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MOVIES / REVIEWS
Rating:
Bathroom humor drives 'Wild Hogs'
BY TIM MILLER
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
“Wild Hogs" - the new motorcycle-buddy comedy starring Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy - boldly delves into a subject rarely considered on the big screen: Poop.
That‘s right, feces. And if you think feces is funny, well by all means don‘t miss “Wild Hogs." Rarely has there been a movie - dramatic or comedic! - so concerned with the bathroom habits of its characters.
The four stars play middle-aged pals who have become frustrated with their lives. Allen - let‘s not bother with the characters‘ names here, it will just confuse matters - is a happily married dentist who thinks he‘s lost his edge because, among other things, he has to watch his diet. Travolta has just been dumped by his supermodel wife. Lawrence, a wannabe author who hates his job as a plumber, gets ordered around by his wife. Macy, a computer programmer, is tired of being a nerd.
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Now Showing
 What: "Wild Hogs"
Star rating:
Starring: Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy and Ray Liotta
Directed by: Walt Becker
Written by: Brad Copeland
Running time: 117 minutes
Rating: PG-13 (for crude and sexual content, some violence)
Where: Entertainment Cinemas in South Dennis; Heritage Theaters in Sandwich; Regal Cinemas in Harwich, Hyannis (Cape Cod Mall) and Mashpee; Wellfleet Cinemas
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To break out of their ruts, they head off on a cross-country motorcycle trip from their hometown of Cincinnati to the West Coast. Along the way, they have all sorts of nutty experiences.
That‘s where the poop comes in. While they camp out, for instance, neatnik Macy puts his own feces into a plastic bag and, to the dismay of his friends, is determined to keep it around until it can be disposed of properly. Later, when Lawrence is shown leaving a family‘s RV in which he‘s had to use the facilities, he says something about having to light a candle or a match (can‘t remember which, but you get the picture). When they arrive at a diner, Macy says he hopes they have bran muffins, because he‘s “a little bound up."
Too much information? You be the judge.
Of course, these four aren‘t the only ones who need to relieve themselves. Let‘s not forget that, as the song goes, birds do it - and when they do in this film, our four friends catch some of their airborne contributions in the face.
Nice.
“Wild Hogs" doesn‘t stick to just one side of the issue, however. We also are treated to a couple of shots of the friends standing in a row by the side of a road and urinating.
The movie isn‘t all about poop and pee. There are several gay gags involving a buff cop (John C. McGinley) who keeps trying to get the foursome to join him in a five-way. Ray Liotta, as the head of a motorcycle gang the friends must contend with (plot details of which I am not inclined to reveal), keeps punching a giant henchman in the face. And Macy, the least adept rider of the friends, keeps crashing his bike.
Then there‘s the scene where Allen, fed up with his diet, grabs a bar of butter at the family dinner table, takes a couple of huge bites out of it, and starts gagging.
Good stuff. Oh, yeah. Good stuff.
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Tim Miller is the Times' entertainment editor. He can be reached at 508-862-1140 or tmiller@capecodonline.com
RATING SCALE: Four stars (best) to bomb (worst)
RATING: R (for some strong killings, language, drug material and brief sexual images)
RUNNING TIME: 165 minutes
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Week of Friday, April 20, through Thursday, April 26, 2007
