Seth Green

Without a Paddle has a abundant moments that will call for you to chuckle or giggle, but uneven blending of numerous elements like physical comedy, angry gun toting bad guys, treasure hunting, and the bonds of friendship literally drench the film. This film has strong intentions and is more amusing than one would first presume, but there is nothing crisp at all about it.

The film follows a trio of thirty-year old childhood buddies who have all come back home to due to accidental death of the fourth friend of their circle. Dan (Seth Green) is the squirt of the group, who is a successful doctor that lacks confidence. Jerry (Matthew Lillard) is the bummed out marketing guru, who can not commit to his live in girlfriend (Bonnie Sommerville). Lastly, there is Tom (Dax Shepard), who is a continuos liar that has not amount to anything since high school.

After attending the funeral of their old friend, Billy, in a sense of reflection the three make their way to their childhood tree house. An old box is found that contains the group’s past oath to find a bank robber’s hidden treasure in the wilderness Northwest Mountains. In dedication to Billy, the three look to finish their promise through an adventure of a lifetime. Numerous obstacles arise through out their quest for the treasure, which include ravage water rapids and encounters with an enormous bear. After accidentally sending a field of homegrown marijuana up into flames, the three are chased by two pot growing mountain men (Ethan Suplee and Abraham Benrubi). The three also run into two beautiful tree loving women and a ragged old timer (Burt Reynolds) that holds a few of the film’s secrets. With all of these obscure occurrences risking each of their lives, a bond of friendship is still solidified in a comedic nature.

There are numerous references to the 1980’s throughout Without a Paddle, which include Star Wars among other film references. Though director Steven Brill specifically focuses on these 80’s references and really just let’s his three leads loose to do their usual comedic thing, it is the lame and uneven script that hampers the film. Without a Paddle strives to be a buddy comedy that has adventure and dramatic elements, but it is not meshed together that well. With the same blueprint as a classic film like The Goonies, Without a Paddle just comes up a little short to being recommendable. The one-liners at times work, but the relationship between the three friends is hardly felt. Another significant problem is with the sequencing, which has the three foolishly outsmarting a bear, to a scene straight out of a Cheech & Chong movie, to a shoot-em-up with two hefty mountain men chasing them with a vast supply of bullets. The pay-offs are also stiff, with the tossing of one’s own waste or the deliberate nature of three naked men having to cuddle against one another to stay warm yearning for numerous laughs.

However, Without a Paddle is not an unwatchable comedy or a painful trip to the theater as some of this year’s previous comedies (Envy). The likeness and pure silliness of the film’s three leads (Seth Green, Matthew Lillard, Dax Shepard) make the film a lot better than it really is. Working with a debunked script, the director probably left it up to the three to perform an ample amount of improvisation. The criticizing Green, the goofy Lillard, and the out of touch Shepard really do what they always do in terms of comedy, but the though the mixing of elements in the film does not work, the combination of these three zany actors does work. The three work effectively off each other with their precise comedic deliveries and responses. In an attempt to poke a little fun at his past role in Deliverance, Burt Reynolds also arises as worn old man.

If you are looking for a pure escapism film full of stupidity and ridiculousness, Without a Paddle may be for you. The three leads work well together and garner numerous chuckles throughout. However, the film is weakly composed and strives too hard to be something of a classic buddy bonding comedy, rather than a just a crazy comedy or an endearing drama with some comedic moments.

Grade: C