Review of Sherman's Way (2008) by James H — 17 Dec 2009

This movie was not well liked by the critics or even some viewers for that matter; I am not sure why. I liked this movie very much. I thought it was a pretty funny and a decent story. The acting wasn?t the best, but I?ve seen worse acting get higher praise. Maybe it is just me, maybe I was just tired, I don?t know, but I enjoyed this movie a lot more than most.

Sherman?s Way is about an annoying young student from Yale who is studying to be a lawyer. He doesn?t really know why he wants to be a lawyer all he knows is that it?s a good living and he?ll make a lot of money doing it. Money is very important to him. He was raised by a very well off and powerful mother who is constantly featured on the cover of business magazines. Sherman is an only child; if he is ever in trouble all he has to do is call Mommy and she will bail him out of anything. He is also extremely conceited, elitist, pompous, and anal retentive. He buys things just to say that he has them, he looks at art just to say that he has seen it and not because he likes or appreciates those things. That is Sherman Black. He is just not a lovable character. He is one of those characters you want to smack in the face.

The movie starts out with Sherman and his current?soon to be ex-girlfriend?having a discussion about the upcoming summer. She wants him to do something spontaneous, leave the boring job that Mommy set up for him using her powers and go to California with her and spend a romantic summer together. Sherman of course reluctantly turns her down, breaking her heart. He just can?t bring himself to go against his mother. However, Sherman later decides to go for broke in spite of his mother?s wishes. He quits his internship and goes to California to surprise his girlfriend. He?s tired of being told that he depends on his mother too much. He wants to prove to people that he can make it on his own; his life is about to start.

When he gets to California he discovers that his relationship with his girlfriend has ended and Sherman is left angry and wanting to go back home. To get back to the airport he decides to be impulsive again to prove to his now ex-girlfriend that he is spontaneous, and so he hitchhikes. That?s when he meets Palmer. Sherman and Palmer are polar opposites. Sherman is the type of guy that plans everything to the tee while Palmer just lives on the edge. Palmer is a simple man. He believes that you make the best with what you have. He doesn?t have any responsibilities and doesn?t want any. Earlier in his life he had been an Olympic athlete, but after several unsuccessful tries he gave it up. He gets by in life by bringing up his Olympic past in hopes to get a quick gig when he needs money or a favor. He has no goal in life other than to live for the day.

The two characters are hilarious together. I love how they both interact with each other, both getting under each other?s skins. There?s one scene where they are both at a diner and Sherman offers to pay to show his gratitude towards Palmer for driving him to the airport. However, when he discovers that he lost his wallet he decides to give in and call his mother to ask for her help, which for the first time in his life, he doesn?t get. When he comes back, Palmer had worked out a plan to leave the diner without having to pay. Sherman at first didn?t want to do it, but what else could they do, he had no money. Palmer leaves first. He pretends to go to the restroom and exits out the back door. Then after waiting a few minutes Sherman gets up, but he is spotted by the waitress who chases him out the door. Sherman runs towards and dives into the car; they take off. Sherman was mortified! He couldn?t believe that Palmer had just made him skip out on the bill. However, Palmer suddenly confesses that he in fact paid the bill in full and that he was just having a little fun with him. The waitress had been chasing them because they forgot their change. There are many scenes like this throughout the movie, however they mixed it up a bit so they weren?t using the same jokes over and over.

I must say, I loved this combination of pompous and slack-ass put together. I found the movie to be very funny as both tried to teach the other to be less of a prude or more responsible. In the end they balanced each other out very nicely. They both learned a lot from each other and the experience they shared made them better people. The movie isn?t perfect, not even close, but it is funny and well worth a chance.