Damon Wayans

  • Earth Girls are Easy (1988)

    Earth Girls are Easy (1988)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (On Cable TV, June 2020) Normally, calling a film ridiculous is a slam—but in the case of Earth Girls are Easy, it’s both a compliment and a recognition of what the film was trying to achieve. Director Julien Temple helms this silly comedy about three harmless aliens crash-landing in a valley girl’s backyard and getting close encounters with Earth culture. Considering that the valley girl is played by Geena Davis and the three aliens by Jeff Goldblum, Damon Wayans and a pre-stardom Jim Carrey, well, the thing gets silly pretty quickly—but not in a dumb way, more like a very clever way masquerading at being stupid. The fish-out-of-water comedy becomes a romantic comedy, with several great lines and a carnival of silly scenes. If I was in an analytical frame of mind, I would discuss how The Alien, in this film, is a seductive blank slate, innocent (without sin) and powerful at the same time. But I’m not really in such a mood right now—Earth Girls are Easy is just a lot of fun on a surface level… although I wouldn’t be surprised to revisit this one soon enough.

  • Bulletproof (1996)

    Bulletproof (1996)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (On TV, April 2020) In Adam Sandler’s career, Bulletproof still stands away from his comfort zone—sure, it’s a comedy, but it’s also an attempt to melt Sandler’s comic sensibilities with an action movie and the result is closer to a comedy incompetently attempting action than a true hybrid. There are clear signs nearly everywhere that the production did not have the means to execute its ambitions—action, people and dialogue don’t always match, exposing significant production shortcomings. Young Sandler does have some charm, but most of the film can feel like a contest to see just how abrasive Sandler could be. While Damon Wayans occasionally acts as a foil, there’s a limit to just how he and James Caan (playing his usual brand of heavy) can restrain him. Shorter than I expected at 90 minutes, this buddy comedy with antagonistic leads is mildly amusing, which is just about what it was aiming for. Soundtrack trivia: I found Bulletproof’s main theme using cues that sounded distractingly like the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s “Rollercoaster”… is it just me?

  • Major Payne (1995)

    Major Payne (1995)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (On TV, January 2020) There’s a profound and unabashed silliness at play in Major Payne, as the film follows a retired super-soldier who ends up commanding high school cadets. This is, like many movies, a character-driven comedy—the titular Major Payne is the most important thing about the film and everything else comes second. Fortunately, Damon Wayans is up to the scrutiny. From less-than obvious choice (such as the surprisingly squeaky voice), he builds a character so incredibly over-the-top that it affects the reality of the film. Yes, it’s a dumb comedy. But it’s perfectly aligned with everything else in the film. As one would expect, there is a bit of sentiment to temper the anarchic comedy—including a rather good scene between a boy and his abusive father that seems to come from another less silly film. The actors do their best to keep up with Wayans, with a special mention to Karyn Parsons as the romantic interest—their first date is one of the film’s highlights. Cartoonish and aimed at kids, Major Payne does have a few good chuckles along the way, and a spectacular comic character at the centre of it.