A review of ‘the worst film’ ever made, Movie 43. But with A-list celebrities featuring frequently in the story, does it live up to that?
James Garwood
Movie 43, hailed as one of the worst films ever made, had a lot to prove. The film breaks normal protocol and is a mash-up of separate shorts featuring a bizarrely A-list celebrity cast. (Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry to name a few.)
The shorts themselves are written and directed by different people, giving the film a complete lack of relation. This would not be an issue if the film had not gone and squeezed an odd narrative around the clips, which feature three boys, the end of the world, and not much else.
A reel of cutaway jokes
Feeling more like a reel of Family Guy cutaway jokes rather than a film, Movie 43 plays crude humour for everything it’s got. You will cringe your way through Chloe Grace Moretz playing in on period jokes and Emma Stone getting fingers slid in and out of her mouth. Some of the best laughs are ones of utter disbelief when you cannot believe who turns up in the next sketch, ready to cut their credibility in half.
The best short by far features the brilliant pairing of Halle Berry and Stephen Merchant. (Yes, you read that right.) The dating scenes between the two of them create some of the best comedy throughout, due to their perfectly mismatched pairing and some – blink and you’ll miss it – good writing.
Novelty value
Credit where credit is due, Movie 43 does push some of film’s best-loved stars and lets them really cut loose. Hearing Oscar- winning stars swearing and cracking out the dirty jokes is fun, but does have a novelty value that soon wears off. Not one for the families, but possibly one for those wanting an unchallenging and crude-filled film, this could be worth a watch. If you are easily offended, stay well away.