There are some movie duos that seem mismatched at first, but end up being so inspired that you wonder just how no one thought to put the two constituents together earlier on. Right? I mean, I’m sure there are a few examples of that. Either that, or I’m just retroactively assigning this philosophy in order to stay optimistic about the upcoming Todd Rohal film starring the comic pairing of Johnny Knoxville and Patton Oswalt.
Yes, seriously. That’s the sort of casting you’d expect from Random Star Generator 3000. Rather, Random Figure-on-the-Cusp-of-Notoriety Generator 3000. But here’s the kicker: that’s exactly why this movie might be a sensation.
Knoxville is known almost exclusively for his Jackass exploits. He starred in some lowbrow scripted films and television shows, but he has never really expanded his connotation beyond self-inflicted wounds. Oswalt, on the other hand, has a bit more diversity (although probably less recognizability). He voiced the lead in Ratatouille, played the manchild family-friend in The King of Queens and (here’s one for the fans) is a winning recurring character on Community. But beyond all this, he is actually an outstanding (and pretty strange) standup comedian.
So can Oswalt’s oddball delivery and Knoxville’s willingness to take a hostile beating equate to comedic mastery? Maybe not alone, but among other ingredients (such as a decent script), they could contribute.
In the film, Knoxville and Oswalt will play two brothers who, in an effort to appease their dying father’s wishes, volunteer to lead a (clearly ill-fated) boyscout troop. Clearly, you can’t conclude either “hit” or “miss” from a plot like that. But the bottom line is, I’m a fan of the bizarre. So I’m staying positive. And for those unswayed: Rob Riggle is in it. There you go.
Source: Indiewire
