Downhill

“A Different Kind of Disaster Movie.”

Filmology Rating: 2 out of 4

Downhill is a remake of the 2014 film 'Force Majeure' because Americans are too stupid to hurdle over the one inch subtitle barrier. 'Downhill' premiered at the Sundance film festival for some reason and stars Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

During what is presumed to be an avalanche, Pete (Ferrell) grabs his cellphone and runs away, whilst abandoning his wife, Billie (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and two sons. After such events, Pete and Billie's family is thrown into disarray as they are forced to reevaluate their lives and how they feel about each other.

So this is post-'Holmes and Watson' and I thought Will Ferrell was done with theatrical comedies. However, he attempts a comeback with a slightly straighter performance. 'Downhill' is categorized as a comedy/drama. As a comedy, it's a giant wet bag of gravel. Shockingly, Ferrell and Louis-Dreyfus are the two most believable characters in the film. The two of them are delivering genuine performances, but it's the characters who surround them who are utterly stupid and annoying.

It's the type of comedy where a few side characters are either too stupid or overtly sexual and obnoxious in public. These characters surround what is a serious, yet believable drama about a married couple contemplating their marriage in a mid-life crisis scenario.

The drama itself is fine, just poorly handled. It was delightful to see Ferrell actually acting for the first time in a decade. His comedy is so restrained and subtle that he actually became funnier than his usual screaming non-sequiturs-type of performance. Even Julia Louis-Dreyfus has a few wonderful scenes of emotional outbursts. However, it's the way the drama was handled.

Nothing really happens until an hour into the eighty minute film. In between the time the avalanche occurs and the hour-in point, Pete and Billie keep putting off the "big talk" they should have had much earlier. However, once that is all addressed, it's very quickly wrapped up due to the short runtime.

There is also a subplot where Pete must rebuild his relationship with his two sons shortly after abandoning them during the avalanche and it's not really developed enough. The kids hardly got any screentime because it was mostly about Pete and Billie.

The character of Pete is also quickly labeled as the problem in the family. It's his action that led to this point so it makes for a very one-sided and flat drama. However, seventy minutes into the runtime, do we get some kind of empathy to his actions. It's just far too late to finally bring that up.

It's the issue of making something that has an actual conversation within it in about mid-life crisises, but there is also that Will Ferrell audience that has to be serviced with the usual blunt comedy he's known for, even though Ferrell does none of it -- which is why nobody really liked this film anyways; it tries to service too many people. It's just not funny and it's a weak drama.

Rating: Skip It

-Nolan