Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie User Reviews

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"I honor you, I honor our friendship, and I honor our love."

Disclaimer: if you have not seen anything done by Tim and Eric, watch 2-3 skits of theirs on YouTube. Do some research. Know what we're dealing with here. Ins. Outs. Ups. Downs. Directions.

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If it works, it isn’t broken, and if it isn’t broken, don’t bother fixing it. This is the philosophy by which Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim work by and I hope will continue to live by as they develop as comedians and comedic filmmakers. Their first full feature, Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie, isn’t much of a movie as it is what I would consider a full season of Tim and Eric’s Awesome Show Great Job! played in full with one overarching storyline. Coherency is a nonissue at all times concerning narrative importance, and even with the humor, but in comparison to the duo’s past work, it is definitely much easier to follow. And yet, their polarizing style stays strong and true, which I admire, even though many wont. "Tim and Eric" is becoming the label of a style that only a few, if any at all, have been able to capture outside of the titular pioneers, and I hope that they don’t change for anyone.

Tim and Eric are kinda dumb. How these two would manage to get a billion dollars, no less from a seemingly smart rich-man is beyond me. But they did it, and did it to make a movie. Which they did. They made a three minute movie, wherein their names appear as credits during 2/3s of it, it stars a Johnny Depp look-alike, and is based on a poem by their spiritual counselor, Jim Joe Kelly (Zach Galifianakis.) Surely enough, the investors hate it and snarl threats that if Tim and Eric can't make back the money they wasted (on much more than just the film), then they're deader than dead can be. The two, down on their luck, get stupid and drunk. Whilst urinating the alcohol out of their system, they notice an advertisement by mall tycoon Damien Weebs (Will Ferrel), stating that whoever is willing to run his mall, the S'wallow Valley Mall, will surely receive exactly one billion dollars. Of course Tim and Eric take up this offer, of course they do. After a make-over, arriving at the mall, and discovering that it is practically a stones-throw away from collapse or explosion, they are forced to watch Top Gun twice with Weebs, followed by witnessing him dash away, leaving the two in custody of this... place. There, as they try and revamp the mall in effort to get that billion dollars, they try and fend of a wolf in the old Pizza Court (yes), Eric falls in love, Tim steals a new son, and they're both toured and assisted by Taquito, a 100% unhealthy and feral manchild, played by John C. Reilly in the most daring role of his career. What the hell can go wrong? Everything. Everything can go wrong in every way imagineable.

Irreverent, gross, and audacious are the names of the game here, and if you’re into pretty much everything these two do, and are in on the joke(s) at hand, you won’t be disappointed. Fan or not, though, this… thing can definitely suffer from drag. Whether if it’s in the jokes, the whole attitude of it all, or the overall story, it’s around the middle that this film sadly becomes a bit trying. It’s a shame, too, because I feel that there is potential here. Tim and Eric have proved that they have a lot of clever things up their sleeves, absurdist or just plain smart, and I feel like they can pull off a genuinely good comedy film. Billion Dollar Movie is hard to classify as a film, as mentioned before, but if you have seen the duo’s short film “Father and Son”, then you should know that fully arched story mixed in with insanity is possible, specifically from these guys. It just so happens that Billion Dollar Movie acts as a kind of excited showcase to get a lot of these excellent ideas out at once. In addition to the familiar kind of voice that the two sport in all ways, they bring on an even more meta-physical level of awareness to this film, with breaking the fourth wall constantly and brilliantly so, in increasingly clever and face-palm-worthy ways. Yes, I think that the movie slows down toward the middle, but not to such a crippling degree that it will ruin the whole experience for those who will surely be fans. If anything, it’s just exhausting because of how ridiculous and absolutely hilarious things have been and are becoming- in my book, that’s not an awful thing.

In terms of handling much more cinematic work, Heidecker and Wareheimer (yes) know how to adapt their normally low-fi and nightmarishly edited and animated visions into much clearer sights and sounds. Though still disgusting and gutbustingly face-punching, cinematographer Rachel Morrison not only managed to make a good looking movie, but knew how to capture all the kind of mind-boggling occurrences and moments you are so lucky to be subjected to. The camera knows what to focus on, as well as what to keep subtle and out of focus at times, because God knows that Tim and Eric like their subtlety, which they pull off with their own level of ease and cleverness in visual and editorial-gaggery. Sometimes the camera is still, letting the hyper-vein popping actions drive the humor, in a weird, cooperative way. Of course, unnecessary subtitles, nonsensical cross-fading into random shots of horses, green-screen antics, and all the gag-worthy audio-fun that they like to indulge in are all present here, and welcome… for the people who think that stuff is pure, inspired genius, like myself. If you don’t know by now, the population of so who appreciates this kind of stuff is equally as big as those who think it is deplorable and worthy of hell-fire cleansing. But sometimes, it feels like messing with those people is kind of part of the point.

What is the most peculiar matter at hand here is the matter of if one will enjoy this film. I personally don’t know how this movie will play out to non-fans of Tim and Eric. In fact, I’m kind of scared of how those people would react to this movie. With actors like Zach Galifianakis, Will Ferrel, Will Forte, John C. Reilly, Robert Loggia, William Atherton,Jeff Goldblum and so many more (celebrity or... not) undertow for the fun, it seems like an easier sell (not saying easy overall) to a broad audience. Broad audiences have no idea what the hell they’re in for, and you know, I actually kind of love that. Those aforementioned comedic actors are totally in that insane zone that one would get into for working with Tim and Eric, but these sensibilities that are almost entirely necessary for being able to tolerate and enjoy are hard to come by.

Acquired taste is a weird statement, but it’s totally an acquired taste. I guarantee that many will hate this movie, most definitely, so. The humor in here will piss off many, as will the sheer gall shared and sported by Tim and Eric, in that they think this would amuse people. The thing is that yes, it will amuse plenty in the same sense that something like Wet Hot American Summer did, but to a much more specific crowd, which is definitely saying something. The fact that the humor is so directed toward specific likings isn’t the greatest sign of growth, but it’s still admirable of the duo and for the fans. Because the fact that this will upset and alienate so many is actually part of the joke, in some sick, twisted, loving sense.

Let’s state this again, just to make sure people will be truly careful in deciding if they’ll watch or not- TIM AND ERIC’S BILLION DOLLAR MOVIE IS ONLY FOR FANS. So help you God if you even bother trying to watch this if you don’t love Tim and Eric’s voice and vision with all of your heart. You’re only going to hurt yourself, and piss into the fire that Tim and Eric lovers, along with Tim and Eric thrive off of and cackle around as you cry in misunderstanding. And just that kind of reverence for all things purely terrible and goofily-face-melting is what I love about this movie. Tim and Eric don’t have a care in the world except for wanting to make you laugh as much as they laughed at this kind of stuff. Billion Dollar Movie is exactly what one would expect in a full feature from these two, though I definitely feel that there’s something more inside of them- I hope they don't change, but only improve, so more audiences can maybe appreciate them... though I find that almost impossible in every given way, sorry. If anything, this is a blue-print for something even more special to come down the poop-coated pipes some day soon. It just so happens that this showcase of madness is entertaining and hardcore enough in its attitude and what it pulls off, making it a worthy watch for those worthy, willing, and in want of more and more Tim and Eric. Otherwise, stay the hell away from this.

From someone who constantly wants more absurdity to bathe and soak in, Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie gets a 4/5. Again. Agreement will only come from the fans, so be sure, or be courageous with an open mind... a REALLY open mind. God speed to you.

Oh, and for the love of Jesus, Mary, AND Joseph, no matter who you are, do not participate in the ways of SHRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIM.