The globe has been repeatedly hit by disasters; the economies are still recuperating from crises and unemployment. In 2010, there was so much to grieve and worry about. And despite that, Hollywood kept rolling out comedies to ensure the audiences kept chuckling and forgot some of their personal problems and hassles. The comic relief in 2010 was quite a success.
To be honest, I have never found Hollywood comedies anything beyond the regular romp of over the top gags, animal cruelty and big, grumpy adults pretending to be kids. Good comedies are difficult to find; surely, the likes of Coen Bros, Guy Ritchie, Tarantino and Woody Allen are rarely in their form. The smart and witty humor is ever elusive from most Hollywood products. Yet, I settled with the usual form in 2010. Here is a look at my choice of best comedies of 2010. To be honest, the list is not that long. Still, it is worth a glimpse.
The Other Guys- Yet another hilarious, if stereotypical, collaboration between actor Will Ferrell and director Adam McKay, this cop comedy had to be the first choice, naturally. The Other Guys does not have any smart piece of writing. Albeit that, it is memorable for how conventionally funny and good-natured it is.
Two down on their luck cops, Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, have been pulled out of their mundane desk jobs, into the action, as top dogs Samuel Jackson and Dwayne Johnson have been sidelined for some time. Yeah, this is quite like the Lethal Weapon territory, albeit a lot less smart and ingenious. Yet, the buffoonery that unfolds between the two leads is always entertaining and laughable.
Kick-Ass- Matthew Vaughn has been known for a wild and wacky imagination; his earlier outing ‘Stardust’, being one of my favorite comedies in 2007. With Kick-Ass, one would assume he is going into the same volatile and violent style of Zack Snyder’s Watchmen. Trust me, this yarn is a whole lot cooler, hilarious and entertaining.
Nicolas Cage is perfectly cast as the Batman-meets-Daredevil spoof, belting out gags of being stuck in his gaudy outfit and clever one-liners as well. This is a whole Action Comics issue, told in an unexpectedly comic format.
Date Night- Mark Wahlberg shines yet again as a stripped to the waist cop, in this somewhat predictable date movie. The leads, Steve Carell and Tina Fey play a dysfunctional couple, who plan the perfect date; only to have it all messed up. Just when they seem tired of gags, Wahlberg jumps into the action. Perfectly.