ART S

The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 4, 2003 - 9A


SJe n'aime
pas 'Le
Di vorce' in
any language
By Katie Marie Gates
Daily Arts Writer
MOVI E REVIEw
The city of love becomes the city of
heartache in the romantic
comedy/drama, "Le Divorce." With
Paris as the backdrop, this Merchant-

'Run' to the 'Mr. Show' DVD

By Scott Serilla
Daily Arts Editor

Ivory production
amusingly illu-
minates the dif-
f e r e n c e s
between French
and American
cultures yet

Le Divorce
At the Michigan
Theater and
Quality 16
Fox Searchlight

Courtesy of Fox Searchlight
Did you watch that tape I left out?
some but married uncle of her sister's
soon to be ex-husband.
The interaction between French
and American characters is the
film's backbone and proves to be
quite entertaining. However, the
piece on a whole is often dull and
all-too lengthy, arriving at no satis-
fying conclusion.
Perhaps the downfall of "Le
Divorce" comes from the surprisingly
weak acting by both Watts and
Poupaud. Their dialogue comes out
forced and overemphasized.
Poupaud's interpretation of Charles-
Henri never rises above one dimen-
sional, showcasing the acting chops of
an extra rather than star.
The most incongruent and annoy-
ing part of the 117 minutes is a scene
near the end where Isabel's handbag
floats through the skies of Paris. Such
digital animation is out of place in
this realistic feature and the brief one-
time narration by Isabel also feels
wholly inconsistent.
A disappointment for those looking
to fall in love with Paris, "Le
Divorce" is a reminder that even the
romance capital of the world is not all
that it's cracked up to be.

Hey everybody, it's Bob and David!
That's right, Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, the
brilliant comedy minds behind the subversive '90s
HBO sketch show "Mr. Show" are back with two
new DVDs to appease their feral
hoards of loyal comedy nerds. Alt
After enjoying a resurgence RUN ROJ
of popularity with the release of
their first two seasons to DVD
and their victory lap of a tourk
with their live show "Hooray
For America," the boys are
releasing the 10-episode com-
plete third season of "Mr.
Show" and (finally) their abort- ,
ed feature length film "Run
Ronnie Run."
The third season finds Bob,
David and their rotating regu-
lars kicking out some of their
finest performances, tightest
writing and broadest range of N
references. All while avoiding'
the cliche traps that plague other sketch shows. No
hacky reoccurring characters, no unfunny guest
stars and no network suits dictating punchlines.
The inspired part of "Mr. Show," comes from
hilariously talented and intelligent people being
given the freedom to be utterly and indulgently silly.
Like the other acclaimed programming on HBO, the
show was freed of network bureaucracy and censors,
allowing Odenkirk and Cross to perform cuttingly
outrageous satire, such "Hail Satan Network" where

televangelists sing the praises the Devil or
"Indomitable Spirit" where an upbeat rock band of
disfigured amputees play for high schoolers.
As with "Monty Python's Flying Circus,"
"SCTV" and "Kids in the Hall" before it, "Mr.
Show" was really a writers' show. Almost every
scene is driven by the ideas and insights, rather than
merely being sets up for actors to mug for cameras
or trade inane catchphrases.
Other highlights from the '97
VN ir iUN season range from the inventive-
ly structured "Pre-taped Call-In
SShow"the ludicrous time-saving
condiment "Mustardayonnaise"
and the trippy kid show "Drug-
gachusettes." While special fea-
tures are few (save the
epidsode-by-epidsode commen-
tary), the two disc "Complete
Third Season" is a must-own for
any hardcore comedy aficionado.
But since their TV run was so
well put together, "Run Ronnie
Run" seems even more like a
disappointment. All the rules
that defined "Mr. Show" are
thrown out the window; main
character Ronnie Dobbs and most of the film's plot
are recycled from the very first epidsode, outside
actors take roles that should have gone to series reg-
ulars and well, the irrepressible scamps who brought
you "Dying Asshole in Vietnam," are largely sedate.
Blame the lukewarm New Line Films who
refused Bob and David the level of control they
desevered, only to shelved the picture from major
release after their own toned down cut proved
unfunny. Bob and David have offically disowned

lacks the conventional magic that
comes with a foreign setting.
Roxeanne (Naomi Watts) is an
American poet living in Paris with her
French husband, Charles-Henri
(Melvil Poupaud) and their young
daughter. She is pregnant when her
husband unsympathetically leaves her
for another woman. Luckily, and
unluckily, Roxanne's sister Isabel
(Kate Hudson) arrives just in time to
provide some comfort and create new
problems of her own.
As the lackluster divorce storyline
progresses, Isabel finds herself
romantically attracted to the hand-

Courtesy of Home Box Office Video
Don't shit In my mouth and call it a sundae.
the straight-to-DVD product on their website. Real
fans are likely already aware of the damage since a
ripped verison has been widely aviavble on the
internet for years.
There are bright moments, Jack Black's ala Mary
Poppins musical number "Kick Her in the Cunt"
being most noteworthy, but the "Its Pat!"-formula
storyline and forced reality TV jokes kill most of
the picture.

"The Complete Third Season": ****I
"Run Ronnie Run": **I



Fulbright Program for
Study & Research Abroad
The IE Fulbright programs support study abroad to over 100 countries, providing grants
for research, study and travel for selected countries, and various other opportunities such
as teaching assistantships.
The competition is open to U.S. students at all graduate levels, and to seniors who will
have graduated by the time the award is to be used. Students need not have international
experience to be considered. Recent graduates and graduating seniors are
not at a disadvantage.
Information sessions will be held in room 2609 of the International
Institute on:
Thursday, Sept. 4, 3-5 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 9, 5-7 p.m.
Application materials are available at the International Institute (located in the School of
Social Work Building). The U of M Fulbright Program Adviser is Amy Kehoe. Contact
her at 763-9200 or akehoe@umich.edu
Deadline for application: 5:00 p.m. September 22,
2003

NOW
HIRING
ALL
SHIFTS!
WaitStaff
Experience pre feL ut not ncessjry
A GIfPlce to WPo.e
*Appf at 618 Cur ci St.*

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Thursday, September 4 at 8 p.m. Doors open at 1:30 p.m.
The Ark is located at 316 S. Main Street between Williams and Liberty
TICKETS: 3F mR OM with student ID
$10 for General Public; Door Sales Only!
For more information, call: (734) 761-1451 or visit www.a2ark.org