Written by Robert Scucci | Published
Simon Pegg has been one of my favorite actors since I first saw him Shaun of the Deadand I was glad to see that Absolutely Anything not only was it streaming for free on Tubi but it also starred the late and legendary Robin Williams. Unfortunately for me, I have a tendency to click on any topic without knowing anything about it because I have no real likes or dislikes when it comes to my entertainment choices; I just want to see what's out there.
Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised, but in the case of Absolutely AnythingI'll just say that my time would have been better spent watching a rerun of It is spaced in turn.
Aliens Bring Power as Test
Absolutely Anything It boasts one of those classic “be careful what you wish for” type narratives like this one The Monkey's Paw. Instead of a cursed paw confounding human destiny, Simon Pegg's Neil Clarke finds supernatural powers gifted to a distant creature that debates whether he should let Earth into its council, or destroy the planet.
The aliens decide that if Neil has the power to do whatever he wants for 10 days, they will let Mhlaba join the council if he uses his new powers for good. If Neil uses his powers for evil purposes, a trigger-jappy alien will blow up the planet and kill everyone who lives on it.
The Power Of Kate Beckinsale To Love You
I've said many times in the past that I like a quick setup if it means the movie's runtime is spent exploring the premise to its full potential instead of wasting its entire first act on exposition. But Absolutely Anything it's not one of those movies because it does nothing but set up gag after gag that has little payoff once its narrative framework is established.
Once Neil realizes that he can do whatever he wants, he spends his energy trying to get his neighbor and love interest, Catherine (Kate Beckinsale) to fall in love with him. As the title suggests, he can do anything, but he decides that he wants his boss, the Principal Mr. Robinson (Eddie Izzard), be nice to him. He wishes that his students at the school he attends would all disappear and stop bothering him, but he quickly reverses his wish when the classroom explodes and kills them.
Robin Williams Talks About A Dog
My ears hurt when Neil gave his dog, Dennis (Robin Williams), the ability to speak and understand English. As a lifelong fan of Robin Williams, I was very disappointed when it quickly became clear that his acting talent would be used for leg-stomping jokes and incessant pleading for biscuits for the rest of the film.
At that time Absolutely Anything enters the scene in the third act with Neil's decision to fix many of the world's problems (war and climate change), it was too late to save this film that initially tried to be clever, but then lost its plot with its many attempts at over-the-top, slapstick gross-out comedy.
The Worst Target Audience
Absolutely Anything it's one of those movies that shows how a great actor and a fun idea can get in the way if you fail to act in a reasonable way. Pegg and his supporting cast understood the assignment, but I can't in good conscience say that the assignment was worth their time given how their previous work led to this film.
Plus, this would be a fun, low-key family movie if it didn't have an R rating. As far as I know, the only reason Absolutely Anything rated R due to its willingness to bomb the conversation whenever the opportunity presents itself.
I'm always trying to figure out who films like this are, and in an effort to remain a mystery, I'll post Absolutely Anything at the stage of folding clothes or washing dishes. If you want something to play in the background while you do your chores, you can wake up Tubi and get going. If you want to watch a strong foreign film starring Simon Pegg, I would advise you to watch it Paul in turn.
