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About the Movie
Superstar magicians Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi) have ruled the Las Vegas strip for years, raking in millions with illusions as big as Burt's growing ego. But lately the duo's greatest deception is their public friendship, while secretly they've grown to loathe each other. Facing cutthroat competition from guerilla street magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey), whose cult following surges with each outrageous stunt, even their show looks stale. But there's still a chance Burt and Anton can save the act -- both onstage and off -- if Burt can get back in touch with what made him love magic in the first place.
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Rotten Tomatoes Movie Reviews
TOMATOMETER
37%- Reviews Counted: 189
- Fresh: 70
- Rotten: 119
- Average Rating: 5.2/10
Top Critics' Reviews
Fresh: This may be the kind of semi-bad, semi-inspired comedy that could not only stand repeated viewings but perhaps improve with them.
Rotten: Burt Wonderstone is a lazy, underwritten imitation Will Ferrell movie.
Rotten: A veritable festival of bad toupees and repeated gags that just lie there, "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone'' runs a bit more than an hour and a half but seems much longer - like it had been edited down at the last minute.
Rotten: A generic, fitfully funny mainstream comedy that doesn't nearly get the best from its name-brand players but doesn't qualify as a desecration, either.
Customer Reviews
THE NOT-QUITE-SO-INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE
"The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" is a somewhat entertaining addition to the affectionate-spoof genre, which includes other comedies like "Blades of Glory" and "Talladega Nights." It never tries to stray away from the familiar formula of its PG-13 counterparts, nor are any one of the characters as instantly memorable as those in, say, "Anchorman," but this flick still works in its own goofy way thanks to its oddball premise and over-the-top sight gags (most of which involve Jim Carrey). For the most part, it's a safe and predictable comedy with jokes that don't always land like they should, but when the humor does stick, it really sticks. The movie takes place in the sequin-filled world of Las Vegas magicians, where childhood pals Burt and Anton (Steve Carell and Steve Buscemi) have packed out their hotel theater for ten years. But their new assistant Jane (Olivia Wilde) is surprised to see that it's now performance by-the-numbers for them, and they can barely stand the sight of each other. Meanwhile, Burt won't consider changing the act due to his sheer egocentrism, even when faced with new competition from attention-seeking street magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey), who's stealing his and Anton's diminishing audience. But there's still a chance they can save this show - and their friendship - if Burt can get back in touch with what made him love magic in the first place. Without a doubt, I'd have to say the most enjoyable aspect of this movie is its well-assembled cast. Carell creates a remarkably believable idiot in Burt Wonderstone, an arrogant womanizer who clearly needs to be brought down a peg or two. It's a great performance because even when he's acting at his most obnoxiously infantile, he's still a likable protagonist. Buscemi, on the other hand, is a more sympathetic character than Burt as his partner Anton Marvelton, but the flick never really pays much attention to him, so he isn't as interesting. Alan Arkin delivers his sharply dry wit in a hysterical supporting turn, while Olivia Wilde and James Gandolfini do little more than play second fiddle to the main characters in a pair of decent but forgettable roles. By contrast, Carrey's performance is much more broadly comical and over-the-edge. He's definitely funny in bits and pieces, but far too clownish to ever be taken as a serious threat. Aside from the big-name cast, the film also benefits from its entertaining illusions, and most of them are genuinely clever, often dipping into the wildly impossible to get a big laugh. It's especially fun to have the curtain pulled back on these showmen and see how they're able pull off these imaginative stunts. Of course, while the movie's magic here is undeniably enjoyable to watch, it simply isn't enough to make up for the "been-there-done-that" story. That's not to say the plot is downright bad. I just wish it could've been more focused instead of simply cutting to the next outrageous sight gag. The corny bits of sentimentality only slow the film down considerably, and much of the character interactions aren't nearly as consistently engaging as they should be. But honestly, these are all just nitpicks at this point. "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" may not be as "incredible" as its title suggests, but that's not to say it isn't fun or entertaining (at least in bits and pieces). The performances are gleefully silly (some more than others), the illusionary magic stunts are impressively crafted, and the gags can be gut-bustingly funny given the right timing. Unfortunately, it's the flick's tonal inconsistency and lack of surprise that end up dragging it down in the long run. Even so, it's still worth checking out at least once for Carell and Carrey's outrageous characters alone. As long as you enjoy the film for what it is, you should have a good time.
Loved it!
Hilarious and catchy. I love both Jim Carrey and Steve Carell. If you like Snl type comedy, this movie is for you.
CG review
This film could have been a lot better than it was. It was a little stupid, mildly funny, but an accurate look on magicians. I've always enjoyed Steve Carell and Jim Carrey's movies, but this is probably my least favorite one. I enjoyed it just not as much as others. Now don't get me wrong it was entertaining, but there's a distance between entertainment and rating of a film. The huge highlight of the film was Jim Carrey's silliness and Alan Arkin being the upbeat man he is.
This Comedy begins by showing a two little boys Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi) introduction to magic. Then some time later there in Las Vegas owning it until a street magician named Steve Grey (Jim Carrey) steals there thunder. This makes the two co-magicians have to think for a way to come back and get there crowd back. Unfortunately Burt's head gets in the way and the team is done. The only way for Burt to get his show back and his friend back is if he can get back to the reason why he started doing magic in the first place.
"The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" may be cool to see and slightly funny; but it's nothing special. If you like silly comedies then this is perfect for you; otherwise it's a rent or a no go. More of a rent because it's entertaining, but… you no what never mind it's just a rent. No "no go" and no "buy" okay thats it.
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