SAY IT ISN’T SO

US, 2001, 95 minutes, Colour.
Chris Klein, Heather Graham, Orlando Jones, Sally Field, Richard Jenkins, John Rothman, Jack Plotnik, Eddie Cibrian, Mark Pellegrino.
Directed by J.B. Rogers.

We know now that the Farrelly Brothers enjoy physical comedies, bodily function jokes and farce on taboo subjects. They are only the producers here, giving a helping hand to their regular editor, J.B.Rogers, in his directorial debut. So, it's much the same thing though not with the flair the Farrellys have developed from Dumb and Dumber to There's Something About Mary and Me, Myself, Irene.

Chris Klein is a genial dead-animal collector who falls in love with a daffy but dangerous-with-scissors hairdresser, played like a good sport by Heather Graham. He then finds out she is his sister so plenty of unsubtle jokes about that. After all kinds of harrowing misadventures, all ends well except for Sally Field's reputation. She overplays the mom from Hell who will stop at nothing to climb the social ladder.
Not as offensive as you might fear, but not as funny as you might hope.

1. A comedy, satire? Its broad style, subjects for humour? Romantic?

2. The Farrelly brothers as producers, their irreverent style of comedy, eccentric characters, situations, bodily function jokes? Disability jokes? The focus in this film on brother-sister relationship and people’s reactions?

3. Gilbert Noble, a good young man, his quiet life in Indiana, his work with the animals, nerdish, not relating well to girls? Larry Falwell his outspoken boss, taunts? His friends? The story about Jo coming to town, going to get the haircut after the odd haircut of his friend?

4. Jo, cutting hair, talking with Gilbert, cutting his ear, to hospital, the after-effect? Her being accident-prone? Their being comfortable together, friendship, the dates? The sexual relationship? Sharing, being ready for marriage?

5. Jo and her character, naïve, the failed marriage, coming home, with her mother, the gold-digger, her disabled father? The gross-out comedy with the two parents, their language, attitudes? Their being against Gilbert? Their expressing their antipathy?

6. Gilbert and his friend researching his birth certificate? The information about Valdene being his mother? His reaction, Jo’s reaction, the reaction of the parents? People and their scoffing at Gilbert? Jo fleeing to Oregon? Gilbert staying, with his alleged parents, the friendship of Larry Falwell and his wife, the meals, the children, the outspoken talk? Gilbert’s growing his hair, changing appearance?

7. The manager, his friendship with Gilbert, the wife and family and their support?

8. Jo, the news of her fiancée, the planned marriage? Leon turning up, the genuine son? Gilbert being ousted?

9. Gilbert and his decision to go to Oregon to prevent the wedding, his driving, the legless Dig on the road, Dig and his personality, imposing on Gilbert, their becoming friends, driving to Oregon?

10. Oregon, the police force, Gina and her relationship with Jack, Jack as the boss of the town, his family and friends? His type, everybody kowtowing to him? The revelation of his drug dealing, keeping the law away? His hold over the police?

11. Valdene and her telling Jo that Gilbert was delusional, was imagining a brother? Leon and his settling into the house, Walter not really liking him? The type, needing a parent, his behaviour with the family?

12. Gilbert and his attempts to see Jo, her talking with him, but her believing her mother? Jack and his wanting to get rid of Gilbert? Asking his cousins and the toughs to use violent means to frighten him, get rid of him? His being put on a plane to Mexico, in Mexico, hitching his way back to Oregon?

13. The wedding, Gilbert’s various attempts to stop it, the shopkeepers and their support, reporting him, the police?

14. Leon’s arrival, Gilbert gone, Jo and her reaction to the truth?

15. The truth, the confrontations, Jack and his henchmen, the fights, the car crash? The scenes at the river? Leon assuming that Gilbert was dead?

16. The father, disabled, getting better, his not liking Leon, not liking Jack? His decision to tell the truth? Valdene, upset? Her fall and her injuries? The role reversals for mother and father?

17. Gilbert really being alive, reappearing? The wedding, the parents? The happy ending?

18. The silly ending with the new documents, and the actress Suzanne Somers arriving to claim to be Gilbert’s mother.