Cruel Comedy Delivers Goods

by Jason R. Hewlett

Sometimes edgier is funnier I think. When I mean edgier I mean pushing the envelope in terms of what is funny and what is sick, immoral, or disturbing. We've had a recent run of comedies that have attempted to walk that fine line between gross and funny. Some didn't work ("Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me") and some did (the recently released "American Pie"). Now along comes "Drop Dead Gorgeous" and it, for the most part, succeeds in walking that line and not falling off.

The story, by former beauty pageant contestant Lona Williams, is about the goings on behind the scenes at a small town beauty pageant. The two top contenders are spoiled rich brat Becky (the drop dead gorgeous Denise Richards) and nice, comely trailer park girl Amber (the equally drop dead gorgeous Kirsten Dunst). To complicate matters the person running the pageant is Becky's mom, former "Cheers" star Kirstie Alley. It also seems someone is out to kill off any contestant that looks like they have a chance of beating out the top contender for the crown...Becky.

The film is shot in a documentary style and features many an uproarious moment which is sure to offend some viewers. A prime example: Amber's mom, played by Ellen Barkin, gets blown up in her trailer and spends the rest of the film with a beer can fused to her hand. She even continues to take the odd the sip from it and drop her cigarette ashes into it from time to time. If you found the idea of this funny you'll like "Drop Dead Gorgeous."

I happened to find it quite funny. The documentary style suits the story-line and allows for the humor to come across in a quick, natural fashion. Basically, when the comedy is on...it's really on.

There are a few problems though. For one the film feels long. It runs at only an hour and thirty-five minutes but feels more like two hours and something. This is partly because the second half of the movie suffers from a lack of humor. It's the first forty-five minutes that really delivers the goods but things start to waver as Williams and director Michael Patrick Jann decide to drag the story out to a flat, ineffective conclusion. Basically this is a movie that doesn't know when to quit.

Still, it's an entertaining enough film and I enjoyed the performances of Richards, Dunst, Barkin and Allison Janney. I also, I'll admit, liked the twistedness of it all. If you enjoyed "This Is Spinal Tap" or "Waiting For Guffman," you'll enjoy this movie too.

6.5 out of 10!