Absolutely Anything (2015)

Perfect cast and a good story

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Neil (Simon Pegg) is a teacher who dreams about his neighbor (Kate Beckinsale) and loves his dog (Robin Williams). When the film combines STAR TREK 1 and BRUCE ALMIGHTY, aliens give Neil absolute power as a test for the survival of all of mankind.The film has potential and it had its moments. The absolute powers follow precise speech with no regard to consequences. I kept waiting for the film to get better and have the big laugh. It didn't happen. The high point was using the cast of Monty Python as the voices for aliens.Guide: A couple of F-bombs. Brief nude female torso

Absolutely Anything isn't the kind of film that would win awards, nor will it come in on the top 100 films of all time, but that's not its goal; it is a fun film with a lot of acting talent including Robin Williams in his final role before his untimely death and the members of Monty Python in voice over roles. Simon Pegg is a likable guy surviving on a teachers salary as he tries to write a novel and trying to woo the girl of his dreams, and failing miserably but then fate... or in this case aliens throws him a hand.This movie was made to be just a bit of fun, it's not trying to rewrite the art of film making and it also doesn't rely on the over top, gross out humour that we've become accustomed to lately. I found each joke landed well, and gave full belly laughs many times throughout the film. It wasn't offensive or rude and was rife with British humour. Absolutely Anything deserves so much higher ratings, it is a fun way to spend 1.25 hours.

Critics have said that Terry Jones' latest film is a disappointment, considering this is likely his last film. I would say the real disappointment is that with the sun setting on Terry Jones' career, the critics of our day are still as bloodthirsty, ruthless, and petty as they have always been and that he has to suffer for it. If you aren't aware, his mental condition is such that Jones no longer has the capacity for speech/communication; it's like a variation of Parkinson's - he is still in good physical health otherwise (John Cleese and Eric Idle have only recently made this public on their most recent tour together). Now I'm not saying that because of Jones' condition that they should take it easy on him; I'm saying that they've always been hypercritical and they fact that they are taking it out on a sick old man is just extra vile. Add to that what may now truly be Robin Williams' swan(dog) song and the last reunion of the 5 living Pythons on screen and we have ourselves a travesty - this film never had a chance to be welcomed as all the talents involved deserved. It's not the most unique premise, to be certain - summing it up easiest would be "a secular Bruce Almighty". Jokes and gags are clever, cheeky, and kept me chuckling throughout. Honestly, I don't know how anyone could not laugh when Simon Pegg's wishes are hilariously misinterpreted. Seriously, did I mention Simon Pegg is in this? If you are a fan, that should be enough to pique your interest and it's quite an entertaining hour and 25 minute jaunt.

Absolutely Anything is a good movie with a well written plot and a top notch comedic cast. It is a very inventive, imaginative story as we see Neil, played by the hilarious Simon Pegg, as he is given the power by a group of aliens to have anything he wants come through. Pegg is joined by the late great Robin Williams as his dog Dennis, who is the highlight for me as Williams speaks in a way that we would all imagine dogs must think. As well as that, Kate Beckinsale shines as his love interest, Rob Riggle is a hilarious antagonist and the Monty Python crew are terrific as the intergalactic aliens. I did feel, on the other hand, that it does not entirely deliver on its potential, it is given a plot line that gives the writers free reign to write anything, and yet it still manages to feel restricted. Terry Jones had apparently been developing this story for over twenty years, but it somehow managed to feel very thrown together. I think the biggest mistake this movie makes is having Neil tell people about his powers. Something that they should have learned from the movie that is most similar to this one, Bruce Almighty, is that it is more fun for an audience if we are the only people that know about this massive secret the main character is hiding, as soon as he tells his friend Ray, I feel instantly less connected to the story. While it is certainly flawed, Absolutely Anything is still great fun, worth the watch if you are looking for a good comedy, just do not go out of your way to see it, check it out on Netflix. A man is bestowed with the powers to do whatever his heart desires, what he does not know is that he is being tested by alien forces to see if he uses the powers for good. Best Performance: Simon Pegg