CNS Movie Review: An American Carol

An American Carol

By John Mulderig
Catholic News Service

NEW YORK (CNS) -- Anyone of a liberal bent should have little cause to worry about the heavy-handed, patently conservative satire "An American Carol" (Vivendi/Mpower) since this slapdash reworking of Charles Dickens is too busy hectoring to score many comic points.

Though directed and co-written by David Zucker, who co-wrote and co-directed 1980's very funny "Airplane," and narrated by one of that film's stars, Leslie Nielsen, in the guise of a kindly grandfather, this flabby offering never rivals the sometimes-inspired comedy of that disaster spoof. Instead, its attempts at humor mostly come across as obvious, mean-spirited and jingoistic.

Left-wing, America-hating documentary filmmaker Michael Malone (Kevin Farley) -- read Michael Moore, of course -- is out to abolish the Fourth of July. He's also an easy mark for a trio of inept Taliban terrorists (Robert Davi, Geoffrey Arend and Serdar Kalsin) anxious to use his directorial skills to improve their organization's image.

Thankfully, however, one of Malone's heroes, President John Kennedy (Chriss Anglin) no less, magically emerges from a video of his inaugural address and literally slaps some sense into the portly director, correcting Malone's misinterpretation of his policies and warning him that he will be visited by the spirits of other leaders from the nation's past.

Enter Gen. George Patton (Kelsey Grammer), who, characteristically, also smacks Malone around while conducting him on a tour of what-might-have-been, e.g., the endurance of slavery because President Abraham Lincoln quailed at the prospect of civil war, and what-might-yet-be if the USA fails in its international mission.

Just for good measure, another Gen. George, in this case Washington (Jon Voight), shows Malone his pew in New York's St. Paul's Chapel, thus proving that he prayed, before opening the church's doors to reveal the ruins of the World Trade Center, a sight with which Malone seems implausibly unfamiliar.

Also coming in for some jibes is Rosie O'Donnell, here O'Connell (Vicki Browne), whose statement during a mock interview that the real threat to the country comes from Christians is illustrated by an intentionally absurd video segment of two priests and a nun engaged in terrorist activities.

Though he may never learn to love country music or NASCAR, Malone does eventually show some signs of a Scrooge-like conversion. By that time, however, despite a remarkable series of cameos (Paris Hilton, James Woods, Dennis Hopper and Gary Coleman, among others) and a few successful gags (American Civil Liberties Union lawyers as relentless, subpoena-toting zombies), few viewers are likely to care.

The film contains brief partial nudity, some sexual and brief scatological humor, some crude language, one use of profanity and vulgar gestures. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

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Mulderig is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. More reviews are available online at www.usccb.org/movies.

END

Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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