Hollywood scu e: Charlie Day roasts

fter what will very likely be a brief theatrical release, Fool’s Paradise may well find more favor on the small screen. The feature writing/ directing debut of leading man Charlie Day (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) was completed in 2018, but its delay in reaching the screen is less due to quality than a concept that is remarkable — but somewhat refreshing — out of step in the contemporary big-buck big-bang movie mentality.

The film is Day’s homage to such comedy icons as Charlie Chaplin and Jacques Tati. If the hat he wears isn’t quite the bowler of the Little Tramp or the beret of Monsieur Hulot, it’s a close enough approximation to make the inference. A more recent inspiration would be Rowan Atkinson’s Mr. Bean, as well as Chance, the guileless gardener so brilliantly played by Peter Sellers in Being There (1979). Like those characters, Day’s “Latte Pronto” — who speaks nary a word (until the end) — bumbles and stumbles into circumstances beyond his control, utterly confounded by what’s transpiring around him yet somehow powerless to escape.

When first glimpsed in a psych ward,

Ahis character condition is described as “medically undefinable.” He might be an interesting case study, but because of government cutbacks, he is unceremoniously bused to the middle of Los Angeles and literally dumped on the streets, which turn out to be paved with gold — sort of.

It is there he is glimpsed by a hotshot movie producer (the late Ray Liotta) and whisked to the set of his latest movie, Billy the Kid. The leading man (also played by Day) is a booze-soaked boor who refuses to work, so his lookalike is promptly prepped for his big-screen bow. “Do nothing,” Liotta advises. “It works for tons of actors.”

Although his first scene requires 20 takes, our hero manages to emerge as a superstar, and Liotta’s demand for a “latte — pronto” to a production assistant is assumed to be his discovery’s moniker. In quick succession, Latte gets a publicist (an unrestrained Ken Jeong), an agent (Edie Falco), and even a partner in the form of his co-star, a blathering diva named Christiana Dior (Kate Beckinsale), who impetuously beds him, marries him and adopts three children from impoverished third-world countries — before divorcing him, of course.

The Hollywood satire in Fool’s Paradise is sometimes obvious, sometimes silly, and sometimes inspired. And if the film doesn’t always hit the target — indeed, sometimes it misses badly — there’s considerable compensation in the starstudded cast, which also includes Adrien Brody as Latte’s reckless co-star (who describes himself as a “half-method” actor), Jason Sudeikis and Steve Coulter as domineering directors, Common as a former action icon-turned-homeless sage, Jason Bateman, Jimmi Simpson, Jillian Bell, Alanna Ubach, Day’s real-life wife (and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) Mary Elizabeth Ellis, and John Malkovich as some sort of tycoon whose teethgnashing tantrum unmistakably echoes Ned Beatty’s similar (and Oscar-nominated) rant in Network (1976).

The film’s novelty tends to lose steam around the midpoint, and Day’s attempts to inject pathos into the proceedings — shades of Tati and Chaplin once more — seem rather forced, but there’s no mistaking his noble attempt. If Fool s Paradise is a failure, it’s certainly an interesting and well-intentioned one. The film is not without its share of flaws, but it’s swinging away at every turn. For that, Day deserves some respect. !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies. © 2023, Mark Burger.

BY THE EDITORS AT ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

News You Can Use

Not a moment too soon, Oscar Mayer announced on May 17 that it is changing the name of its iconic Wienermobile to the Frankmobile, CNN reported. The company says the name change “pays homage” to its new recipe for hot dogs, which will roll out this summer. Uh-huh. A company spokesperson said the change is a test; they’ll have “to see if it cuts the mustard” with fans. The Wienermobile first appeared in 1936; 23 of the eye-catching vehicles now travel around the country.

