Year One

"Year One" sort of follows the formula of "Monty Python's Life of Brian" and, to a lesser extent, "Mel Brooks' History of the World Part I".  Jack Black and Michael Cera play two cavemen who are banished from their tribe and find themselves on a journey through the Old Testament.  Although Black and Cera are the stars, the movie is pretty much stolen by David Cross, who plays the biblical Cain as a devious, manipulative man who would do anything (including killing his brother, of course) to further his own wants.  Directed by Harold Ramis (who also has a small role), this film does not quite match up to his previous work.  Jack Black's schtick, which worked beautifully in "The School of Rock", doesn't quite do it here.  In fact, Black can not seem to make his act translate as well in any other role. Perhaps it has just become a little tiresome.  The movie was not awful, by any stretch, it just didn't quite have as many laughs as you would hope from a talented director and cast.  Paul Rudd is under-used as Abel, a role which, you can imagine, is disposed of pretty quickly.  Perhaps that is all Rudd would sign up for as he has had a pretty full plate lately carrying his own films.  So, basically, what you end up with here is a film that is somewhat lesser than the sum of its parts, but does have some funny sequences.  Black and Cera are the stars, but, in many ways, David Cross is the real star of this movie.

Grade: C-

Trailer: