Martin and Lewis (2002)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Made-for-TV bio shows the rise and fall of Dean Martin (Jerry Northam) and Jerry Lewis' (Sean Hayes) working relationship, which made them a hit in movies and clubs but soon the two soured and their careers together ended. MARTIN AND LEWIS is a pretty entertaining film, all things considered. I'm sure a theatrical film could be even better as this here does seemed watered down at times but for the most part I think fans of the duo should enjoy this. One thing that greatly helps the film are the performances by the two leads. While it's impossible for anyone to actually do a Martin and Lewis performance, both Northam and Hayes at least get into the roles and deliver something that the viewer can at least accept as being the real people. It's hard to perform as someone so well known as these two men but I was still impressed with what we got. Northam really did a good job when it came time to show some of the demons that were haunting Martin. Hayes manages to do that maniac-style madness that Lewis has always been known for. The two of them also share some nice chemistry, which certainly comes across during the scenes where they're working together. I think the film works better when we're seeing the two off the stage as this is where most of the drama comes from. The stage acts are good but these here are certainly far away from the quality that the real Martin and Lewis delivered. The setting, costume and set designs and the atmosphere of the clubs are all right on the mark however.
