Reel Reviews | Screwed

unnamed

Starring: Norm MacDonald, Dave Chappelle, Danny DeVito and Sherman Hemsley
Rated: PG-13 (crude and sex-related humor, nudity, language, some violence, and brief drug content)

You can’t judge a book by its cover – no matter how bad it looks because sometimes you may be surprised. Such is the case with the film Screwed.

The story begins on Christmas Eve when a second-generation unappreciated servant, Willard (MacDonald) finds out he will be fired, after 15 years, on Christmas Day by his abusive employer, Ms. Crock (Elaine Stritch). Despondent, Willard and his best friend, Rusty (Chappelle) come up with a brilliant plan to kidnap Crock’s dog, Muffin, and ransom it for a million dollars.

All hell breaks loose when our dense duo botch the kidnapping, leaving a trail of blood (Willard’s) and a missing servant. Without giving away too much, hijinks ensue and you have to ask yourself, who’s kidnapping who.

Devito sparkles as the disgusting mortician, Grover Clever, who in his spare time serves as the Vice President of the Jack Lord (Hawaii Five-O) Fan Club. But the true comic engine behind this film is Chappelle. His character has an unusual way of expressing himself when he is scared (very funny!).

But the scene-stealer is Hemsley, who instead of moving on up, is coming on out. Holy Weezy, has it come to this, wasn’t the Old Navy Ads bad enough! Surprisingly, I didn’t feel screwed in the end, just entertained.

Grade: C