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Who else hates this style of comedy?

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O

Oblivion

Fetishing muscular manly men in skintight hosery
I was watching Red Letter Media's review of the new Ghostbusters, and one of their complaints was something that bugged me forever.

https://youtu.be/w3ugHP-yZXw?t=88

This scene right here (at 1:28, if the time stamp didn't work) is an example of one of my most hated gimmicks in comedy. When two (usually two, but can also include more) characters attempt a back and forth with awkward, ad-libbed, overlapping dialogue.

Shit like that drives me crazy. It's not clever and it's not funny writing. In fact, you can't even really call it "writing". As they said in the RLM review, it's like Paul Feig just told the cast that he's gonna have the camera on them and so they should do say whatever pops into their heads.

To be clear, I'm not trying to single out Ghostbusters. It just happened to have an immediate example of this sort of thing. Lots of T.V. shows and movies (unfortunately) do the same thing.
 
B

brandonh83

Banned
I don't like it either. It happens several times in Ghostbusters, and all instances of it needed to be cut back. It was really my only problem with the movie though.

However that specific part was fine to me, it's cute IMO.
 
S

Sephzilla

Member
Not a huge fan of it either, but it's more execution than the style itself.

To single out Ghostbusters for a second - Man, RLM really tore this movie apart
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
This is a lot of comedy these days. Feels like they just have the actor say a bunch of random stupid shit and just pick the one thing that sorta works. The Judd Apatow crew lives off this kind of humor not that some of their jokes aren't set up prior or have a decent through line and are not ad libbed but often times it just comes down to people spouting off stupid or ridiculous lines. It doesn't kill a movie but if that's all it relies on it, it makes for a really lame comedy. It makes a lot of movies very hard to rewatch after the initial laugh because there is no substance to it at all.
 
D

Data West

coaches in the WNBA
I hate all of the hyperactive wit/awkward comedy style that seems to have gotten extremely popular in recent years.
 
NOLA_Gaffer

NOLA_Gaffer

Banned
That kind of character interplay really sells a film if it works out well. It makes it feel like these characters are real and enjoy being in each other's company.

You want to talk about the style of comedy I hate? Overly gross and "extreme" comedy. I sat stone-faced throughout the entirety of The Hangover 2 because I told a friend I'd bring her after her father passed. Easily the worst theater experience ever.
 
O

orthodoxy1095

Banned
It can be fine if you pull of the comedic execution.

Though a problem I have with a lot of comedy movies these days is that they seem to go through a checklist of gags and styles of jokes instead of trying to create something organically and genuinely funny. Including a scene like this would be something potentially on your checklist.

Seems super corporate and uncreative.
 
B

Bread

Banned
Oh god yes that has been so overused in the past few years too. It was funny at first with Anchorman and 40 Year Old Virgin but it has just been driven so far into the ground that I actively hate it now.
 
S

Steel

Banned
Eh. I'd be bothered by it if it were recurring, but if it's just 10 seconds of awkwardness, I could care less.
 
K

komplanen

Member
I know the trope but I can't think of where I've seen it the last time. It's not as common as you'd think or maybe I don't watch these kinds of movies.

I agree it's most certainly bad, but even in that video it's over in 2 seconds so I don't think I care enough.
 
N

neverknowsbest

Member
This kind of stuff is only funny when it's unexpected. It messes with the audience's expectations of a movie by changing the pace and devolving into more "natural" conversation patterns, but if it happens multiple times in a movie, or in every comedy, it loses its effect and becomes just another comedy trope to be fulfilled.
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
komplanen said:
I know the trope but I can't think of where I've seen it the last time. It's not as common as you'd think or maybe I don't watch these kinds of movies.

I agree it's most certainly bad, but even in that video it's over in 2 seconds so I don't think I care enough.
Click to expand...

Its incredible common in a lot of big movies, its starting to make its way into TV as well.
 
B

Brianimaniac

Banned
I think it's weird that anyone would have a strong enough opinion about this one way or the other to actually make a thread about it.
 
jadedm17

jadedm17

Member
That was quick and inoffensive OP.

I can agree the long-winded back-and-forth insults such as in Trainwreck or the scene in Deadpool where he reveals his face to his friend for the first time aren't funny.
 
T

Trokil

Banned
It is lazy and it is also cheap, so perfect for modern movie making.

I am sure the script for Jack and Jill for example was only 20 written pages.

Who wants to work hard if you can get it easy as well.
 
F

freenudemacusers

Member
Always sunny in Philadelphia is one of the few times it works. In movies it just seems like we are meant to laugh because it's funny people saying words. Zz.
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
freenudemacusers said:
Always sunny in Philadelphia is one of the few times it works. In movies it just seems like we are meant to laugh because it's funny people saying words. Zz.
Click to expand...

That's because the underlying plot line, the jokes, and so forth are not at all based on ad libbing. Them screaming at each other is often the end result of some very long, sometimes seasons long, set ups. The show is incredibly scripted and its much better for it.
 
J

jelly

Member
Yeah, it's awful. Say random words, lol!

Can't stand it, there has been a massive amount of so called comedy actors living off that rubbish.
 
U

UnluckyKate

Member
this joke forgets TIMING

and timing is the most important thing in comedy.

Timing is off in this trailer that"s why everything falls flat
 
G

gutter_trash

Banned
OP, this neo-21st Centrury brand of comedy does no make me laugh.

I see it in many CG kid movies and I see it used allot in other new comedy movies

it's difficult to explain I agree, this style of comedy is lame
 
D

demon

I don't mean to alarm you but you have dogs on your face
There's nothing inherently bad about it per se, but I think it's just become incredibly overused.
 
T

TI82

Banned
A Fish Aficionado said:
RLM is garbage.
Click to expand...

200.gif
 
T

TimeEffect

Member
Yea it just makes me roll my eyes and it's real cheesy. There are other things like it in a lot of comedy movies, and it's all very tiresome. Same with Marvel movies and their shitty one liners.
 
Z

zeemumu

Member
If you can pull it off then it's fine.

I haven't seen the movie yet but from what I can tell, the jokes aren't awful. They just seem to go on a little bit longer than they should.
 
A

A Fish Aficionado

I am going to make it through this year if it kills me
Aurongel said:
Is it easier than shitposting about RLM without giving any reasons to back up your claim?

Now that sir, is what we call garbage.
Click to expand...
Do I have to be peer reviewed to have an opinion of an online reviewer?


I think they bank too much on cynicism.
It's infantile.
 
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