Some say that Steve Carell and Jim Carrey are only funny for their ability to contort their bodies; this film is proof that they’re more than just a pair of pretty faces.
When two complacent magicians, Burt and Anton, are challenged by the dangerous new age of street magic, they must overcome certain obstacles with new illusions, new tricks, and with plenty of laughs along the way.
Carell and Carrey perfectly deliver their nonsensicality with one liners and visual prompts, which are steadily controlled by the over arching theme of the film; friendship, and the fact that “everyone loves a magician”.
The plot takes every twist and turn and is incredibly funny, packed with the nonsense you’d expect from a film featuring this pair. But it is this nonsense that we’ve come to love from the days of Ace Ventura to Dinner for Schmucks. This is somewhat heightened by the over use of tanning lotion and hair extensions, but also through their examination of the dynamic nature of showbiz, looking to the past, present and future of ‘magic’, and the need to break out of the stale nature of their act.
Family fun? Not quite. A whole lot of fun? Definitely.
While you should keep your kids at home, bring everyone else along I say for a truly magical experience. And who knows, you might gain a friendship moral along the way.
7/10
Reviewer: Sami Swilksy