There is a
steady decline in movie quality and scripting when it comes to the pairing of
Wilder and Pryor. This is the worst I’ve seen them in so far, and it has
cemented my decision not to watch their fourth collaboration, which was both a
commercial failure and panned by critics (although it was well received by
audiences). Wilder only agreed to be in See No Evil, Hear No Evil on the
condition that he could work on the script. Well… we’ve seen his handiwork, and
I can confidently say it’s not impressive. Whatever magic he was hoping to
bring to the screenplay didn’t translate well, and instead of a clever,
engaging comedy, we got a sloppy, uninspired mess.
See No Evil,
Hear No Evil is a movie that, if you never see or hear of, you’ve dodged a
bullet. From a weak script to an unrealistic screenplay, this film takes you on
a journey that makes you wonder, What made them think this was going to be
funny? The jokes feel forced, the comedic timing is off, and the pacing drags
in a way that makes the runtime feel longer than it actually is. It’s one of
those movies where you sit through an entire scene, waiting for a punchline
that never lands.
As the third
pairing of Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, the movie initially drew in fans who
enjoyed Silver Streak and Stir Crazy. While some fans still appreciated it, the
film was a clear sign that the duo had lost their magic—perhaps a good reason
why their final collaboration flopped. Unlike their earlier films, where their
chemistry carried even the weaker moments, here it feels like they’re going
through the motions, trying to salvage a script that simply doesn’t work.
Wally is out of
a job when he meets Dave, who offers him work at his shop. While the two are
working together, a man is shot right there in the store. The police now have
two key witnesses: blind Wally, who only heard and smelled the murderer leave,
and deaf Dave, who only saw the murderer’s legs as they walked away. Instead of
playing up the mystery in a clever way, the film repeatedly falls back on the
same tired gags, making the whole thing feel lazy rather than inventive.
Now, both must
find a way to prove that a killer is on the loose. The problem is, by the time
they actually start doing that, you’ve already lost interest.
If you’re
looking for a joke performance of blind and deaf portrayals, you might give
this a shot. Pryor and Wilder do what they can with what they’ve been given,
and there are occasional moments where their natural comedic instincts shine
through. But those moments are few and far between, drowned out by a script
that never quite figures out what it wants to be. With a weak script, a
forgettable storyline, and wasted potential, I’d recommend saving your
money—and your time—for something else.
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