Directed by: Will Speck & Josh Gordon
Written by: Jeff Cox, Craig Cox, John Altschuler, Dave Krinsky
Starring: Will Ferrell, Jon Heder, Will Arnett, Amy Poehler, William Fichtner, Jenna Fischer
Rating: [3/5]
The power of teamwork from individuals of all walks of life is consistently displayed in sports, and why our species worldwide cannot get enough of it as content. This inevitably bleeds into sports movies and how they provide inspirational stories packed into a tidy time block. It’s what makes something as aggressively silly as Blades of Glory inspiring as two former rivals come together to try and make history.
Following their brawl at the conclusion of an event, ice skating phenoms Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder) and Chazz Michael Michaels (Will Ferrell) face a lifetime ban from singles competition. After finding life outside of the sport horrific, they learn that they can compete together as a doubles pairing, which gives them a new lease on life and the ability to redeem themselves.
Any film starring Will Ferrell and Jon Heder gives you an idea of what you’re in for and the type of comedy they typically employ. It makes them the perfect match for the characters they portray, with Ferrell playing this rogue operator with a sex addiction while Heder embodies a meticulous and somewhat awkward man. It makes sense why they would not get along given their different approaches in their craft, which leads to the bout that lands them the ban. The idea of them coming together seems improbable, but given they are each other’s only opportunity to engage in the sport they love, they desperately need each other.
The humor on tap for this film hits all of the notes one would expect, with many jabs from Chazz directed towards Jimmy about his masculinity. Then in reverse, Jimmy can do the same by talking about the inferiority of Chazz. Their barbs at each other soon melt into a lovely friendship between the pair as they become a support system for each other. Chazz helps Jimmy step his game up with the ladies while the latter keeps the former grounded. A mutually beneficial relationship not just on the ice but also in their personal lives.
As they practice together and are set to perform at the off-brand Olympics, it places them in a position where they need to try something daring, considering this would be the first all-male pair to complete. The film sure has fun with the jokes that come with the idea of two men figure skating together, but it presents their coach, Robert Goddard (Craig T. Nelson), with the thought of having them try the forbidden movie, Iron Lotus. A move so difficult that the only time a pair attempted it, one of them ended up decapitated by the end. Quite the move to try, but Robert believes two men are needed to try and succeed with the move, thus pushing Chazz and Jimmyy to make it their showstopper move in order to win over the judges and the crowd.
While these two try to craft a chemistry and routine that will lead them to glory, they have to contend with their new rivals on the ice, Fairchild (Amy Poehler) and Stranz Van Waldenberg (Will Arnett). A brother-sister duo that have some strange incestuous vibes. Much like the two leads, Poehler and Arnett bring the exact comedy you think they’d bring to these characters, as they will do whatever it takes to win the gold, even if it involves coloring outside of the lines. They’re both so ridiculously fun in these roles, and their evil nature pairs well with their sister Katie (Jenna Fischer), who they work as a slave over a guilt trip involving the death of their parents. Fairchild and Stranz prove to be quite the adversaries for the newly formed team of Chazz and Jimmy as they match their absurdities with their own.
Certainly containing elements that don’t work just like many other 2000s comedies, Blades of Glory maxes out the talent of its cast to give us an entertaining film. It leans into its silliness as these two men try to get back into the sport they love. It does not give much to talk about, as its substance is fairly nonexistent, but it has a goal to make audiences laugh from the silly characters we see skate their hearts out. In this effort, it certainly succeeds even when not every joke necessarily lands or adds to the story.
