Journey Into DVD: Step Brothers (2008)

Are you "over" Will Ferrell? I thought I was, too, but he was funny in the uneven "Semi-Pro," and he's hilarious in "Step Brothers," his latest collaboration with co-writer/director Adam McKay. These two brought us the awesome "Anchorman" and the not-as-awesome-but-funny "Talladega Nights." More importantly, they're rejoined by the great John C. Reilly, who disappointed me in "Walk Hard," but here proves again that he's a comic genius. I mean, GENIUS. His opening lines, when he whines about his dad not leaving him enough money for dinner later, are hilarious and pull me in immediately.

I could quote dialogue all post long, but you have to see the way it's delivered to appreciate it. As a director, McKay doesn't seem to do all that much but give the guys (and an excellent supporting cast led by Richard Jenkins) room to be funny. You may have heard this film is a one-joke deal: 40-year-old guys who still act like adolescents become stepbrothers and have to live together. Yeah, that's pretty much it. But the joke is a riot.

There isn't a whole lot of story here, and at times it goes to weird, dark places, but somehow it all works. We know there will be tension when Ferrell and Reilly move in, and we expect them to reconcile, but THAT happens sooner than we think, and THEN things turn again, and they turn to the point where one character basically tries to kill another one. These turns are ridiculously sudden sometimes, but the performances and the great dialogue sustain the whole enterprise. if a lot of it is improvised, it doesn't buckle under the strain of sloppiness or indulgence like some smiliar comedies. In a world in which Judd Apatow movies are wildly overpraised, this is one of the underrated gems of 2008, believe me. I will say, though, if you didn't like the other Adam McKay flicks, this probably isn't for you.

The DVD is worth a purchase not just because the movie is the kind that lends itself to repeat viewings, but also because it provides a heck of a lot of added value with its bonuses. The key extra is the audio commentary, which may be the single funniest I have ever heard. I don't want to give away details, but I'll just say it's a musical commentary. The director and the two stars sing their commentary, seemingly improvising it the whole way. and while they don't do it the ENTIRE length of the movie, they sure do it a lot. This might sound like another one-joke concept that would get old, but I think the high point comes a full half-hour into it when the commentary goes into a musical digression about...well, the drum kit scene is how I'll describe it. The track threatens to slow down when NBA star Baron Davis shows up as a participant for no apparent reason, but Davis is game enough to participate in the musical aspect of it.

There are deleted scenes and other goodies, but I recommend you to check out the Line-O-Rama feature, which looks like a collection of alternate line readings but offers some cool deleted material. If you've seen "Step Brothers," you might remember the children of Ferrell's biological Derek. In this feature, you see a lot of their hilarious lines. In particular, the little girl gives some outstanding readings of some cutting wise-ass remarks. Seeing this makes me wish she were a larger presence in the actual movie. Elizabeth Yozamp--remember that name.