Kevin Farley stars as obnoxious filmmaker Michael Malone in An American Carol which is part parody of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and part political commentary. Malone is leading the charge to abolish the Fourth of July. But before he can get his campaign going he's visited by three spirits: General George S. Patton (Kelsey Grammer in a terrific performance), George Washington (Jon Voight in an all too brief appearance) and the angel of death (Trace Adkins, who shows a previously unknown ability to act). As a result of his encounters, Malone faces the truth about war, America, and what he has been standing for.
Such absurd parody could only be helmed by someone as talented as David Zucker (Airplane!). There are many typical elements included in An American Carol that have marked his previous films including numerous sight gags, word play, and over-the-top characters. There's also a huge cast involved and you'll catch yourself more than once during the film getting caught up in the host of cameo appearances.
Kevin Farley does a great job with the role of Michael Malone which is clearly modeled after Michael Moore. Farley doesn't hide the fact that Moore and his liberal minions are the major target of the film.
Kelsey Grammer does the heavy lifting of the three spirits as Patton and really helps to put Malone in his place. In fact he carries off the performance so well you could just imagine him as a real general.
One of the funniest moments is when Patton (Grammer) and Malone (Farley) end up going into a courtroom (presided over by Dennis Hopper) to fight back the undead of the ACLU. The entire sequence had me in stitches.
There's also a great turn by Robert Davi, Geoffrey Arend, and Serdar Kalsin as terrorists Aziz, Mohammed, and Ahmed. The comic timing and chemistry between the three of them is absolutely hilarious.
But it also wouldn't be a David Zucker film if there wasn't something to offend just about everyone. Although it is very much a conservative film in that anti-war protesters, MoveOn.org, and other liberal political interest groups are being skewered, Zucker shows that there are no sacred cows and nothing beyond his reach.
An American Carol is truly a funny film and one that can be enjoyed over and over again. Many conservatives may just find it to be the best andidote for a Barack Obama administration. Those less politically minded may find it's just plain fun. Either way it's well worth watching.
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Article comments
1 - Steve
Just a typo correction - it's mooveon.org, not moveon.org. Another fat joke that most people missed!
For a while, there was a very hilarious website from the movie makers on that domain. I wonder where it went?