American Carol, An MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +1 Content: -1 1/2

Kevin P. Farley, Kelsey Grammer, Leslie Nielsen, Jon Voight, James Woods, Dennis Hooper, Trace Adkins, Chriss Anglin. Spoof. Written by David Zucker, Lewis Friedman and Myrna Sokoloff. Directed by David Zucker.

FILM SYNOPSIS: This irreverent comedy from David Zucker, the master of questionable taste, concerns a cynical, anti-American Hollywood filmmaker who sets out on a crusade to abolish the 4th of July holiday. He is visited by three spirits who take him on a parody-riddled journey in an attempt to show him the true meaning of America. The film stars Kevin Farley (brother of the late Chris Farley) lampooning Michael Moore, and Kelsey Grammer as the spirit of George S. Patton.

PREVIEW REVIEW: Well, I hate to say this, me being more conservative than liberal, but Democrats are funnier than Republicans. And I dont mean just funnier looking. If this film is any example, and its the only spoof from a conservative perspective I can think of, then those who lean toward the right seem less capable of making people laugh.

David Zuker, along with his more in-tuned-with-Hollywood-sensibilities brother Jerry, was responsible for the Airplane movies, the Naked Gun movies and some of the Scary Movie movies. David flies solo here, his liberal brother evidently out raising money for B.O. (thats Barack Obama). David makes a serious mistake, however, with his first effort to jab Hollywoods left-thinking constellation. He borrows freely from Mr. Dickens A Christmas Carol, though he has difficulty mining humor from that particular ghost story. And just about every spoofing done herre is either underwritten or overplayed.

The Zuckers movies have always been hit and miss, the brothers humor often pushing the envelope a bit too far in the quest of a laugh. But the always wisely refrained from addressing a serious issue in one scene while allowing an airline pilot to ask a boy if he liked gladiator movies in another (a running gag in Airplane). Mr. Zuckers objectives in this film are more definitive: we need to regard our nation and our military with respect, and look behind the agenda of a jaundiced media. But mixing the somewhat heavy-handed history lessons with slapstick buffoonery seldom works. At least not in this effort. But who knows, maybe the next conservative comedian will be better prepared. After all, the other side has had a lot more experience.

Preview Reviewer: Phil Boatwright
Distributor: Vivendi Entertainment