Review of The Grand (2007) by Dana A — 26 Mar 2009

Zak Penn writes/directs this quirky film in the style of Christopher Guest's mockumentaries. While he isn't Guest, he's turned out a film worth watching for the cast alone. Intriguingly, most larger roles went to lesser known actors while better known ones have supporting roles or cameos.

The film was not as funny as I expected, but it was more touching, which is a fine line Guest walks as well. The subplot with Cross & Hines' characters, who are brother and sister competing in poker and for the affection of their father, adds a great deal of heart, as does that of Hines and her husband (Romano) who, uncomfortable that his wife makes more money than him, desperately tries to make his own hobby (fantasy football) every bit as important as the tournament.

The casting and directing went a long way to making this film good as a lesser director might have let often annoying Romano & Cross do their usual thing, but both are significantly toned down & give decent performances.

Parnell delivers an inspired performance as a genius with no social grace who certainly suffers from Asperger's Syndrome. Renowned filmmaker Werner Herzog has a few scenes as an old school player who has to kill something every day to feel alive, and while this is shown to be absurd, he somehow keeps it held back just enough so he's not a caricature.

Maligned "Filmmaker" Brett Ratner appears as a player whose style is to tell sob stories to make his opponents let him win, and this is pretty fun (with any luck he'll stop making movies and do more bit roles).

The only actor who comes up short is Harrelson, whose performance dredges up past roles where he's used a southern accent (I saw Larry Flynt and Micky Knox in his delivery.) All in all, this is NOT a Guest film but it has its moments where it comes close.