After years of mediocre familial comedies Ferrell goes back to the well of his hayday, his Lars is essentially a version of his character in Blades Of Glory and the conceit, spoofing a particular cultural subset, makes this well trod ground. His performance is passable but it certainly makes you wonder what happened to the quiet emotional power of Stranger Than Fiction or even the magnetic gonzo ferocity of Talladega Nights. McAdams, as always, is effortlessly charming, emotionally committed, and funnier than her straight comedian counter part. She makes the movie work through sheer star power. Dan Stevens is another highlight, clearly relishing the opportunity to go big and Pierce Brosnan is a delight although his role is essentially a glorified cameo.
The costumes are wonderful, the bubblegum pop music is pretty catchy and their are a handful of actually great numbers. There's a laundry list of what are presumably European popular musicians that cameo and there is a sense of lightness and fun throughout but the presence of Ferrell makes the formula that much more stark, we have seen this movie from him a number of times a decade ago and although it isn't necessarily ineffective it is most definitely not fresh.
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