The “Between Two Ferns” movie is a feature we never asked for. Zach Galifianakis has spent the duration of his TV career as a laughing stock and the only thing left to do with that knowledge was to capitalize on it. Galifianakis uses his awkward, bad-tempered character to insult high-profile celebrities and unsurprisingly, it’s actually pretty funny. A Between Two Ferns movie may have been on the bottom of our watchlist but there enough laugh-out-loud moments to make the surprise Netflix original worth the watch.
“Alright, Alright, Alright.” That is now Galifianakis begins his interview with Mathew McConaughey, decidedly declaring that this is the review of his last three movies. He goes on to make an incest joke before standing up to fix the plumbing issue on stage which results in a flash flood. It’s a disaster of the most incredulous variety.
The title credits roll in and for the next eighty minutes, we are subject to Galifianakis’ deadpan humor and witty self-mockery. The film takes the form of a mockumentary series and yet at the core is the feeling that Galifianakis is desperately trying to regain his reputation by sabotaging it. “I want people to laugh with me, not at me,” he exclaims. If his interviews are awful enough, they become “so bad, they’re good”.
The list of stars interviewed includes Game of Thrones‘ Peter Dinklage, Captain Marvel‘s Brie Larson, The Matrix‘s Keanu Reeves, and more. The fact that Zach managed to acquire such high-profile celebrities shows that he must be doing something right. Dinklage’s interview is unfortunately cut short when his golden eggs are stolen. If it sounds weird, you know you are watching the right show.
The movie is filled with hilarious moments but the highlight is the outtakes real at the end. It is here that we fully understand just how challenging it is for Galifianakis and his guests to keep a straight face. This time around, we definitely are laughing with the unlikely TV host, and not at him.
Did the “Between Two Ferns” movie need to be made? Not really. It definitely wasn’t the surprise Netflix feature we wanted. Still, it is funny enough to justify its existence. Beyond that, we’re not really sure what to make of it.
3/5
