THE WHOLE NINE YARDS - REVIEW

Here's one you might have forgotten: The Whole Nine Yards, starring Matthew Perry and Bruce Willis as a stressed-out dentist and a dangerous hitman neighbour respectively (duh).

Basically Willis' Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski moves in next door to some dentist with a shitty life and an odious wife (played like a Tex Avery cartoon character by Rosanna Arquette) and poor old Chandler gets sucked into a complex plot he wasn't quite ready for. The rest of the cast includes the ever reliable Michael Clarke Duncan, Amanda Peet (her breasts also), Kevin Pollak and Harland Williams in a fun cameo. It's a good bunch and the great chemistry between all these characters is what really holds the movie together. The plot's a bit of a mess and isn't particularly memorable but it's more about the ride than anything else.

Your enjoyment of this little cult comedy will depend on how you feel about Matthew Perry's typical slapstick persona because, be warned: this is Perry in full Chandler mode. He actually does really well here and his Nicholas 'Oz' Oseransky is one likeable loser and the perfect counterpart to Willis' unpredictable serial killer. The whole thing does actually feel like a cross between forgotten Dan Aykroyd/John Belushi weirdo flick Neighbors and an old-fashioned, Hitchcock-style thriller/farce (Mr & Mrs Smith, The Trouble With Harry). It's an occasionally mean-spirited dark comedy which plays out a bit like a cartoon in that it remains light and fun despite the off-beat humour and some of the characters are pretty darn grotesque.

In a good way.

It is a forgettable little film but it's one you think of fondly when you do finally remember it. Novocaine stole a lot from it so if you've seen that one expect similarities aplenty. I would actually recommend The Whole Nine Yards, it's a slight comedy for sure but it is pretty funny throughout and, like I said, it's all about the ride. Stick with it and odds are you'll have fun. I mean, it's a bit like Mickey Blue Eyes or Analyse This with a mild-mannered everyman playing out as some mobster's sidekick but unlike the other two this feels less like a 'jokey' buddy comedy and more like a team of nutters messing about.

Overall, definitely worth a look I'd say. It won't stick in your mind for too long but you'll enjoy it while it lasts. Think of it as a Chandler spin-off or a slightly better version of Novocaine.

Either way: pretty great.