True confessions time: I’ve never found Jack Black (pictured, below, with Kyle Gass) funny. In fact, I kind of find him insufferable. Go ahead, give me a spanking in the comments section. I can take it, especially since I believe deep down in my soul that I’m not alone. Actually, come to think of it, let’s check today’s roundup of reviews for Black’s latest, Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, and see if I have any comrades who agree that Black is the opposite of funny. Anyone?
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: "While Black will only get better as an actor once he realizes that ‘too much’ is sometimes just too much, even in a toss-off like The Pick of Destiny he has real camera presence."
Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times: "Almost anything with Jack Black going full throttle, as he does here, is bound to have its moments of inspired lunacy. It’s just that when you have your wits about you, you start to care too much about things such as pacing and where your car is parked in the garage."
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News:"If sneaking into an R-rated movie filled with dirty words, dirty jokesand dirty guitar licks sounds like the ultimate adventure — or if youstill remember when it did — rock on. The D awaits."
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: "Jack Black has only one setting: all the way up. And his singing for Tenacious D in The Pick of Destinyis an excuse to slip off your noise-blocking headphones, since it’s thelast weapon in his blunt, assaultive arsenal he has yet to fully wieldat the movies."
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle: "The poster for Tenacious D in The Pick of Destinyboldly heralds the release of ‘the Greatest Motion Picture of AllTime,’ but rest assured, it isn’t. Neither is it the worst, though itmight be a notch closer to the bottom than the top on a scale ofcinematic magnitude."
Teresa Budasi, Chicago Sun-Times: "The bottom line: Jack Black rocks — especially when he rocks."
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post:"At his best Black possesses the same polymorphous talent andelephantine physical grace of John Belushi. But too often it seems thathe and Gass have overestimated the entertainment value of thesex-and-drugs part of sex, drugs and rock-and-roll, reverting to shotsof the two men getting high or jokes about a common sexual functionwhenever they need to resolve a scene."
Tom Maurstad, Dallas Morning News:"It’s pointless to nitpick a film this ostentatiously loose andloutish, but in the film’s execution much of that spirit just comes offas lazy and careless. The D’s hard-core fans may be delighted. But foranyone not committed to loving the film, it just isn’t funny or cleverenough to offset the infantile excesses and endless setups with no realpayoffs."
Kyle Smith, New York Post:"This is the Jack Black show. With his demon eyebrows and thatclosed-eye terrier head shake, Black doesn’t so much act as combust.His personality nearly spills over into the next movie at the manyplex."
James Verniere, Boston Herald:"Black, who has a colorful, outrageously profane way of expressinghimself, apparently believes that next to the Method, the finest actingtechnique is overacting."
Jack Garner, Gannett News Service:"A sophomoric dud, the film offers nary a worthwhile joke, and its truedestiny is a place on my list of the worst films of 2006. It didn’thelp that I was continually reminded of two similar, far-superiorcomedies, This Is Spinal Tap and The Blues Brothers. These guys couldn’t carry Spinal Tap’s amps."
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I’m with you, Slezak…not a big Jack Black fan. The previews for this movie are reminiscent of “Bill and Ted,” which – while hilarious at the age of 8 – fails to entertain me at this stage in life.
We are sisters under the skin, Slezak…I too cannot stand the comedy stylings of Jack Black. He seems to me to be trying waaay too hard.
Black is funny in smaller supporting roles like his role in Orange County. When taken in small doses, Black is a treat. Black was also great when he toned himself down for the serious King Kong role – one where his eyebrows helped the role instead of distracting.
you people are crazy. jack black is an unbelievable talent who carries a film when he gets a chance. his characters, while seeming to all have similar traits, are subtly different and always fantastic and he is a far better actor then the likes of someone like sandler or whoever it is that actually does make you laugh.
Jack black is like the poor man’s Mickey Dolenz…after 35 cups of coffee. Everytime he appears on screen I just want to wack him in the face with a frying pan. He almost single handedly sunk King Kong. Someone needs to explain to him that if you want to be an “actor” you need to express something recognizably close to human behavior and not just bug out your eyes, flare your nostrils, scream and hope for the best.
Slezak, I couldn’t agree more with you! I actually get embarrassed for Jack Black when he’s attempting to be funnyy–it’s just painful to watch! The only time I actually liked him in a movie was his take at drama in King Kong. Stick with the serious roles, Failed Funny Man!
jack black gets on my LAST NERVE!!! he is not funny at all, and hosting the MTV awards was like getting a root canal
Please stay tuned for an important announcement:
Jack Black is not funny.
You may now return to your regularly scheduled programming.
he’s okay i guess, but way overrated. this film doesn’t look funny at all, and his filmography overall is mediocre at best. i liked him as a bit player on Mr. Show years back, though…
i could not agree more. he is INTOLERABLE. i want to put sharp things in my eyes and ears when he is around.
the VMAs sealed the deal for me. the most unfunny awards show EVER.
i would not see this even if forced to watch, like i was on an american airlines flight that showed NACHO LIBRE. i will be sure to bring an eye-covering of some sort next time.
I just don’t think he’s funny. Mostly obnoxious. and I thought he did great in King Kong, which was very subtle, but when he tries to go over the top, I have to leave the room, it’s like nails scratching on a board.
