Noises Off... (1992)

Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Absolutely Fantastic

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

It's quite clear from watching Noises Off... that it was meant to be seen as a stage play. Peter Bogdanovich made a noble attempt to translate it to the big screen, but it's also quite clear that he himself recognized it for being first and foremost a stage play, and didn't really make an effort to make the film version a work that stands by its own right, as other great directors had done with plays before and after him (eg, Lumet with '12 Angry Men', Forman with 'Hair' or Polanski with 'Carnage'). Instead, Bogdanovich lets the play work itself, and merely adds some narration and a framing device which seem pretty useless, little more than something for the audience to grab on to in their search for a coherent plot (which isn't an integral part of the original play). The problems in filming this play are most obvious in the second act, almost in its entirety a slapstick/comedy of errors sequence that hinges on perfect, relentless timing and on the audience grasping the big picture - which they can't with the camera moving around constantly. The sequence is still funny, but it's very difficult to follow the events and to really get the impression of the perfectly timed comedy.Unfortunately, I've never seen the play performed live. I hope to do so someday; but for now, I'll take the film as a perfectly good replacement. Because, for all its inherent problems, it's still one of the best comedy films of the 90's, thanks to the wonderful script, and thanks to a first rate cast with perfect timing - and timing is what Noises Off... is all about. Well, that and sardines. Carol Burnett is hilarious; Christopher Reeve and John Ritter deliver comedic performances I never thought they had in them; and Michael Caine masters over the whole thing brilliantly. They, and the rest of the cast, are enough to carry the film through, and while it's not enough to completely remove the feeling that the stage play is probably better, it's enough to make it a terrific comedy, always hilarious, often depressing (probably more so for anyone with experience in live theater). And sardines, of course.

If you're up for a break from the uneven and unending strain of romantic comedies that seem to carry the torch of movie comedies nowadays, then "Noises Off" will give you that opportunity.I found this movie completely by accident on cable one day. It followed something else I had just watched and I hadn't yet turned away to anything else. And, boy, I'm glad I didn't. This movie about a troubled cast trying to get a troubled play off the ground kept me smiling, chuckling, and outright laughing all the way thru.I immediately bought it and got the whole family together for a viewing, and they all enjoyed it just as much.I'm sure this was a good change of pace for Christopher Reeve from his Superman days. He was a very versatile actor and this comedic role is a good proof of that.John Ritter was well know for his verbal and physical comedic skills. All are used to good and entertaining purpose here.What can you say about Carol Burnett. Since her early days on stage and TV, she has always delivered. This is no exception.You'll also find good performances by Michael Caine, Denholm Elliot, Nicolette Sheridan, and others.What was amazing to me is that I've greatly enjoyed every member of this cast in other films (and TV shows), yet I had never heard of this movie, despite being a movie buff.Now, it is conceivable that someone who doesn't enjoy some farce and slapstick with their comedy won't get into this film. Otherwise, if you haven't seen "Noises Off", you are in for quite a treat when you finally do. :-)

Fortunately, enough of the stage script survives its transfer to film that attentive viewers can tell why "Noises Off" remains one of the funniest farces ever to visit the Theatre.But somewhere along the way from stage to screen, "Noises Off" became calcified and entirely lost its edge. It's played broadly here by an able cast, all of whom clearly loved it on stage as well and now share the blame for this thoroughly noisy, but unfortunately moribund comedy show.Clearly, the film's severest critics in this conference are those (like myself) who enjoyed the show on stage in London or New York. If you didn't have that privilege, it may actually work to your advantage as you can come fresh to the film--and many, clearly, have enjoyed it tremendously. For myself, however, I remember laughing so hard in a Broadway theatre one night that my eyes flooded with tears. Didn't happen here, alas.

Having seen this twice as a stage production (and by two different companies!), I have to say that you are really better off seeing it done on stage. The film is good, but it actually suffers by comparison. I think a part of the reason might be that I HAD seen it previously, so that it did not hit me like it may hit most first-timers, and also that I had high expectations for it. But I think it actually works better on a real stage. The timing becomes REAL in a way that the known proficiency of camera technique is not able to match. This is a psychological effect, to be sure, but it cannot be discounted. Film editing, splicing, etc, along with retakes up to the necessary hilt are factors in the back of our mind in the watching of any film. But when this play is effectively performed in the get-it-right necessity of a real-life production, the effect is actually overpowering, and the humor is stunning. Go see it on stage if you get the chance.That is really all I have to say about it, but since ten lines of text are required (which must be a new requirement, because many of the comments I've seen appear to be much shorter) I guess I'll just have to keep going . . . or else this very significant review will never get out there for you to see. It feels sort of like having to keep a filibuster going, in which they just talk about anything in order to use up time. A rather stupid rule, I should say. A good writer hardly needs to extend his wordage. I mean, I've said it as I wanted to say it.