WILL Ferrell's comedy star seems to be waning as quickly as he churns out new movies.
He is still amusing (and he will always have Anchorman under his belt) but he seems to be delivering films so quickly, and to such a 'high concept' standard, that the comedy world he created in his best movies seems to be somewhat lacking.
That said, Step Brothers certainly has a decent share of laughs.
Ferrell and John C O'Reilly play, you guessed it, 40-year-old stepbrothers who end up sharing a room and bickering like children.
Their exasperated parents try and find them jobs, but the duo sabotage each attempt to make them behave like grown-ups.
For the first half-hour, the concept is definitely amusing, but the most successful Frat Pack comedies combine the gross-out gags with a certain sweetness – Knocked Up and Superbad are two examples.
The trouble with Step Brothers is that both the protagonists are so unlikeable.
This doesn't affect the jokes, but certainly affects an audience's appreciation of the film as a whole.
In fact, the most engaging characters are the parents – and, surprisingly, the main character's obnoxious brother who leads his family in a capella versions of Guns and Roses songs.
Ferrell should slow down, take his time and deliver his next film with a proper plot, script and character development.