Eugene Levy is the quintessential milquetoast white guy and Samuel L. Jackson is the definitive badass black dude. The producers of The Man calculated that the collision of their innate racial qualities would produce the kind of comic sparks that Levy and Queen Latifah set off in Bringing Down the House. When ATF agent Derrick Vann (Jackson, Pulp Fiction) learns that his partner is dead and a cache of guns has been stolen, he sets up a sting to get the weapons back. But into the middle of his scheme stumbles Andy Fiddler (Levy, A Mighty Wind, American Pie), a dental supplies salesman from Wisconsin. From there unspools some formulaic buddy-movie pap: Vann gives Fiddler a dose of excitement and Fiddler teaches Vann a little compassion and trust as they improbably track down the bad guys. To a degree, the producers were right--the interplay between Levy's Groucho eyebrows and Jackson's burning scowl provides the only juice this movie has. The Man doesn't deserve actors as talented as Levy and Jackson, but there's no denying they apply themselves diligently and squeeze out a few laughs. --Bret Fetzer
2.
Mismatching the two principal characters in a movie has become a comedy staple in Hollywood, and the tradition continues in director Les Mayfield's THE MAN. Andy Fidler (Eugene Levy) has a cheery outlook on life. Even a less than exciting job selling dental products can't wipe the smile from his face. But when he winds up in Detroit for a dental convention and is wrongly identified as an arms dealer, his smile is in danger of disappearing for good. Tough-as-nails cop Derrick Vann (Samuel L. Jackson) has set up an operation to catch the gang who run with the villain Fidler has been mistaken for. Eager to find him after the group of gun runners put a permanent end to his partner's career, Vann concocts a screwball scheme in which Fidler will impersonate the crook he resembles, while also trying to shake the Internal Affairs agents who are closely trailing him.
Sam Jackson steals THE MAN from under Levy's nose, with some impressive, snappy dialogue reminiscent of his role as Jules Winnfield in PULP FICTION. Driven to the brink of insanity by the inane banter spewing from Levy's mouth, and a flatulence problem at the other end, Jackson fits into the role like a true pro. The film benefits from an elementary plot that simply allows the laughs to come thick and fast, and evolves only to allow Jackson to display further exasperation at his oblivious partner's behavior. A cut above the gross-out comedies it will undoubtedly be compared to, THE MAN is a deliciously silly film that benefits from some strong performances.
3.
A Federal Agent turns up dead on the mean streets of Detroit. When it's learned that the Agent was 'on the take' in a multi-million dollar arms heist, all eyes turn toward his partner, Derrick Vann (Samuel L. Jackson) a hardcore undercover Federal Agent known for his untrusting, street-wise style. Vann's given 24 hours to recover the stolen arms and find the cop killers, but he's about to stumble upon an unlikely ally...Enter Andy Fiddler (Eugene Levy) an affable dental supply salesman in town for a two-day convention. When the bad guys mistake Andy to be the buyer in a stolen arms deal, Vann is forced to utilize the talkative salesman as 'the face' of his sting operation. With the clock ticking, this unlikely duo speed through the streets of Detroit in an intense and hilarious adventure that uncovers much more than they could have ever anticipated.
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