Review of The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013) by John P — 27 Jul 2013

I really wish this movie was a disappearing act. Better yet, I wished I disappeared from my living room because I could not handle another minute of this movie. You know there was a time, about ten or fifteen years ago, where everyone and I use to actually enjoy a movie where it would star the likes of Jim Carrey, Steve Buscemi, James Gandolfini, and even Jay Mohr. But somewhere along the way as the years went on they all seem to have lost their touch for what it takes to make a decent movie and that's what bothers me the most. I know there was suppose to be a point about what magic really is, but they just seem to have ruined it. It's not that I hate this film, but it was just one of those movies where everyone acts like a damn moron and the film goes, "But it has heart." There are rumors where originally that they were going to cast Will Farrell in this, but he turned it down. I guess that's one bullet that he dodged and it was for the better for his career's sake. Now stand aside and let me work my magic as I tell you what I really thought about this film.

This is the kind of movie that seems to be ten years too late and they poke fun at magicians who are no longer relevant at all like Criss Angel, David Blaine, and Siegfried & Roy. The biggest flaw about this movie is the when we are introduced to Burt, he is the kid that everyone picks on and then on his birthday he gets a magic kit which opens his eyes for the first time and then we immediately cut we cut to him being The Incredible Asshole. We're thrust into getting to re-know this guy and have no reason why besides we're suppose to assume that he has been living this great life, but that's where the movie immediately falls apart. I was enjoying who that kid was and could have turned into an interesting premise. Olivia Wilde acts like that person who says to herself, "I'm the good looking person who knows this is stupid, but I am going along with it and get to comment on it." It's a shame really because I could see her in good movies but just not in films like this. Another sad part about it is we hardly get to see Steve Buscemi, Alan Arkin, or Jim Carrey in this movie. Jim Carrey's performance as a Criss Angel knockoff was boring and repetitive. However I did enjoy Alan Arkin just for a bit and he was bringing some life into it as the protagonist's hero making each other bring new inspiration into magic and then they just completely drop it. Every joke that could have worked just played out or goes nowhere at all. Everything about this movie just fell on its face and was barely funny. It is just a waste of my time and if you want to see a magic trick where your money disappears then by all means rent it or buy it. This is why I give this film only a one star rating that's mostly because of the one or two chuckles that I got out of it.