Directed by:
Don ScardinoCinematography:
Matthew ClarkComposer:
Lyle WorkmanCast:
Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Olivia Wilde, Jim Carrey, James Gandolfini, Alan Arkin, Brad Garrett, Jay Mohr, David Letterman, Gillian Jacobs, Michael Herbig (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
When ticket sales for double act Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi)'s Las Vegas stage show begin to dwindle due to new rival Steve Gray (Jim Carrey), the duo pull out all the stops on a big trick. The stunt doesn't go to plan, however, and Anton moves to Cambodia, leaving Burt without a partner or a job. With help from his assistant, Jane (Olivia Wilde), and the magician who inspired him as a child, Rance Hanson (Alan Arkin), Burt tries to rediscover his passion for magic and reunite with Anton. (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
(more)Reviews (4)
I would certainly expect more surprises from a movie about magicians, rather than just another predictable story in which what has happened in so many stories before happens, and which is saved mainly by the cast. Because the actors are perfect in The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, especially the insanely funny (and entertainingly insane) Jim Carrey. Unlike Carell and Buscemi (they are good, yes, and they are funny), Carrey plays something he has probably never played before - a completely unpredictable nutter who is unparalleled in our galaxy. He wasn’t even as crazy in The Mask as he is here, and most of the film's funniest moments were given to him in the script. I'm not saying that the writers did away with the other characters, they just didn't make them half as interesting. That’s too bad. Three and a half.
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I really like these movies, which hardly have 60 percent rating on this site, but are crazy and funny at first glance. I don’t know why, but the reviewers here rate these movies awfully average, often below average. And I simply don’t understand that. In those 100 minutes I laughed more than during any much better rated American comedy. It’s crazy, that’s apparent, but that’s the whole point. Jim Carrey mimicking Chris Angel is simply flawless, as well as the scene with David Copperfield. Plus, the spectacular finale really knocked me down. When I think about it, this is possibly the best leading role of Steve Carell that I’ve seen so far, where he presented himself as a true comedian. Finally.
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The trailer alone looked wacky, but since there wasn't another thought-provoking film on the bus, I decided to watch The Magicians. Well, it was pretty crazy. I think what annoyed me the most about it all were the utterly creepy and unlikeable characters, and the movie overall didn't strike me as a comedy at all. The only major redeeming quality perhaps worth mentioning was the casting of Alan Arkin, that's all. All in all, a film that disappointed me, though I must admit I didn't expect much from it to begin with.
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Well, I simply enjoy Jim Carrey and there's nothing you can do about it. Lately, he has been playing more supporting roles ("Kick-Ass 2"), but he excels in them even more. In this case, his magician is absolutely perfect and insane, and it's true that besides Steve Buscemi's face, it's the only thing I will remember from this movie. I had a good time, although the film's backbone is a classic cliché about how a person can completely change and become a star and a kind person again within a few days.
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