Linda (lindaz) Pure, tongue-in-cheek, humor from start to finish.A near perfect film. Stanley Tucci and Oliver Platt make a great duo in this comedy about two starving actors.Desperate for food, they decide to con a pastry chef out of some of his pastry. As previously planned, Platt comes to the pastry chef's "rescue", but instead of getting pastry, he gets two tickets to see hack stage actor, Jeremy Burtom excellently played by Alfred Molina.Through a series of incidents, Burtom threatens the boys with imprisonment if he catches them, The two end up accidentally stowing away on a cruise ship and that's when everything gets complicated.An excellent cast was assembled for this superbly funny script. Watch for Campbell Scott, son of George C. Scott. His portrayal of a Nazi-like ship steward is hilarious.My hat goes off to Stanley Tucci for doing an excellent job writing and directing this film! I only hope more people can see this jewel.

Theshapeshifter This film is excellent. That much I can say confidently and without a doubt, though sadly, it remains overlooked by some film patrons. The plot is simple; two starving actors in the early 1900's named Maurice and Arthur want to find roles and act, but their luck is poor and they are both hapless. The two try some schemes involving acting but these go to pot. One day, the two make it aboard a ship in order to hide from a blow-hard actor and hilarity ensues as various characters, each with their own troubles or situations to deal with, interact and otherwise run into this comedic pair. All of these, however, seem to tie in with Arthur and Maurice's plight. The humor is reminiscent of Laurel and Hardy comedies, and has its slapstick edge which gives the film a great boost. Although the humor shown has its perverse moments, it is still not to be missed.

ydnarkoocob File under general silliness. I laughed at this the way my spouse did with Jim Carey's Liar Liar. This is a risqué update of Laurel and Hardy or Abbot and Costello movies with a heaping helping of Film Noir. It is complete with Pink Panther-like pratfalling and Monty Python farce. Definitely for an adult audience, not a kiddie movie. Dissing this movie is like complaining that Rocky Horror Picture show lacked plot development. If you get this film genre, if you really get it… you're going to wet your pants laughing. Look for Campbell Scott's portrayal of the Nazi ship's steward Meistrich and a wonderful stretch with Oliver Platt in drag. Stanley Tucci and Tony Shaloub are a riot. Scenes with Scotsman Billy Connolly as the physically fit tennis pro are not to miss. He's way funnier than Fat Bastard and easier on the eyes. So settle in quietly with a glass of wine or a bottle of Guiness and let this delightful 1930's farce treat you an old fashioned belly laugh.

Greg Couture This one was shown tonight on the Independent Film Channel and, unfortunately, I tuned in a little late after the opening scenes which, by common consensus, are considerably better than what follows. The cast works hard, the film doesn't look bad (although some of the art direction seems a little threadbare), the music score was obviously a bow to Woody Allen, who makes a brief uncredited appearance, but, oh my! how things went downhill fast.I love good slapstick, lots of slamming doors and such, but this effort just wasn't up to its aspirations. Methinks that Stanley Tucci should have asked for some help with the script and let someone else, with a surer touch, take over the directorial reins.For me, a disappointment, though not without a few smiles here and there, as it bungled its way to that silly conclusion, with the entire cast doing a jig, exiting the set, past the film crew, on their way out onto the studio's street.