Blades of Glory a Riot, But on Thin Ice
New Will Ferrell Comedy Pokes Fun at Figure Skating

In the world of today, it is perfectly acceptable for two men to dance together in form-fitting spandex. I’m not talking about what you might think; I’m talking about figure skating. Blades of Glory is Will Ferrell’s latest comedy, a hilarious parody of the sport.

Will Ferrell and Jon Heder form the unlikely skating team of Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElroy in the new comedy Blades of Glory.

Chazz Michael Michaels (Ferrell) is a figure skating icon; known for being a lone wolf with a serious attitude. Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder) is the privileged skating prodigy with impeccable hygiene. Naturally, they are rivals.

After they tie for a medal, they clash violently and are banished from professional skating forever. When fate (and a loophole in the rulebook) brings them together as partners, they must learn to be friends to win the gold and defeat their conniving opposition.

Blades of Glory has the familiar Will Ferrell style, with hyperboles for main characters and bizarre situations, though Ferrell can take the most ridiculous idea and make it seem logical, even sliding at top speed to collide, crotch to crotch, with Jon Heder. Unfortunately, it doesn’t present the audience with a character charismatic enough to quote, let alone remember. Thankfully, Ferrell is, simply, a lightening presence; everything from his cheesy one-liners to his exaggerated mannerisms is wonderfully goofy.

Heder, however, is the weaker link. His character is properly silly and complemented Ferrell’s well enough, but his lack of comedic timing and somewhat gawky performance takes away from the likeability of the film. His lines are funny, but his inability to deliver them with the same passion as Ferrell puts him into an obviously inferior category. The romantic subplot between him and Jenna Fischer can only be described as juvenile, and has minimal comedic value. Ironically enough, Ferrell sizzles in his scenes with Fischer; stealing Heder’s girl as if she were his talent, had he any to steal.

Next to Ferrell, the performance worth buzzing about is brought by Will Arnett and Amy Poehler as the devious skating duo, Stranz and Fairchild Van Waldenberg. The villains they play are evil, in the modern sense of the word, as well as hilariously creepy. Discussing evil plans whilst caressing a polar bear rug? A skating routine based on the illicit relationship between JFK and Marilyn Monroe? Arnett and Poehler treat each scene with precision and the outcome is side-splitting.

Blades of Glory is a riot, to be sure, but how many more of these can we take? Ferrell has genuine talent, and he shows this in everything he does, though he seems to have limited himself to type cast roles as the over-the-top professional. Blades of Glory, while not being his worst, leaves a lot to be desired. The plot is ridiculous, but not nearly ridiculous enough to merit the loose ends. Characters appear and disappear with little explanation (like Jimmy’s father and the mysterious coach), acting ability, which is not often pivotal in comedy, is lacking enough to draw from the enjoyment of the film, and Jon Heder’s incredibly awkward presence was more annoying than funny.

Watch Blades of Glory for guilt-free laughter and plenty of innuendo (are the filmmakers trying to say something about figure skating?), but don’t expect much more. Ferrell has a penchant for cult classic-worthy characters, but the memory of Chazz Michael Michaels is as fleeting as the ice he dances upon.

Blades of Glory is rated PG-13, for crude and sexual humor, language, a comic violent image and some drug references.