Film

Your Highness: Just Shut Up and Watch James Franco Do Stuff

Your Highness: Just Shut Up and Watch James Franco Do Stuff

Everyone. Calm down. Where’s your inhaler? Sssshhhhhh. Breathe. Sssssssssshhhhhhhh. Your Highness is not that bad. It is not, as Andrew O’Hehir at Salon speculated, “the worst movie ever made.” True, Your Highness is idiotic, vulgar, offensive, shallow, derivative, and features a squishy Minotaur penis in a leading role (the heart quakes at the thought of deleted scenes). But also, Your Highness pleads guilty! It is all of those things on purpose—stupidity is, in fact, the film’s entire purpose—so it’s fruitless and a little silly to condemn it for turning out that way. I mean, they let Danny McBride improvise ALL of his own dialogue. Dudes obviously weren’t expecting a tender lovemaking session in Armond White’s velveteen boudoir. Let’s all relax a little, is what I’m saying. Sex and the City 2 was way worse, is what I’m saying (and I’m pretty sure last summer falls under the purview of “ever”).

Now, it’s abundantly clear that this shit is not for everyone, and blessedly so—a world in which all humans had a taste for Danny McBride would devolve into a cannibal Thunderdome shit-show within days. Cocaine would be elected president. All citizens of Connecticut would be forced to change their last name to Dicklicker. The new economy would be based on a convoluted system of titties and Jet Skis.

But for those of us who can swallow our McBride, Your Highness is mostly painless and sometimes a delight. It is a movie with only one joke and only one purpose. The joke: What if people in medieval times talked like people talk in now times? The purpose: watching McBride—and, more importantly, James “Hhhhhhhhnnnnnnggggggg” Franco—do stuff. Just stuff. Just whatever! DOESN’T MATTER. LISTEN TO THEIR FUCKING SHITTY BRITISH ACCENTS. HAHAAHAAHAHAA. McBride plays Thadeous (Kenny Powers in chain mail), lovable dumbass and bitter younger brother to the dashing Prince Fabious (Franco, angel spawn). After Fabious’s virgin bride is kidnapped by a gross wizard, the brothers embark on a quest to see who can make the most and the yuckiest dick jokes (oh, and rescue her from wizard rape, I guess). Natalie Portman wears a metal thong, if you’re into that sort of thong. James Franco’s best friend is a robot bird. It’s fucking stupid but I laughed and laughed. recommended

 

Comments (21) RSS

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rejemy 1
I don't love you anymore.
Posted by rejemy on April 8, 2011 at 4:20 PM · Report
2
I love you more every day.
Posted by Roseridir on April 8, 2011 at 4:49 PM · Report
3
I've always loved you.
Posted by Brooklyn Reader on April 8, 2011 at 8:56 PM · Report
schmacky 4
I still love you, but only if you were high when you saw the movie.
Posted by schmacky on April 8, 2011 at 9:49 PM · Report
5
I think "relax a little" is great advice for anyone reviewing a comedy. Not every comedy is dry and witty. Many of them are supposed to just be goofy. Critics need to calm down.
Posted by Amanda on April 9, 2011 at 12:57 AM · Report
JonnoN 6
Lindy - new rule: you must be stoned to review a stoner movie ;)
Posted by JonnoN on April 9, 2011 at 3:27 AM · Report
7
Ooh, fucking shitty British accents. Can't do that. If anything can make me run screaming from the theater it's bad accents. Next!

At least this gives me some information. Score one against James Franco in the running tally I've been keeping: "promising young actor or douche?"
Posted by Prettybetsy on April 9, 2011 at 3:50 AM · Report
8
lindy west makes me laugh my ass off --- love love love the stranger. love the writing. lindy - you ROCK!
Posted by thestrangerrules on April 9, 2011 at 7:41 AM · Report
9
Best part of this review:

"Cocaine would be elected president."
Posted by CoffeeCups on April 9, 2011 at 11:09 AM · Report
CharlesF 10
Lindy, your movie reviews are awesome. Can you please teach Charles Mudede how to do them?
Posted by CharlesF on April 9, 2011 at 1:02 PM · Report
11
You obviously don't take 'FILM' seriously. It is an ART FORM that should NEVER be sullied by base comed-

/hahahah fuck I can't even finish. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!
Posted by sonder on April 9, 2011 at 2:27 PM · Report
Lil 12
I love you, Lindy. I'll switch teams for you. Um, but then you'd have to switch teams, too? That sounds like a lot of work. Nevermind.
Posted by Lil on April 9, 2011 at 2:52 PM · Report
duckgirlie 13
My 12-year-old sister's reaction to the trailer was "Wow, they're really run out of ideas, haven't they?"
Posted by duckgirlie on April 10, 2011 at 9:29 AM · Report
biju 14
It doesn't look too bad actually? It looks infinitely better than Paul. I might just go take a chance...
Posted by biju on April 10, 2011 at 12:11 PM · Report
Knat 15
I'll just google some stills of Natalie Portman's metal thong and I'll consider myself having seen the best this film has to offer.
Posted by Knat on April 10, 2011 at 2:19 PM · Report
16 Comment Pulled (Spam) Comment Policy
17 Comment Pulled (Spam) Comment Policy
18
im pretty sure this is the same movie as Black Knight minus the Black part.
Posted by cb on April 11, 2011 at 2:20 AM · Report
19
Shit was funny! Bring beers and get stupid.

And enough of sucking Lindy's dick in the comments. You're worse than the Savage people.
Posted by paulus on April 11, 2011 at 3:11 AM · Report
Lil 20
Paulus, why do you hate Lindy?
Posted by Lil on April 12, 2011 at 10:46 PM · Report
biju 21
Holy shit I'll never doubt you again. It was terrible..
Posted by biju on April 14, 2011 at 10:15 PM · Report

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