At first glance, you might not be particularly interested in seeing "Blades of Glory," the latest addition to what, along with "Cutting Edge" (1990), the made-for-TV "Cutting Edge 2: Going for the Gold" (2006), and Disney's "Ice Princess" (2005) could be called the foundation of the burgeoning figure skating movie genre.
Well, whether or not that actually exists, it's easy to notice something of a typical plotline in those few mentioned: A girl dreams of becoming a skater. Sadly, there is usually some obstacle in the way of this dream, be it pesky self-doubt, injury or unrelenting parental pressures, but in the end, she achieves sweet, sweet victory to the soft pop music wafting throughout the rink.
"Blades of Glory," of course, brings something new. With the comic insights of Will Ferrell and Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite [2004]), figure skating is shown in a different light. Yes, the dream's still there, but this time, in an absurd twist, there are two male skaters who have to pair up to make this dream come true.
In the opening scenes, viewers see a young Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder) skating outside his orphanage. Adopted by Darren MacElroy (William Fichtner), Jimmy is thrown into a life of intense training to transform him into a top-notch figure skater. As time passes, an older Jimmy graces the screen, skating at a winter games competition.
After Jimmy delivers a beautiful routine, his rival, Chazz Michael Michaels (Will Ferrell), takes the stage. Michaels, a self-taught skater and sex addict, gives a sexual but stunning performance. Conflict unfolds when both Jimmy and Chazz get the exact same scores. These scores force them to share the gold medal. Not wanting to share the podium, the two get into a fight and are banned from men's figure skating forever.
Two years pass and both MacElroy and Michaels are working in the "real world" but want to return to figure skating. With the help of a crazed fan, MacElroy finds a loophole in the rules. After the embarrassing display, the two were banned from men's singles competition - but not from pairs competition. Jimmy tries to find a partner without much luck.
Finally, with the help of his former coach (Craig T. Nelson), Jimmy and Chazz team up to become the first men's pair team. The two learn (ever-so-comically) how to work together, hoping to beat their new rivals, the Van Waldenberg twins (Will Arnett and Amy Poehler).
Along with this unique storyline, the acting makes "Blades of Glory" worthwhile. The Ferrell/Heder team is both innovative and classic. Heder does an amazing job of breaking away from his "Napoleon Dynamite" roots, though that can't be hard to accomplish clad in silver tights and peacock attire. While some of his lines are (shockingly) very reminiscent of Napoleon, he brings a fresh new approach to Jimmy MacElroy. He is both witty and serious, and with Ferrell he provides a source of continuous laugher. Ferrell does his sex-crazed character justice with his quick one-liners, jokes and funny facial expressions. These two actors definitely don't disappoint.
"Saturday Night Live"'s Amy Poehler and "Arrested Development"'s Will Arnett star as the Van Waldenberg twins, bringing in their comedic backgrounds and contributing to the film's raucous atmosphere. Their one-liners, choreography and costumes almost eclipse the laughs drawn by Ferrell and Heder.
Acting isn't all this film has to offer; its cinematography and music also add to its comedic nature. There might not be any particularly amazing camera angles, but keeping everything simple helps the audience focus on the jokes and the storyline.
The music adds to the film's success as a comedy. "Blades of Glory" does feature very powerful fanfare-type pieces, but it also contains a lot of popular music. Jimmy and Chazz skate to "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith in one scene, while in another Chazz starts singing the lyrics to "My Humps" by the Black-Eyed Peas.
In some parts, "Blades of Glory" does tend to drag, but for the most part it is fast-paced. Successfully spoofing the typical figure skating movie, "Blades of Glory" is a must-see film.
