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by Andy Moseley - reprinted with permission from the March 25, 2002, edition of The George-Anne Only in "Rat Race" can Cuba Gooding, Jr., the guy who played Mr. Bean, and a cast of Lucy wannabes come together and be so funny. Gooding leads an all-star cast including "Mr. Bean" Rowan Atkinson, John Cleese, Whoopi Goldberg, Jon Lovitz, and Seth Green. Cleese portrays Donald P. Sinclair, a multi-millionaire Las Vegas casino owner. Bored from just watching locals gamble their savings away, Sinclair decides to give a select group of fellow millionaires a bigger contest. He gives a group of random casino-goers a chance to race for a big cash reward. Meanwhile, the millionaires sit back and watch, betting on which of the unknowing racers will make it to the prize first. The racers choose various ways and techniques to travel cross-country and find the prize. At one point, Lovitz and his family drive Hitler's car. Gooding stands in as a bus driver going to an "I Love Lucy" convention. Goldberg and her daughter meet up with a crazed woman selling squirrels. Atkinson meets up with "Seinfeld" alumni Wayne Knight and they travel via ambulance. That is just a small sample of the ways the cast battle it out to find the money. In some of the funniest parts of the movie, shots are shown of Cleese and his fellow millionaires passing the time by doing other human wagers. For the most part, the cast really fits in with the movie. Cleese and his shiny white teeth are perfect as a cheesy millionaire. Lovitz is brilliant as the father of an average family which just happens to have no idea, outside of himself, that the reason they are travelling across the nation is because they are part of a giant race. After this movie, it is truly a wonder why there are not more movies starring Lovitz. He is still as funny as he was in the "Saturday Night Live" days. While not good enough to win him another Academy Award, Gooding plays his part well. As a football referee who blew a coin toss on national television, he gets into loads of trouble on his way to the money. |
Rat Race: Cuba Gooding Jr., among a cast of some of Hollywood's finest, stars in a film about 7 groups of people all racing to win a two million dollar prize from famed casino baron Donald Sinclair (John Cleese). (Internet Photo) The duo of Breckin Meyer and Amy Smart play off of each other well the entire movie. Meyer's character does not believe in the contest at first until he meets Smart in an airport. Smart, naturally, happens to be a helicopter pilot. Go figure! After watching the movie, one has to feel for the guy Smart was dating before meeting Meyer. Seth Green, in what is pretty much his trademark role, plays a young slacker alongside Vince Vieluf. Vieluf has apparently all but butchered his tongue by trying to pierce it himself (there's a lesson for you kids out there). The gag is funny for the first ten minutes or so but is very tired by the end of the movie. On the other hand, the movie probably could've done without Goldberg. She adds nothing except a couple of jokes. Whoopi, Bruce Villanch is calling you and you're needed back in the center square. Atkinson does not come off as very humorous either, despite numerous attempts to make him do so. His character is almost exactly the same as the horrid Mr. Bean character. He talks in mumbles and does little quirky faces, which do not really bring the feeling of laughter anywhere near. Extra thumbs up go to bit player Kathy Bates, who plays the woman selling squirrels on the side of the road. She is hilarious and should have been cast in place of Goldberg. Director Jerry Zucker did a fine job with "Rat Race." Overall, the ending seemed pretty weak, but did not take too much away from the rest of the movie. Check out "Rat Race," which is now available on video and DVD. |
