Everybody's a critic - 'Envy'

Three stars (out of four)

I was excited when I was told that this week's movie for review was "Envy." While viewing it, however, I was slightly disappointed.

The movie stars Ben Stiller as Tim Dingman and Jack Black as Nick Vanderpark.

The movie takes an interesting twist when one of Vanderpark's ideas actually works, a spray that disintegrates dog poop. Vanderpark had offered Dingman a part of the share of the idea, but Dingman turns it down thinking that it is just another of Vanderpark's wild ideas.

The positives of this movie include the performances, including Christopher Walken as the J-Man. Stiller and Black work well together. Their contrasting styles keep everybody interested and entertained.

One of the negatives is that the movie never made me feel what the characters were going through. Overall, this movie was not the best that I have reviewed, but it was still a decent movie.

- Ben Martin, student

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Two stars (out of four)

I admit that I went to see "Envy" expecting the worst. After all, how good could a movie be when dog excrement is one of the most important elements of the plot? However, the film has a strange charm and manages to use its subject delicately without devolving into obvious toilet humor.

Jack Black plays the same loud, irritating character that he always does. Also typical is Ben Stiller's role where he goes through the film hating himself and those around him.

Rachel Weisz and Amy Poehler play their parts according to Hollywood's perception of the good wife.

The real comic jewel in this film is Christopher Walken. He brings his odd intensity to the role of a wise fool who dispenses wild advice to Stiller.

While it is certainly no masterpiece of the cinematic arts, I recommend this film. It is a refreshingly simple and unpretentious comedy.

- Bryce Eddings, credit manager

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Two stars (out of four)

Tim Dingman (Ben Stiller) is green with envy when his best friend and neighbor, Nick (Jack Black), becomes a billionaire. The movie title fits the subject.

Nick comes up with an idea to evaporate dog poo instantly and becomes an overnight success. Tim thinks the idea is crazy and declines when Nick offers to let him in on the deal to get the product off the ground and later regrets his decision.

I found this goofy comedy a bit boring and slow-moving. However, there are some moral lessons to be learned about envy, jealousy, guilt, forgiveness and reconciliation.

This is not the kind of tale that one would expect to see coming from Hollywood. There is no real violence and very little profanity in this movie.

- Lisa Quick, caseworker