Funny Bones (1995) - Too much depression, not enough humour!

There's the old saying in show business, that all comedy is based on misery. And that's often the case, from cartoon violence like Tom & Jerry, to the ongoing disaster scene that was Fawlty Towers, humour derives from the pain and misery of the misfortunate. But in the case of the classic 90s comedy, Funny Bones, I feel the film is anything but that. If anything, the film feels like it leans too much on the misery.

Now the film is advertised as a comedy drama, but this is a fine example of how blending these two genres can be a huge problem. Often if you want a film to be both genres, one of said genres will suffer, while the other gets too much focus. And that's the problem we face here. While the story does focus on comedic performers, it's the bleakness of their lives that drives the plot. And while bleakness can be the source of excellent comedy, the film does not succeed at this. The plot is by no means bad or boring, but where it does fail is being funny, which would've been a huge selling point for this film. It's hugely ironic that Jerry Lewis states as his character about his on-screen son not being funny, cause you could also use his exact quote to describe the film he's in. I'm not saying never blend genres, because that can be done to great success, especially if a film maker subtly sprinkles in aspects of other genres. Like how comedy is often interjected into films to bring some lightness where needed, even if the film is not initially designed to be funny.

The standout in this film without a doubt is iconic British comedian, Lee Evans in what was his debut feature film. Lee has primarily been known as a humanised Duracell battery, bouncing around the stage with his trademark use of goofy facial expression, unusual sounds and physical slapstick. And while Lee does terrific work in the comedy department, often giving us the few funny moments in this film, it's the moments we were see Lee show off his surprisingly great acting skills, that we truly appreciate the range he has as a performer. Lee isn't one for regular big screen outings, but when he is involved, you know he's having a lot of fun. Even with the somber and emotional scenes, the role of Jack Parker was a character Lee was born to play. Just watching him having fun with a routine involving radio sounds demonstrates the charismatic energy this man embodies. He certainly is the human embodiment of the Duracell battery.

The rest of the cast are excellent too, selling to the audience the closeness that this family of performers has. Even through all the trials and tribulations they've faced, the characters still watch out for one another, creating one of the most convincing families in film. One personal grievance I have with the performances and characters are those conveyed by Americans/meant to be American. The American characters face the same plaguing issue that bugs me personally about a lot of American comedy, and how it gets conveyed. Everything with Americans has to be BIG and BOMBASTIC, yet their constant efforts to make this so, ends up feeling lacklustre and desperately seeking attention. The big and bombastic style makes sense with blockbuster action films, but less so when you're trying to make people feel an emotion. Whether it laughter or sadness, trying too hard can take away from the emotion being conveyed.

The production standards are top notch. Blackpool pops off the screen with wide and colourful camera angles, which recaptures the gleefully child-like wonder of visiting areas like this in the summer seasons. Even the run down and cramped locations that make up the Parker's home feel dripping with detail. The practical stunt work really sell the amazing performance, adding more to the drama and the exciting thrills that make up many of the film's more memorable moments. Even when plagued by over the top American acting, the beauty of this film still shines through.

So in the end, is it really worth hating on Funny Bones?... Not entirely! The film is very charming, and does have interesting points to make. The production values are top notch, and the entire cast gets plenty of time to show off their range with the material they are given. However, with the rather lacklustre level of humour, the question must be asked, if a film designed as a comedy fails to make you laugh, has it really succeeded? For me... I'm not so sure!

SCORES

Story - 2/5

Characters - 3/5

Production - 5/5

Acting - 3.5/5

Music - 2.5/5

TOTAL - 6.4/10