WITHOUT A PADDLE

RATING:

Starring: Seth Green, Matthew Lillard, Dax Shephard, Burt Reynolds, Ethan Suplee, Abraham Benrubi. Written by Jay Leggett, Mitch Rouse. Directed by Steve Brill.

Rated PG-13 - for drug content, sexual material, language, crude humor and some violence

There’s something to be said about enjoying a totally brainless film; that wonderful experience of removing any shred of intelligence and letting a movie gloss over you like crème on a donut. Without A Paddle is ninety minutes of thoughtlessness. It’s a silly movie that will have you laughing your ass off. I honestly laughed like a jackal through the whole film. The so-called serious critics are going to pan this movie. They’ll dissect it to pieces and proclaim it as rubbish. Not true at all, Without A Paddle is a lighthearted film with a lot of good moments. It’s not going to be on anyone’s Oscar ballot, but a fine escape from reality nonetheless.

The set-up is reminiscent of those cheesy river rafting movies. Three boyhood friends (Seth Green, Matthew Lillard, and Dax Shepard) learn that the fourth member of their group has tragically died. He was the fearless one, the buddy that actually went out into the world and had adventures. They go back to their childhood fort and find a treasure map that their friend had left them. It seems that he’s found the location of D.B. Cooper’s stolen loot. D.B. Cooper, for all you bank-robbery neophytes, spectacularly escaped from the FBI in the early seventies. He robbed a bank, hijacked a plane, and parachuted into legend over the Oregon wilderness. Now it’s time for these three guys to rediscover their friendship by trekking out into the woods and rafting for treasure. They don’t have the first clue about what they’re doing, so hijinks predictably ensue.

This film works because of its stars. Seth Green, Matthew Lillard, and Dax Shepard have great screen chemistry. They pull off playing best friends and have this great comedic timing. Each actor has their role in the group and does it well. Seth Green is especially good here. He’s made a lot of comedies, but hasn’t gotten the respect he deserves for being a talented actor. He’s been in so many films, you just expect him to be funny. The guy has skill and it’s about time he was recognized for it. Dax Shepard, of MTV’s Punked fame, makes his film debut in Without A Paddle. He’s got the comedy chops and should segue easily into a film career. Matthew Lillard is tolerable enough. He gets props for not ruining the movie.

Without A Paddle has a lot of flaws. You can hack it to pieces. The key is just to enjoy it for what it is, a piece of fluff entertainment. It works as pure comedy. Go see it to laugh; a little inebriation couldn’t hurt either.