Funny Bones **** (1995, Lee Evans, Oliver Platt, Jerry Lewis, Leslie Caron, Richard Griffiths, Oliver Reed, Ian McNeice) – Movie Review 1690

Genius is at large in co-writer/director Peter Chelsom’s extraordinary and ambitious if erratic and over-long 1995 British comedy.

The sporadically hilarious Brit comic Lee Evans is brilliant in this very odd, disorganised and rambling movie about a young Blackpool comic who proves an astonishing revelation to aspiring comedian Oliver Platt. Platt plays Tommy Fawkes, a confused aspiring American comedian whose Las Vegas debut is a flop.

So he returns to Blackpool where his hit funny man father (Jerry Lewis) started out and where he spent his childhood summers. Tommy looks for a comedy relief partner to be famous with.

The best bits are just thrilling, and Lewis is stupendous, but there is a lot of dross to wade through too. Leslie Caron, Richard Griffiths, Oliver Reed and Ian McNeice also star.

RIP legendary Jerry Lewis, who died on 20 August 2017.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1690

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