"Step Brothers" Movie Review

Yet again, the combination of Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly does not disappoint in this raucous comedy about two spoiled adult men who become step-brothers after their single parents get married.

There is nothing funnier than two 40-year olds acting like elementary school kids. Their unbridled infantile behavior was hilarious and somewhat embarrassing, which made it all the more funny.

Dr. Robert Doback (Richard Jenkins) and Nancy Huff (Mary Steenburgen) meet at a conference, but while they embark on a romantic encounter they realize they have more in common than just their attraction. They both want to sail around the world and they have 40-year old sons who live at home with them.

The couple gets married, followed Huff and her son Brennan (Ferrell) moving into the Doback residence. From Brennan’s first encounter with Doback’s son Dale (Reilly), it is evident that there will be tension and competition between the two.

From childhood pranks to all-out fighting, the two become best friends after Dale punches Brennan’s annoying brother Derek (Adam Scott) in the face while they were trying to relax in their treehouse (yes, a 40-year old with a treehouse).

After Dale punches Derek, the two begin to bond and find out that they have a lot in common. The two become inseparable, but their combined childlike personalities cause a strain in their parents’ marriage and dream of retiring early to sail around the world.

The two try to make it up by unveiling their new business venture, Prestige Worldwide, which encompasses a record label and music video for their new song “Boats and Hoes”. However, during the video, the two destroy Doback’s boat, wrecking his dream and causing the parents to separate.

After yet another falling out, the two decide to part ways and be adults for a chance. Brennan works for his brother Derek in his exclusive private helicopter business, while Dale becomes a chef for a catering company.

During an upscale corporate event that Brennan planned, he invites his mother, former stepfather and hires Dale’s catering company, reuniting the family. After the band is kicked off the stage, Brennan and Dale step on the stage and reunite Prestige Worldwide. Ultimately, the family comes back together and the step brothers are reunited.

Now that you get the jist of the movie, the acting between Ferrell and Reilly was refreshing, making adult moviegoers nostalgic of the days of their childhood when they slept in hero bedspreads and collected toys. The two were not just kids, but they were not ashamed of being such, as if the world was crazy for expecting them to be adults.

The team of Ferrell, Reilly, producer Judd Apatow and director Adam McKay is very formidable when it comes to comedies as the team met first during “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.” At first viewing, “Step Brothers” is not as funny as “Talladega Nights,” but it is pretty close. However, it is funnier than Ferrell’s last movie “Semi-Pro”.

Reilly’s last film “Walk Hard” was funny as well, but “Step Brothers” is funnier, adding the Apatow’s long list of recent comedy smash hits, such as “Superbad,” “Knocked Up,” and “40-Year Old Virgin”. This movie is in the ranks of those previous films, but it will probably enter cult status once it’s viewed another time.

In 2008, there are very few, if any, comedies that will make you laugh as hard and consistently as “Step Brothers”. It’s a must-see, except for the one scene of frontal nudity, which has become a staple in recent Apatow films.

Rating: 3 out of 4 stars

Step Brothers

Starring: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Mary Steenburgen

Rated R – 95 min – Comedy