I’m just so obsessed right now. Why does this movie suck so hard? I don’t want to be mean, but Will Ferrell’s proven he can do so much better. First, this film is just plain silly and just plain boring. I like silliness, but it has to be clever. Instead, it’s silly for the sake of being silly. It’s the dialogue that’s going to kill you—two-hours just strange and downright inane lines that bare evoke a smile, let alone a laugh.
Second, comedy works best when audiences can relate to it or, at minimum, care about the characters in any way. A film should attempt to connect with you and your life experience, then throw that connection on its head for the laugh. The entire movie is based on European music and reality competition shows. Suffice it to say, I don’t think most Americans know or care much about European music, so when you spoof it, all the references are lost. Also, is ABBA a joke to most of the world? The line between parody and making fun is razor-thin, and that line is crossed long ago to the point of annoyance.
“…I don’t think most Americans know or care much about European music…”
Third, the character of Lars is problematic. I found myself unable to relate to or sympathize with this character because it comes across as a made-up character from a bad improv show. Think about why we can relate to Buddy the Elf, Ricky Bobby, and Ron Burgundy. All three features Farrell’s signature over-the-top characters. Two of the three start as unlikable characters. Why do we like them? I suppose it’s because we know people like them, and in all three cases, Ferrell found that shred of humanity and pathway to redemption that we can cheer for and relate to.
Lars is meant to be likable from the start, and we’re supposed to root for him as the little boy looking for daddy’s approval. It all comes off as disingenuous as Ferrell’s performance looks like an adult Ferrell acting like a little boy with a phony Icelandic accent in the previously mentioned bad improv show.
Ultimately, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga fails to transport us into this hyper-realistic world of Iceland as Ferrell is equally unable to endear us to his character of Lars in a film that didn’t need to be two-hours long. My frustration comes from a place of love because I want to laugh again.
"…why does this movie suck so hard?"
I’m really sorry to say that in this review you miss the point of the film so completely. The film is not about spoofing Eurovision it’s a love letter to Eurovision. You admit you know nothing about Eurovision then go on to make assumptions that are completely wide of the mark. It would be like watching Spider-Man knowing nothing about superheroes, then assuming it’s about trapeze artists and complaining that the film doesn’t work because trapeze artists don’t swing through a city.
People who know Eurovision can relate to Lars, they have seen acts just like him on there. It’s not an outlandish character compared to the real contestants. You may not know Eurovision, and most Americans may not. That’s cool, in which case this movie isn’t made for you, that does not make it bad, it succeeds spectacularly in what it tries to do.
That’s fair.