. As the blooper reel shows at the end of the show, most actors burst out laughing at Galifianakis’ unexpected and shocking questions. The scene is then re-shot with the actor not laughing, having time to compose themselves and obviously knowing what they are about to be asked. This keeps the interview awkward, as Galifianakis clearly wants it. I’m a little tired of awkward humour now, it’s been done to death and The Office (the original) finished years and years ago – please can we try something new? I’d prefer to see the natural reaction from guests but I do also appreciate some of their come-backs which would have taken them time to come up with. The story here is that Zach Galifianakis, who always dreamed of becoming a star, finally found success with his public access TV show when Will Ferrell discovered him and uploaded his show to his own Funny Or Die production channel. However, Galifianakis has since become a laughing stock. When guest star Matthew McConaughey is nearly killed by a burst water pipe during an interview, Will Ferrell decides to pull the plug. After deliberation he agrees to give Galifianakis his own late night chat show instead of his web show, as long as he gives him ten new interviews in a week’s time. So Zach and his crew take a road trip to complete a series of high-profile celebrity interviews that the crew believe is to restore his reputation, rather than get him (and not them) ‘promoted’. So basically Galifianakis and his crew travel to the actors, rather than them coming to him. There is an element of post-modernist mockumentary about it where the documentary crew are also being documented and the fact that everything is already rehearsed is highlighted. It is more original than it is funny but it has its moments. They manage to bag quite a few impressive guests, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Peter Dinklage, Gal Gadot, Jon Hamm, Brie Larson, John Legend, David Letterman, Matthew McConaughey, Keanu Reeves, Paul Rudd, Jason Schwartzman, Adam Scott, Chrissy Teigen, Tessa Thompson, Bruce Willis, among many. I don’t think the essence of the original show is lost but it is a little stretched. The idea becomes a tad diluted but they do make up for it towards the end of the film with some quick-fire snippets of interviews. The overbearing problem for me was some of the between interview scenes. Some worked but some absolutely bombed. Much like Galifianakis himself, its very hit and miss. However, Will Ferrell is the absolute worst. Absolutely nothing he does is funny and he is horrible at improvised comedy. I still don’t know why he’s popular, Elf was okay I guess in retrospect but I would argue that anyone could have played that character. He has no comedy timing and absolutely no grasp of what is funny. He clearly thinks everything he does is funny, and comedy is of course subjective, but he is always only in it for himself. Great comedy is generous, a great comedian shares the comedy and tries to establish a relationship with whoever else is on screen. I’m afraid Galifianakis is much the same but Between Two Ferns has worked because he’s clearly friends with most of the people he interviews. This isn’t really a movie if I’m being completely honest. It is an extended television special, not the best episode of Between Two Ferns but certainly not the worst. It has some moments of great comedy, followed by moments of comedy at its worst, making it strangely exciting and very watchable. At least I thought so, my wife hated it and went in the other room and read a book.