By Jeff Swindoll Nov 9, 2006, 15:42 GMT
It would be easy to say that the “extra crap” loaded onto this edition was the movie…..nah that would be too easy.
Calvin (Marlon Wayans (head) and Linden Porco (body)) is a diminutive thief who has just been released from prison. He meets up with his doofus partner Percy (Tracy Morgan). Seems that Percy has a job for Calvin, but it’s in the profession that got him put in prison in the first place. Mobster Walken (Chazz Palminteri) wants our dynamic duo to steal a large diamond from a jewelry store.
Percy goes in and distracts the staff by playing up that he’s a rich and famous rapper looking for jewelry while Calvin (hidden in a duffel bag) snatches the jewel. Things seem to be going well till they get to the getaway car and they can’t get away. They run away on foot with the cops in hot pursuit. They duck into a pharmacy and Calvin has to ditch the jewel. He drops it into Vanessa’s (Kerry Washington) purse. Vanessa is there with her husband Darryl (Shawn Wayans). Seems they’ve been wanting to have a baby (well mainly Daryl), but Vanessa’s career keeps getting in the way. They live with Vanessa’s father (John Witherspoon). So our thieves get the bright idea that Calvin will pose as a doorstop orphan, get into the house, and find the diamond.
Do you like dirty diaper jokes? If so, then this might be the film for you. The Wayans definitely go for the comedic lows. The problem is that Calvin is a digital creation. I might’ve had a more enjoyable time if I weren’t so busy looking for the digital seams. I guess that it’s also in the contracts that a Wayans has to be employed in the role because I might’ve bought it more if they had cast a real little person in the role.
Don’t get me wrong, when you look at the special features you see that much time and effort was put into the creation of digital Calvin. I’m just not sure that Marlon’s mugging was the best way for the character to go. When you also look at the special features, you discover that Linden Porco (who played the body of Calvin before digital “enhancement”) is full of charisma - too bad that he wasn’t just used in the role. The show is supposed to be a low comedy, so don’t expect Shakespeare.
Little Man is presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Special features include a commentary by the Wayans Brothers. There’s also the 15 minute “Big Comedy: The making of Little Man.” It has interviews with Shawn Wayans, director Keenan Ivory Wayans, Kerry Washington, Marlon Wayans, producer Rick Alvarez, John Witherspoon, actress Brittany Daniel, actor Lochlyn Munro, Tracy Morgan, producer Lee R. Mayes, Rob Schneider (who has a cameo), Molly Shannon (cameo as well), Chazz Palminteri, costume designer Jori Woodman, production designer Leslie Dilly, actor Fred Stoller, and director of photography Steven Bernstein.
Next is the 14 minute “From the Ground Up: the special effects of Little Man.” It interviews most of the folks above but adds Linden Porco, digital effects producer Uel Horrman, photo effects producer Rob Yamamoto, editor Mike Jackson, and visual effects producer Mark Sherwood. Next is the 11 minute “Linden’s World” that focuses on the charismatic Linden Porco. It interviews his dad Ken Porco, mom Allayne Proco, sister Amanda Konrad, and actors John DeSantis and Dave Sheridan.
The 3 minute “Method or Madness” features the cast pretending that they really shrunk Marlon for the role and he kept shrinking….silly stuff. There’s also 28 minutes of deleted and extended scenes. Finally there’s some previews for other Sony DVDs.
Little Man is not exactly a comedic masterpiece, but it might amuse if it catches you in the right frame of mind. The special effects are close to top notch but you wonder if it might’ve worked better if they used the real thing instead of manufacturing Calvin. Wayans just goes a little too over the top (though that was not completely unexpected). The extras are rather generous and interesting and you’ll come away wishing to see more of Linden Porco.
Little Man (Loaded with Extra Crap Edition) is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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