MovieChat Forums > Step Brothers (2008) Discussion > Was it just me or did the last 20 minute...

Was it just me or did the last 20 minutes of this go ridiculous

posted 14 years ago by yimble
32 replies | jump to latest

I know the film is based on a ridiculous plot, but the first 3/4 of the film sets up the characters and the storyline, and in that world for those 3/4 its consistent and makes sense.

The everything around the Catalina wine mixer was just stupid. The dad, who had been a voice of reason and normality throughout the movie started going stupid, swearing loudly, talking about the t-rex and what not, the brother who was vice president of a major company was yelling someone has a mangina and their most important function, and the therapist who had always been normal went silly. I laughed alot for the first 3/4 but the ending ruined the film for me.

[–] SnaplApple 14 years ago

Yeah I feel the exact same way. Whenever I watch this movie I never really want to stay until the very end.

wild card, bitchesss

[–] csweetleaf2 13 years ago

I definitely agree that the moment where they arrive at the Catalina was when the movie went downhill, I thought the guy making crow noises was very annoying, ridiculous and stupid and it didn't hold up to the earlier moments of the movie, I would have gave this movie a 9/10 but some of the moments during the Catalina caused me to give this movie a 7/10

[–] Paul_Ke 14 years ago

I didn't have a problem with the ending.

The sons had changed from immature retards into mature, boring everyday people. The dad, saddened at what they'd become, changed momentarily into what the sons were like before--which is why he talked about the t-rex and acted stupid--to show them it was alright for them to act like that again.

Your complaining about the brother yelling someone has a mangina at the end? He acted like that throughout the movie.

[–] dcollins23 14 years ago

Paul_Ke got it right, and the original poster simply didn't get it.

The idea of Brennen and Dale maturing and becoming part of the business world made Robert realize they had given up on their "dinosaur."

Derek's character remained largely intact. Just because we saw his sensitive side at the end (him hugging Brennen) doesn't take away anything from the fact that he's so caught up in his own personal success that little else mattered. He's your typical cocky, arrogant (but hilarious) *beep*

[–] yimble 14 years ago

I still disagree. The dad had been normal throughout the movie. The whole dinosaur speech was out of place. All throughout the movie he wanted to see them grow up, it didnt make sense for him to want to bring them back down to that level. Especially encouraging them to do something that would likely have made a mockery of their attempts fit into a professional environment.

And Derek's character didn't remain intact. He was an arrogant douche, but not at the expense of his job seeing he loved his wealth so much. What he did would definitely have got him fired. And the therapist, well, not even you could come up with an explanation for that.

[–] Paul_Ke 14 years ago

Have you ever heard of someone changing his mind? That's what the dad did. Yes, throughout the movie he wanted them to grow up, but when they finally did, he realized that their dreams had been snuffed out, and they had become boring everyday people, and he concluded it was not a good thing.

As for Derek, he had such an ego, I'm sure he felt he could do anything he wanted without having to worry about getting fired.

As for the therapist's behavior, what specifically are you referring to?

[–] cyberryan26 14 years ago

I think what the original poster meant regarding the therapist's behavior was that there was no explanation for the therapist all of a sudden falling for Brennan.

[–] KyleH87 14 years ago

I agree about the therapist falling for Brennan being out of place. It was a lot funnier when he had his first meeting with her and he was in love with her but it was obvious that she had no feelings for him whatsoever. The idea of her secretly also being attracted to him I found more stupid than funny. I felt like they just threw that in there because Dale also had a love interest (Alice). The rest of the ending I didn't mind. Yeah, it was crazy, but I'm glad the writers decided to make the boys try to grow up at one point rather than just act 10 throughout the entire movie.

[–] Muinaiset 13 years ago

Sounds to me like you really did not get the last part of the movie.

http://www.last.fm/user/OBLIVIONxSPAWN

[–] quone24 12 years ago

lol at people who deeply examine comedy movies

[–] satch4684 14 years ago

thats why it was so good, because it was this huge ridiculous ending to a kind of senseless plot to begin with.