Extreme Measures

In vino, vie ... or something like that. Lillian Ip of Cheltenham, Australia, was stranded in the country’s remote bushland for five days in late April after she took a wrong turn and became stuck in mud, United Press International reported. Sgt. Martin Torpey of the Wodonga police said Ip had planned just a day trip, “so she had taken a couple of snacks and lollies with her, but no water. The only liquid Lillian, who doesn’t drink, had with her was a bottle of wine she had bought as a gift for her mother.” Without cell service, Ip couldn’t call for help. Her family notified police about her absence, and a four-day search over the region included helicopters. Finally, Ip was spotted waving her arms, and police were directed to her location. “I thought I was going to die there,” she said.

Unclear On The Concept

When cake-baker Brianna Romero of El Paso, Texas, got an order for a birthday cake this spring, she was on board, NBC New York reported on May 10. The customer wanted an emo cake, so Romero put her newly perfected black icing to the test and constructed the confection. Before she delivered it, she said, she asked the client if they wanted a number on the cake. “Yes,” the client answered, “it’s for my granddaughter and she’s turning 4.” Romero “thought it was a little bit weird ... but maybe she just likes ‘Wednesday’ or something like that.” Still, wanting to cover her bases, she asked the client for the theme of the party. When she got the answer — “Sesame Street” — it all became clear. “I misread emo and it says ‘Elmo cake.’” Romero rushed to a local grocery, where the bakery topped the cake with an Elmo image; Romero gave the cake to the client for free. Social media ate the story up, with more than 10 million views on Twitter.

Bright Idea

Students will go to just about any lengths to get out of a test — even outer space. So it was in Hemlock, Michigan, on May 16, when an enterprising student reported an alien invasion to avoid a math test, according to KTVZ-TV. The student reported that ETs came from the skies in flying saucers and landed on the playground, and the rumors quickly began circulating amongst the student body on social media. But Superintendent Don Killingbeck wasn’t having it: “We have thoroughly investigated the situation, and there is no evidence of any alien activity on our school grounds,” he said. The prankster has been disciplined, he added.

Cheeky

British IBM IT professional Ian Cli ord, 50, has not worked since September 2008 as he battled mental-health issues and stage 4 leukemia, Business Insider reported. Cli ord has been on sick leave for 15 years, collecting a salary of almost $68,000 per year after reaching an agreement with IBM in 2013. But in February 2022, Cli ord testified in an employment tribunal that he had been treated unfairly because he hadn’t had a salary increase since the 2013 agreement went into place. He argued that inflation was causing his income to “wither” and sought a pay raise of 2.5%. “Your mortgage doesn’t go down because you are sick,” he noted. This spring, Paul Housego, an employment judge, rejected Cli ord’s argument, saying Cli ord was treated more favorably than others because he was being paid without having to work. Cli ord plans to appeal.

Field Report

On May 9, o cers from Boone County and Watauga County, North Carolina, tried to chase down Joshua Minton, 34, after he was pulled over for reckless driving, CBS News reported. Minton ran into an “undeveloped area,” where law enforcement got an unlikely helping ... hoof. Cows in the field “quickly assisted our o cers by leading them directly to where the suspect was hiding,” police announced in a Facebook post. “The cows communicated with the o cers as best they could and finally just had the o cers follow them to the suspect’s location.” Minton was arrested on multiple charges. !

©2023 Andrews McMeel Universal

5 Year, in Paris

6 Pilsners, e.g.

7 Arena section

8 Mined metals

9 “Ni-i-i-ice!”

10 Spurs’ gp.

11 Website for finding homestays

12 Lazy or useless

13 Refuses to

14 Table support

15 Old Testament prophet

16 Steam locomotive, in old lingo

17 Listen supportively

18 Dawdles

24 Show clearly

25 Heap affection (on)

30 Swung sticks

32 Generational treasures

33 “— talk?” (Joan Rivers catchphrase) 34 Prefix with discrimination 35 — -cone

38 Europe-Asia border river

39 “Don’t — didn’t warn you!”

40 Runner or writer Packer

41 Conifers with red arils 43 Israelites 46 Old TV’s “— Na Na” 47 Basil or sage