Concept trumps execution in this goofball comedy about two wildly competitive male figure skaters who, barred from their category, return as a male/male pair. The comedy is, at best, coarse but good-natured joshing, but the fancy footwork and OTT flips & spins are nicely CGI’d. (On the other hand, the platform fakery for the less strenuous stuff isn’t nearly as convincing.) Will Ferrell gets more than enough laughs with his nonathletic bod while Jon Heder gets most of his effects just showing off his big white teeth. Their lack of push is the best thing about the film, especially since all the comeback sporting tropes are beyond parody. The villains don’t add much to the mix, but it’s a kick to see Craig T. Nelson morphing into the great Jack Warden just when we need one. Ferrell forfeits two points for poor sportsmanship by taking sole before-the-title starring credit sans Heder. Bad form, man.
SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Frick & Frack started the male/male skating act back in the 1930s, so maybe this isn’t so farfetched after all.
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