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film review

How many funny people can a single movie waste? That seems to be the question married filmmakers Jared and Jerusha Hess asked themselves when they set out to make Don Verdean, a comedy in name only. Like the couple's previous exercises in garish mockery (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, Gentlemen Broncos), this new film is built upon the notion that blue-collar folks with bad haircuts, worse wardrobes and naive idealism should be teased to the hilt. Nothing new here, especially when it means poking tedious fun at a down-and-out evangelical archeologist (Sam Rockwell) who tries to fool the world with his latest faux-discovery. Along the way, the film employs and immediately squanders the talents of legitimate comedy all-stars Amy Ryan, Danny McBride, Jemaine Clement and Will Forte. It's as blasphemous a move as anything Rockwell's character attempts. Remind me why we ever voted for Pedro?

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