Spring Break
Leave your politics at the door
'An American Carol' decries evils of political US machine
By: Ben Johnson
Issue date: 10/10/08 Section: News
Charles Dickens' holiday classic "A Christmas Carol" ranks among one of the most retold and re-envisioned works of literature ever written. Proudly joining these ranks is David Zucker's political satire "An American Carol."
Michael Malone (Kevin Farley) hates America. Malone has made a career of producing exploitive documentary pieces decrying the evils of the American political machine.
Malone's latest mission in his campaign against America is the abolition of July Fourth. On the eve of his march against the infamous holiday, Malone is visited by the spirit of his hero, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. JFK informs Malone that he will be visited by three spirits. Those spirits turn out to be General George S. Patton (Kelsey Grammar), George Washington (John Voigt) and the Angel of Death (Trace Adkins).
The spirits not only teach Malone what it means to be a true American but also teach him the devastating consequences of his indoctrinating narratives.
Zucker, the director of quirky comedies like "Airplane!," "The Naked Gun," "Scary Movie 3" and "Scary Movie 4," brings his signature style to this piece. Slapstick comedy and bathroom humor are as prevalent as clever dialogue and one-liners. Kevin Farley, who bears a striking resemblance to his late older brother Chris Farley, brings to the film an over-the-top performance that in most cases would weigh the movie down.
However, Farley's zany antics keep with the thematic content and overall mood of the film. It is no secret that Farley's portrayal of Malone is a parody of real life left-wing Academy Award-winning documentary director Michael Moore. But Moore is not the only one who gets lampooned by this film's uniquely right wing perspective.
No left-wing activist or organization is safe from Zucker's biting commentary and criticism in this free-for-all in which some individuals are only thinly veiled (i.e. Rosie O'Connell) or directly named.
What sets "An American Carol" apart from other comedies of its ilk is political view. The film takes a critical view of leftist politics and even of Hollywood itself.
Michael Malone (Kevin Farley) hates America. Malone has made a career of producing exploitive documentary pieces decrying the evils of the American political machine.
Malone's latest mission in his campaign against America is the abolition of July Fourth. On the eve of his march against the infamous holiday, Malone is visited by the spirit of his hero, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. JFK informs Malone that he will be visited by three spirits. Those spirits turn out to be General George S. Patton (Kelsey Grammar), George Washington (John Voigt) and the Angel of Death (Trace Adkins).
The spirits not only teach Malone what it means to be a true American but also teach him the devastating consequences of his indoctrinating narratives.
Zucker, the director of quirky comedies like "Airplane!," "The Naked Gun," "Scary Movie 3" and "Scary Movie 4," brings his signature style to this piece. Slapstick comedy and bathroom humor are as prevalent as clever dialogue and one-liners. Kevin Farley, who bears a striking resemblance to his late older brother Chris Farley, brings to the film an over-the-top performance that in most cases would weigh the movie down.
However, Farley's zany antics keep with the thematic content and overall mood of the film. It is no secret that Farley's portrayal of Malone is a parody of real life left-wing Academy Award-winning documentary director Michael Moore. But Moore is not the only one who gets lampooned by this film's uniquely right wing perspective.
No left-wing activist or organization is safe from Zucker's biting commentary and criticism in this free-for-all in which some individuals are only thinly veiled (i.e. Rosie O'Connell) or directly named.
What sets "An American Carol" apart from other comedies of its ilk is political view. The film takes a critical view of leftist politics and even of Hollywood itself.
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