The Guilfordian

Issue date: 4/13/07 Section: Features

Media Credit: popwatch.ew.com

"Blades of Glory" is the comedy enthusiast's dream.

Will Ferrell (need I even mention his credits?) and Jon Heder ("Napoleon Dynamite," "Benchwarmers") star as figure skating gurus in the number one movie in America.

Simply seeing Ferrell and Heder skating in brightly colored skin-tight leotards is comical enough, but the fun definitely doesn't stop there.

Ferrell delivers a typically hilarious performance as the character of Chazz Michael Michaels, an all-American badass lone wolf from Detroit, self-taught, and "the only skater to have won four national championships and an adult video award."

Heder also performs excellently in the role of Jimmy MacElroy, an innocent, blonde, feminine skating champion from Connecticut whose motto is "If you can dream it you can do it!"

Jimmy and Chazz are Olympian rivals.

When the two men get into a childish and violent fight at the World Championships, they are banned from the sport for life, or so they think.

After years of meaningless existence off the ice, Jimmy and Chazz realize that they can compete again if they skate together as the world's first male-male figure skating pair.

Fueled by a mutual hunger for glory and the gold, Jimmy and Chazz attempt to put aside their differences, thwart their scheming rivals and take the skating world by surprise.

Although the film relies heavily on homoeroticism for its humor, David Foucher, member of the National Gay and Lesbian Journalist Association, doesn't think that the movie is offensive overall.

"I'll wager the gays in the audience who grimaced at those initial gags will be cheering for the two straight men (by the end)," Foucher said in an article for Edge Boston.

Ferrell and Heder both deliver superb performances, but supporting roles and cameos strongly contribute to the film's success.

Playing the role of a psychotic, but lovably emphatic Jimmy-fan, Nick Swardson is outrageously funny in his cameo. You may recognize Swardson as Terry from "Reno 911!" or as Howie (the agoraphobic brother) from "Benchwarmers."

Romany Malco ("The 40 Year Old Virgin") plays a small but funny role as the demanding dance choreographer.

Craig T. Nelson ("The Family Stone," "The Incredibles") doesn't get the laughs, but he performs well as the endearing, fatherly Coach.

Also charming is a transformed Jenna Fischer, who plays the sweet but sultry love and sex interest. You may remember Fischer as Pam from "The Office."

Continued...

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