Meatballs (Review)

MeatballsposterCamp North Star hosts hundreds of kids aged 6 to ‘jailbait’ (their descriptor) from across the area, in the most wacky, disorganised, dysfunctional and irreverent Summer camp in America.

This sanctuary for disruptive tykes and all kinds of annoying kids is lead by zany camp counsellors with names like Spaz, Wheels and Tripper.

Actually really only Tripper (Bill Murray), for without him this film wouldn’t have lasted three decades in the public consciousness, it wouldn’t have garnered a blu-ray release (which is how I finally became introduced to it), it wouldn’t even be remembered.

Without Bill Murray, Meatballs would be just ‘balls’.

His Tripper is a whirlwind of manic and misguided energy, pranks and constant quips. Even his normal dialogue has the little between line extras and random throwaway endings that we have come to know and love. In fact Murray seems to be the only one in this film who even realises this is supposed to be a comedy. The rest of the ‘jokes’ are of the ilk of “wouldn’t it be funny if the basketball team dacked the other team?”, and, “how hilarious if the guys eavesdropping on the girls got dacked and had their pants hung from the flagpole?”

The answer to both questions is Who Cares? I hardly think we have been spoilt with the fluid obsessed era of American Pie, Road Trip et al, but amid the sea of human effluvia were a few jokes. We’re it not for Murray’s one man overacting efforts, you could easily be excused for thinking that comedy wasn’t actually invented until Beverly Hills Cop, because this unfortunate relic of a bygone era simply isn’t funny, and truth be told I can hardly see where they even tried to be.

Final Rating – 5.5 / 10. Works better if you don’t think of it as a movie, more 90 minutes of Bill Murray in training.

About OGR

While I try to throw a joke or two into proceedings when I can all of the opinions presented in my reviews are genuine. I don't expect that all will agree with my thoughts at all times nor would it be any fun if you did, so don't be shy in telling me where you think I went wrong... and hopefully if you think I got it right for once. Don't be shy, half the fun is in the conversation after the movie.
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