AGREE! And here I was thinking it was just me, I couldn’t figure out why he keeps getting “comedy” roles. Thought perhaps I was the ONLY one who doesn’t find his loud, over-the-top “acting” annoying. Aww Slezak…you + me = great minds think alike!
That said, his core fans seem to be in the 10-16 age bracket (my nieces and nephews liked him in School of Rock, but even they have moved on).
I loved Jack in School of Rock, but since then, ehh. It’s kind of a one-note act with him and it’s a very LOUD and STUPID note. He’d be much more tolerable popping up in unexpected places and in small doses. I’m wondering how he’ll be in The Holiday with Kate Winslet…Tone it down a bit, Jack – please.
I’m with you Slezak, when he’s on, it’s painful. He’s too loud and just too much for me. I did enjoy School of Rock and he did a good job in King Kong, so basically i don’t mind Jack Black when he’s actually acting??
And the actresses keep getting younger and skinnier…
i only liked him in high fidelity.
I, too, hate Jack Black. He reminds of an Ipod. You know how all the songs aren’t mastered at one volume? Jack is like that one song that comes blaring out of your headphones right after a seemingly quiet one and then you click right past it.
Jack is severely overwrought as an actor and as a “personality”, not to mention severely overexposed as both. I rolled my eyes and shook my head at “Nacho Libre”, and chided Peter Jackson for miscasting Black in “King Kong”.
And yet, I can’t help but hope that Jack will someday realize that his amp is constantly at 11, and that it’s not good. Thing is: the guy is actually talented. He was the best part of “High Fidelity”, which is saying a great deal. And as half of Tenacious D, he just plain rocks (musically speaking, anyway…I’m not convinced about the movie and probably won’t be going to find out. I’ll consider you on DVD, Black).
I won’t–I CAN’T!–support him until he resembles someone actually human, for a change, but I’m still expecting great things. Here’s hoping, Jack.
I’m with you, Mr. S. I have never cared for Jack Black. How he’s turned a one-note Meat Loaf parody character into a career is beyond me. Not every film requires a frantic, googly-eyed sidekick.
I’m with you 100% Slezak. I just don’t get him.
I thought School of Rock was okay, but I hated Nacho Libre. I don’t think he’s funny at all, and I hated that he actualy got to sing on the AMA’s last night.
You can bash JB all you want. And actually I would probably agree with you.
But after hearing Tenacious D’s first CD, JB can do no wrong. I find everything he has done infinitely funnier.
Seriously, listen to the first Tenacious D album and you’ll get what he’s all about. Most of his movie roles don’t do his comedic genius justice. School of Rock was close but still lacked the adult humor punch that he’s great at.
oh god i thought i was the only one who did not find jack black funny. i’m all for the antics of adam sandler or insert other not critically loved comic here but whenever jack black gets started i just want to taser him.
Jack Black is not very funny, but he is somewhat talented. He’s a credible musician and a decent dramatic actor. His comedy is not great. He was good in Shallow Hal but that was more of a dramatic role. He was very good in King Kong in my opinion. However, his ‘comedy’ is not funny. Nacho was lame, in Orange County he was just copying other stoners…for all you JB haters, watch him in the Jackal and see his arm getting blown off by Bruce Willis. That was cool.
I remember way back when JB was a guest star on X Files (playing a clerk at a video arcade, I think, on the “Lightening Boy” episode) and when he played Sean Penn’s brother in Dead Man Walking. I thought he was pretty good in those, and then also in High Fidelity. I loved School of Rock, but I draw the line at TD Pick of Destiny…not my style of movie. I do like Jack Black, though I agree he overdoes it at times.
it’s no surprise that only ignorant little negative nancys post negative comments about Jack Black. Have his movie choices been good? Probably not lately for the most part, but this guy oozes talent out of every pore when put in the right role. Go watch some of his roles in Mr. Show, The HBO Tenacious D series, High Fidelity, or Jesus’ Son. Or better yet, why dont you put down the amputee porn, leave your bedroom in your parent’s basement and experience some semblance of a life.
Uh doug, it’s nice to know you want to defend Jack Black (personally, I’m indifferent, if only because I hadn’t watched enough of his stuff) but you probably shouldn’t make statements like “ignorant little negative nancys” or “experience some semblance of a life”. That doesn’t make you sound informative. It makes you sound stupid (and ironically, more ignorant than the people you claim are ignorant).
No, in agreement with Slezak. Jack Black not funny or interesting. And he should always keep his shirt on.
Long live JB and the D. To hell with the haters. If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. Stay tuned for the next posting of the Jack Black hating bandwagon!
The bottom line: if you don’t like Jack Black, don’t like his humor, or don’t “get” it, then simply don’t watch/don’t listen/change the channel. Yes, he’s manic and goofy and over the top. Some of us are in the mood for that sometimes, and there’s no one better at it than he is; for this kind of balls-to-the-wall comedy, he’s the best thing going. I, for one, have been a hard-rockin’ D-sciple since ‘97 when I first saw the HBO shorts. Let the rest of us praise the Jackalous McBlackelby, and have him melt our faces with style.
Jack Black has been good in a couple movies: high fidelity, school of rock. but his over acting does get old. he is not on par of adam sadnler or other comics. granted adam did suck early in his career. as for his music: i think its good.