Danielle Solzman
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga completely wastes its talent in one of the worst films of the year heading into the midway point.
This film was never going to be on Will Ferrell’s greatest hits. It certainly will not be featured on the list of Rachel McAdams’ greatest roles. The two reunite with their Wedding Crashers director but are unable to replicate on that film’s success. It’s not a good sign when you look at the clock a half hour into the film and realize there are still over 90 minutes remaining. Some films deserve their two other run time while others could be drastically shorter. This film could really be drastically shorter!
Icelandic musicians Lars Erickssong (Will Ferrell) and Sigrit Ericksdottir (Rachel McAdams) get the chance of the lifetime to represent Iceland in Eurovision. This isn’t American Idol or The Voice. It’s the biggest song competition on the global scale. To put it simply, it’s a fricking big deal. While they have the opportunity to live their dreams, the film drags by rather slowly. Because it’s a comedy, there’s certainly bound to be some roadblocks to prevent them from achieving their dreams. They could have done so with a shorter run time.
Anyway, Lars obsesses over winning the song competition. It’s so much that he wouldn’t be able to notice love when it looks him in the eye. Anyway, Lars and Sigrit formed Fire Saga as a result of their childhood friendship. It started in 1974 after watching ABBA singing “Waterloo” during Eurovision in 1974. While Mamma Mia actor Pierce Brosnan is in the cast, we don’t get the benefit of him singing.
Will Fire Saga make their native fishing village of Húsavík, Iceland proud by winning the biggest music competition on the planet? You’ll just have to wait and see.
Will Ferrell plays a man-child here but it’s one of those films where either you love him or you don’t. Maybe he would benefit from another director but I don’t know. I honestly had a struggle with keeping my attention while watching the film. I’d love to see Ferrell and McAdams team up again in another (shorter) comedy to try and prove me wrong.
I should also note that filmmaker David Dobkin hasn’t exactly had a winning streak of late. Come to think of it, he hasn’t made a good film since Wedding Crashers. It kind of makes you wonder why he gets chance after chance when so many women struggle to get financing on their sophomore films.
It’s not unfair to say that Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga drags by way too slowly.
DIRECTOR: David Dobkin
SCREENWRITERS: Will Ferrell and Andrew Steele
CAST: Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Dan Stevens, Melissanthi Mahut, Mikael Persbrandt, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Graham Norton, Demi Lovato, and Pierce Brosnan
