Universal Remote (I) (2007) User Reviews (5)

A largely laugh-free sketch 'comedy'

[movieman_kev · 2/10 · 7 April 2009]

First of all if, by looking at the supposed plot to this movie, your mind immediately jumps to the memorable "Stay Tuned" starring the late great John Ritter, you'll be extremely disappointed in this film. It's not anything like that film. Yes two people get sucked into 'television land', but the similarities start & stop there. The two friends are merely an excuse to get into the TV. Instead this is Gary Hardwick's (Deliver us from Eva, the Brothers) lame attempt at a sketch comedy film (with too much emphasis on the former part of that equation and sadly not nearly enough laughs derived from the latter). I initially watched this just for Charlie Murphy (who was always funny on The Chapelle Show) and the fact that it was on Netflix instant viewing so I didn't have to go out of my way to see it. Well Murphy isn't close to being in top form here and his screen time is kind of sparse. And the majority of the skits fall flat on their faces. So much so if one were to just watch the skits that were funny you'd be able to 'see' the film in under 5 minutes.

My Grade: D-

Not very funny

[imdb-21622 · 3/10 · 11 June 2009]

This movie is along the lines of Kentucky Fried Movie. It's a series of comedy sketches.

The writing is simply not funny.

For example, there was a segment involving etiquette in the bedroom. Now that was a potentially funny concept. But they failed completely to come up with anything original or even funny.

Another sketch was about encouraging black athletes to "associate with" black women as black athletes skills were supposedly going down by having children with white women.

The movie is filled with unfunny stereotypical driven humor. Now they seem to be going out of their way to attempt to make fun of stereotypes in many segments, such as a segment about a gay mafia. And fail.

This movie is an unfunny as the last unfunny comedy I saw, Epic movie.

Comedy is hard to do. It's very easy to fail to be funny. And this movie easily manages to not be funny.

The only segment that was kind of funny was the scene where the DVD was on trial and DVR was called as a witness.

The quality of the actors seemed good in many cases, actually. So I blame the writing completely.

Now, maybe some people under 20 under chemical influence might find this funny. But I would think they could find much funnier movies.

meh... failed attempt at anti-PC'ness

[ktyson9426 · 24 September 2013]

I have no problems with vulgar, insulting, or racist humor so it's not like this movie shocked me or it ever offended me.... It simply wasn't funny.

I can almost see the writers sitting in a room convincing each other their lame skits were hilarious or controversial. The only thing I found remotely humorous was "The most offensive song ever written" skit. I got a snicker or two out of it.

I recognized a couple actors in it. Mostly either from old movies like the guy from Airplane or the other guy from Star Trek Voyager, but don't let the fact you might recognize their names as a reason to watch it. I'm sure they're embarrassed by it, and it was strictly a paycheck.

I also saw this had an estimated budget of $1,000,000. Either someone stole $950,000 of that money, or it was someones tax write off cause it obviously didn't go towards the writing, directing or acting.

Unless you have this or an informercial to pick between for something to watch. I'd say pick this.... depending on what the infomercial is.

Finally an Anti-PC movie!

[Don Muvo · 5/10 · 6 February 2010]

If you understand the silliness in political correctness, thus are a hip person, this is not a bad movie from that perspective. It's nice to see Robert Hayes in his role of a slightly perverted Ob/Gyn (slightly, is that even possible?) Then there's D.C. Douglas as the slightly-straight narrator.

If you're even a little bit anti-PC, there's a chance that you might understand this movie. It has gay bits, negro bits, lots of white, etc. I mean where are you going to see all this in only one movie?

My favorite scene is the quiz show, when the object of answering the question is not to get bitch-slapped. The questions all require a fair knowledge of racial stereotyping to be answered correctly, so the white liberal contestant only takes a couple of rounds to understand what part of her mind she has to reference to get the correct answers and thus beat her, at first, more street-smart opponent - hilarious!

There are drawbacks, like the limited acting of Charles Q. Murphy, nevertheless this pastiche from the hand of the director of Deliver Us from Eva, is a must-see for the PC-challenged.

Laughing My Behind Off

[infinitemagnificent · 7/10 · 8 February 2013]

Slapstick Comedy, quick "Hollywood shuffle" Esq type short sketches throughout. I hate corny comedies. but this one had enough variety to keep me engaged. the Jesus animation was hilarious. If you can keep up with the scene changes. this is a movie for you. Especially if you are a "Hollywood Shuffle" fan. this is right up your alley. warning my friends don't think I pick the best movies. I just love to laugh. Now I have to keep writing to make 10 lines so that this review will post. I think I am at Nine. so there is a music video also called "white guy" that is funny too. I can appreciate good writing, which this doesn't have but there are some good actors that pull "it" off.