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Micitype Pretty Good

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

ElijahCSkuggs Sour Grapes. The movie I wanted to love. Damn. Larry David's first directorial debut was a film I was entirely amped up to see. Being a huge fan of Seinfeld and Curb, like most of you, this is a must see film. But unfortunately it didn't even come close to meeting my expectations.The flick revolves around two cousins, where one wins the jackpot on a slot machine from two of the other cousins quarters. The winning cousin doesn't see that he should share any money with his money-sharing cousin. What follows is lots of bickering, and silly situations.So, the plot is pretty on par with a Curb episode. But this is where the problem and solution arises. Only Larry David himself can bring his own Curb-type humor to fruition. The two leads were good, they brought their own style, but the writing is so incredibly Larry David, it's all you compare them to. It's so damn obvious Larry should have played the winning cousin. But nevertheless, he didn't and the film suffered by it. Larry did make an appearance as a t.v. big wig, and like always stole the scene.It's weird, I didn't hate the movie, but I didn't really like it either. Nothing truly funny, though there were a few giggles here and there. But the story was predictable, the actors didn't fit their roles and there wasn't enough L.D. Though I'll still say this is a must-see for all Larry David fans. The writing and humor is there, but it just goes to show, casting is incredibly important. No wonder Larry started his own show and made himself the lead. Genius.

Stephen Johnson There are many reasons why people didn't like the film, craziness, too much music, bad acting but the problem when people when they saw this they didn't think families can act like this but Larry must have based it off of life because it happens! My family too broke up over money and principle (though we screamed more than this movie has), until recently we hadn't talked and wound up meeting on a funny way and solved our differences. This gave me a laugh when I saw the similarities. This movie has a good width and length.Another complaint was the music which runs on for a bit but is really catchy and get's you in the mood of an opera.If you like Steven Webber from Wings you'll get this as well as Craig Bierko who was up for Chandler in Friends(which is also spoofed here.)Overall, a funny movie for David fans, though some will differ. Also look out for Larry David in a few cameos.

sotfinoski If I had believed all the negative on-line reviews for this film, I probably never would have rented it. But I'm very glad I didn't pay heed. While "Sour Grapes" may not quite reach the comedic heights of Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" on HBO, there's enough of David's hilarious, mean-spirited, offbeat humor to please any fan of his classic comedy series (oh, yeah, and Seinfeld fans, too). The circuitous way the plot unfolds and then crazily accelerates is very much in the style of both series and the two leads, especially the under-appreciated Craig Bierko,are great. Director and writer David takes perfect aim at such diverse targets as overbearing mothers (the actress in this part is wonderful), dutiful sons, feckless sitcom stars, brain surgeons (who shouldn't fiddle around with testicles), and homeless people. I can see why this film was a flop at the box-office. Larry David is an acquired taste and better suited to a niche audience on cable. But if you like anything else he's done, you shouldn't miss this overlooked little beauty.

chconnol You could almost call "Sour Grapes", "Seinfeld: The Movie". A lot of the rhythm is like the show expanded (and with profanity) to 90 minutes. The plot is sitcom-ville but it's workable and serves as a good setup. Two cousins, Evan (Steve Weber) and Richie (Criag Bierko) travel to Atlantic City. When Richie runs out of money for a gambling machine and asks Evan for two quarters, Richie ends up winning a jackpot. Evan feels he's entitled to half of the loot but Richie feels differently. From there the plot escalates as each enacts some kind of revenge and relates his feelings to his friends, co-workers and family with sides being taken and a lot of very expressive opinions being made by all. Now, some of the banter works quite well. For example, there's a well done scene where Evan (who's a doctor of some sort) doesn't want to see any patients (for reasons that are too complex to go into but suffice to say it involves the removal of some vital male structures). He asks his receptionist to tell all the patients waiting to go. She asks him should she tell them individually or as a group? The exchange is pure, classic Larry David and it's played with such understatement that it's a joy. Another bit later on involves Larry David himself (in a toupee!!) playing a brash `Hollywood' type who somehow gets into how Eskimos would handle punishment. But as the plot escalates into more and more bizarre situations and setups, the film becomes strained and the comedy suffers. As Director and Writer, Larry David weaves so many characters and plot elements into the mix that he seems desperate to come up with an ending that will pull all the strings together in a satisfying way. Like many of even the best of the `Seinfeld' episodes, he simply ends the movie with a drab almost eventless ending that feels like a cheat. With all that came before it, we feel that we deserve some kind of big ending. Though it's not a great movie, Stanley Kramer's `It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World' had a `big' ending that felt exactly right in contrast to all the "madcap" elements that came before it no matter how forced and unfunny. Maybe David felt he was being revolutionary or something in not giving into the basic comedic instinct for this kind of ending. But we're talking about low comedy not high art.The performances are fine. Steven Weber is a good comedic actor. His yuppie handsomeness is perfect for David's lines and he underplays certain scenes wonderfully. You can see his shock registering every times something goes wrong and he wonders how he got into all of this. Craig Bierko overplays a lot of his scenes by mugging but given the nature of his character (he's basically selfish and obnoxious) it's consistent and he never lets up on it. One thing you cannot fault David is his casting of African-Americans and older actors even if they are all supporting roles. And he gives them lines and situations that have comedic punch. Overall, `Sour Grapes' is watchable, passable, entertainment. Not a great movie comedy but it certainly has it's moments.