"The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" is the worn out story of a young boy discovering magic to make up for his inability to mesh well with society. His magic attracts another boy who is the only kid in school nerdier than he is and a magical friendship is born. Ten years later and the two of them are headlining one of the biggest hotels in Las Vegas. But in the present day, Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and his over inflated ego have more than taken their toll on his partner Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi). Their dated act is overshadowed by the sickening antics of an obnoxious street magician named Steve Gray (Jim Carrey). Now with a five year contract on the line, it's a magician's battle royal to see who can be proclaimed the king of Las Vegas.
This film is like one big, unfunny jab at Siegfried and Roy. The suggestive commentary becomes overwhelming only ten minutes in. You witness Burt and Anton's act a total of three times and it isn't anything to brag about the first time around. Are they taking volunteers for the hangman illusion? You might consider signing up just to make it easier to get away from this monstrosity sooner.
All of the humor rests on the shoulders of Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, and Jim Carrey who only seem to act like jackasses whenever the camera is put on them. The humor feels too juvenile to properly hit its mark. "Oh, I have to pee," "My bed is the biggest in Vegas," and "we've been together so long that I can't stand the sight of you." The rest of the time the comedy is just yelling and making stupid faces, which loses what little charm it had to begin with once Steve Gray doesn’t blink for like 72 hours and shoots pepper spray in his eyes.
Alan Arkin is the best part of this dog and pony show, but even he seems like he doesn't really want to be there. There are a few snicker worthy moments while Burt Wonderstone is trying to adjust to being poor and the restaurant scene where Burt and Anton are reunited is slightly humorous, but is really just expanded on from a bit in "Anchorman."
"The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" is the age old tale of out with the old and in with the new and is mostly just a groansfest from beginning to end. Grown individuals shouting at each other, stomping around, and acting childish when they don't get their way gets massively tiresome really fast and "Burt Wonderstone" doesn't know when to quit while it's ahead. "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" is just a delusional illusion of passable entertainment.
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