Steve Martin can take one helluva pratfall, but he needs a lesson in accepting constructive criticism.
The comic actor drew withering reviews for his latest screen comedy, “The Pink Panther 2.”
Justifiably so. It’s hardly Martin’s finest hour.
But Martin isn’t taking the hint. Instead, he claims he’s always received reviews like that.
He told reporters gathered at the Berlin Film Festival, where “Pink” was inexplicably in competition for the festival’s Golden Bear Award, that bad reviews are par for his course.
“I have received bad reviews my whole life. I received bad reviews for my stand-up act. The Jerk, one of my most enduring films, was universally panned and criticized in America. Comedians always have to overcome critical snobbery, that’s just the way it is. … Comedy is just not a critic’s medium.”
He’s right … to a point.
Comedies rarely get much love from Oscar voters, and it often takes years, or even decades, before the critical masses acknowledge the talents of popular comics. But some comics enjoy strong praise throughout most of their careers – Larry David, Richard Pryor and George Carlin quickly come to mind.
Oh, and Steve Martin, who’s considered not only one of the better stand-up comics ever by most cultural critics but a fine playwright and humorist.
So dismissing the hostile reviews for “Pink 2″ in such fashion proves Martin is either fooling himself – or he takes his audience for fools.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve never understood the desire to the first Pink, much less a sequel. The first one was abysmal. The original series itself was hit and miss (though I always love “Katoooo! Where are you my little yellow friend!” and the attendant brawl.)
Why doesn’t he just remake City Lights with sound?
Aw geez, Floyd. Don’t give him any crazy ideas like that!
Seems funny coming from him, as Mr. Martin has always struck me as a thoughtful man (e.g., his insights into human nature and emotions in “Shopgirl”)…guess nobody’s immune to at least some amount of self-deception…
That’s why these quotes grabbed me, Brian … because Martin is smart and doesn’t seem like the type to believe his own press.
Don’t ask me to find the source, but I remember Martin giving an interview several years ago in which he was asked if he had any regrets about roles he’s taken and movies he’s made. I thought that his response was kind of thoughtful. He said something to the effect that different people have come to him and expressed their fondness for every film he’s ever made, and because of this he didn’t feel comfortable poormouthing his work. Some folks may find that mealymouthed or even a little self important, but I think there is a professionalism in that statement that most actors lack.
For example, if I hear George Clooney badmouth “Batman and Robin” one more time, I think I’ll flip my lid. Not because it was a good movie (it was wretched), but because most professions require its practitioners to stand by their body of work. After all, lawyers don’t generally tell their clients that they phoned in the last deposition… not without bracing themselves for a malpractice claim.
Going back to Steve Martin, I’m a little disappointed that his later body of work consists more of “Pink Panther,” “Bringing Down the House,” and “Cheaper by the Dozen: The Revenge.” But that doesn’t diminish my love for “All of Me,” “The Jerk,” and “Roxanne.” Hopefully, he has a few more of those left in him.
You’re killing me, Jason … because I agree with both Martin and Clooney here.
Surely, plenty of kids get a kick out of “Cheaper by the Dozen” and its ilk, and it’s haughty of an actor to completely dismiss those raves.
Then again, it’s refreshing to see Clooney admit “B&R” was a clunker, and the folks behind it should be ashamed.
Ultimately, though, even the worst film in the world will draw some praise, and it’s up to an artist to truly do his best work each time out. Don’t think Martin can truly say that applies to his recent work.
If nothing else, it would be nice to get some advance warning from Mr. Clooney when he’s putting up a stinker.
Without going onto IMDB, I’d gather that one of the bigger problems with Martin’s recent work is that he doesn’t have much of a part – if any – in the writing process of these recent mediocrities. Maybe he’s adopted the Pacino/DeNiro strategy of coasting off of his name later in his career. But without having seen any of the “Pink Panther” or “Cheaper by the Dozen” films, I get the impression that he still tries the best he can with mediocre material. For some reason, I find that professionalism endearing.
Of course, that doesn’t change the fact that they’re backing up a truckload of money to his garage every time he makes one of those sequels, too. I’d work hard for that kind of money, too.
Maybe Martin isn’t the comedian he’s cracked up to be . . . ?
See reference to “comedian” in Seinfeld, Season 6, Episode 6: The Gymnast.