[–] Qtek86 14 years ago

I Agree with the OP
It was really great .. but the ending ruined the whole thing
Without the ending it deserve 8/10 .. but I gave it 6/10

[–] strawberrydioxide 14 years ago

I'm going to try and explain my feelings about the ending. It's difficult though because this movie was absolutely weird and ridiculous in almost every single way. However, I adore practically every frame of it. The last half of the film was just transcendant. I never realized a film could show some complete idiot buying an industrial-sized pack of toilet paper and make me feel as if he were the most empowered human being on the face of this planet. That was just a glorious feeling. Especially when it showed everyone's dreams and fantasies while they're playing their song at the Catalina Wine Mixer. That part took the film to a whole new comedic level for me. The sheer randomness of that woman's sexual imagination with Centaurs and ..... jeez.... the made up language had me rolling. I got chills watching that scene it was just so... GLORIOUS.

I also loved seeing the two real brothers (Brennan and Derek) finally hugging. It was like witnessing two endangered animal species attempting to mate for the first time. I suppose the very end of the film was a bit of a disappointment, but I was probably just sad to see it all end. I still think, the ending credits scene, attempted to explain that they're still pretty childish and ridiculous. Now it's at a whole new level.

[–] mdek2112 14 years ago

I thought the ending was touching and I agree with what strawberrydioxide has to say - the everything that happens in that scene brings the whole wildly ridiculous film to a warmly ridiculous resolution. It's the special instance in not too many films that tries to elevate you from the straightforward laughs and tears and carry you off to a state of beatific madness. The romantic awakenings, the surreal mental illustrations, the blissful music, the twisted jubilation of the scene just encompass the senses and make the body as light and lithe as the soul.
It's true that the boys were out-and-out morons, but they had great potential that they only realized so late in their lives after the inspirational speech from Robert. That glorious moment makes one want to go back and reevaluate Robert's attitude. I saw the Robert this way - throughout the film he was basically distancing himself from Dale and Brennan by shouting at them, trying to push them into new jobs and apartments, and showing his giddy appreciation for Derek. You can tell by the way he passively refers to his wife's death possibly affecting Dale that he never actually confronted Dale in order to understand why he was so immature. His method is calculated and selfish until he gives that dinosaur speech to the boys - it had to be fake but it sounded like something coming directly from his heart.
Is it a bad thing to have a sensible-sounding character be proven wrong? No. It is all part of a simple message - Be yourself, find your greatest talent, do what you want to do, and don't give in to fear or harsh judgment.

What a difference a day made, 24 little hours, bought the sun and the flowers where there used to be rain...

[–] subase 14 years ago

Haha, the credits end sequence was just incredible.

It was a classic 'how many 5th graders can you take?' question made reality. And then both brothers congratulate themselves, "I guess this is what feels to be grown up".

As for the therapist, she was clearly very repressed but the joke was that everyone pretended she made her patient her boyfriend all the while denying any romantic feelings whatsoever.

[–] agcohn 14 years ago

If by ridiculous you mean it went from awesome to even awesomer, then yes, I agree.

[–] Paul_Ke 14 years ago

If by ridiculous you mean it went from awesome to even awesomer, then yes, I agree.

That sounds like something Will Ferrell would say.

[–] DogZoo 14 years ago

Yes, the first 3/4 of the movie was very good and then it took a nose dive. It's like the writers ran out of ideas. It's such a shame, because at that point I was watching one of the best comedies I've ever seen.

[–] DusterJ79 14 years ago

The ending of the movie made perfect sense.

The dad saw that his kids were unhappy being just normal people, and it made him sad. He realized he became like his father, killing the dreams of the two. That was what the whole Dinosaur thing was supposed to be, he was trying to show them its ok to be yourself sometimes if it makes you happy.

The ending did seem a bit rushed though I think it was meant to be longer but got cut down quite a bit. Although I could be wrong

[–] glennurban 14 years ago

The ending is probably the best part of the movie.

"I traveled 500 miles to give you my seed."

[–] hecantune 14 years ago

At the point where they all split up and leave the house it does get a bit dry. However, Brennan's performance at the Catalina Wine Mixer* completely redeems the end for me.

I thought Robert finally accepting Dale and Brennan for who they were was a nice touch.

*[insert obligatory "POW!"]

A tiny net is a death sentence. It's a net and its tiny!