The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (Blu-ray)

Great funny movie

Rance Holloway was my childhood hero... OK. Almost anyone named Holloway - personal bias. The story here is not saccharine-free, but also not overly syrupy. But then again, it is really hard to get too misty-eyed over Steve Buscemi. Terrific character actor but, well... ;^j The story arch, from Childhood friends allied against the bullies and jerks that populate many of our own school days, coming full circle through the down and outs and crossing paths with a mentor to reunite for the big finish, is also not overly original but the movie was great and had enough flash to satisfy. From Jim Carry's amalgamation of street "magicians" to Alan Arkins acerbic, out-to-pasture master of his craft, and everyone in-between, the magic was more than illusion. All of these actors were at the top of their games. Olivia Wilde as Nicole/Jane is as beautiful as always and here we get to see the balance she can bring to a performance. Poised and self-aware and completely sure of her ability, she brought all of that to the role of Jane who out of love of the craft endured the base roles expected of women in the magical world of stage magic. The parallels are so obvious it is no wonder she was made for the part. It is my own problem that I had to mention her beauty here first but one with which she is not unfamiliar. Read the bit of trivia about her on IMDB to get the deeper humor of the blond wig.Steve Carrel in the title role portrayed the jaded pomposity of a Vegas headliner to the hilt. Stardom is an escape-act they say and who knows what other Steven (from Daily Shows Past) could stand to hear that more than their own name chanted at him, every night, 4 days a week, three weeks a month. As with most magic shows, suspension of disbelief is a key element of the audience's enjoyment with "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone". I've had a time or two when Mr. Carrel's goofy-takes have reduced my ability to appreciate his talent, as in the other Carry - Carrel (reversed here) vehicle Bruce Almighty and then the ill-fated Evan. Not the case here, and since The 40-Year Old Virgin and Get Smart, Date Night and Seeking a Friend for the End of The World, his movies have really played his wry demeanor off his sincerity. And once you can fake sincerity, you've got it made. That was kind of what Burt couldn't do at all. And his Mentor Rance had to remind him of the magical joy he had lost, in his life, his relationships, and his act.I give "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" 5 stars not for the same reasons I gave top ratings to Life of Pi but because like that visually stunning film, this movie left me with a feeling of surety about my life and the people I have chosen to share it with or just fallen in with for the long haul. That, and I laughed myself off the sofa. The side-show aspect of life in general always makes me smile. The spotlight thrown by these stars on the lesser celestials they parody draws a contrast which shines into the dark places we are not supposed to see, where the magic happens, behind the scenes.

Well done. Addressed many areas of magic in show business, especially the controversy caused by the next generation of magicians. Also addresses what can happen to someone who accomplishes all of their goals and then gets settled in with no more challenges.

Really funny, a lot more heart than I expected. I love everyone attached to this movie: Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Olivia Wilde... but I mean, it looked so dumb. That was a fault with the promotion department, not the movie. Yes the costumes look dumb, of course there is some juvenile humor for cheap laughs, but you'll have real laughs, and get way more invested than you expect. There's humor, romance, comeuppance, redemption, and friendship! Will it change your life? Of course not. Will it make your evening better? If you like humor, it will make it much better. Definitely worth a rental.

I hope the other magician movie is better. This one reminded me of "Best Defense" from 1984. In that film the movie was screened and labeled a bomb, so the studio dumped $6 Million on Eddie Morphy to shoot a handful of scenes. Those scenes were then edited into the "bomb" and Eddie Murphy's name made top billing even though he was in just 6 minutes. Murphy later said it almost ruined his career.Now Jim Carey was certainly in the movie more than 6 minutes, but the interaction between Carey and Steve Carell and Steve Buscemi is so limited at the start I wondered if he was added in as an afterthought. Even the credits state "Starring Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi" leaving Cary out.It might be a good career move to be left out of this billing for Carey since his last several movies hae been less than spectacular. What happened to the "Bruce Almighty" Jim? It seems he is doing the Eddie Murphy career dive only without the Disney-esque personality change.Buscemi is one of my favorite actors, but miscast as the Steve Carell side-kick. He is just not believable. I think Buscemi would have been better in the role the late Gandolfini had. Although not miscast, Gandolfini was just not ethnic enough for the way the character was written. It seemed to me the character of the casino owner was kind of bland, where it could have been amazing.As long as I'm pooping on everyone, I should excrete equally on Steve Carell since he was equally responsible for this movie's failure. Come on STEVE! Please don't just play the same guy over and over like Jerry Lewis. You are an amazing actor, so come up with something new. If the director does not have the vision to let you be the great star you are then punch him/her in the nasty bits. Sometimes you have to just say NO to playing the same character over and over again.The movie had its funny moments but was very predictable. The only unexpected scene was the Buscemi goes to Africa segment. But the rest we all saw coming.It does not even make sense in the continuity and timeline for much of the film.Don't pay for this, wait until it's on free TV. It's not so bad for free. At least you'll get what you pay for.

😄👍

Absolutely superb film that reminds entertainers why they do what they do. I think that not just magicians, but all entertainers should watch this film. The cast and the comedy is great, and it's now one of my favourite comedies! And yes, to buy it on Blu Ray is absolutely worth it, the picture and sound quality is second to none and would be a great addition to your Blu Ray collection :)

This is one of my FAVOURITE movies, but the Blu-ray is either expensive or unavailable (in South Africa).The only reasonable way to get this movie on Blu-ray is to order from Amazon like I did, and I am THRILLED that I did!This movie is 100%, and WORTH IT on Blu-ray!

Film was okay, a little more Jim C would have been nice.But honestly... I'd not rush to watch this unless it's under the £3 mark.

Very funny and underrated film. Better than Anchorman 2 that's for sure.

Great and funny