June Jokefest Day 6: My Top 5 Favourite Bottom Episodes

Okay, here's one thing you should know about me: I love Britcoms. Fawlty Towers, The IT Crowd, Mr Bean,Mrs Brown's Boys, Open All Hours, Blackadder , The Young Ones, I love them. So many of them are funny, smart, and in my opinion, offer so much more than American sitcoms. And for me, no one did it better than Rik Mayall and Ade Edmonson. And it's their 1991 series Bottom that happens to be my favourite sitcom. Where the hell do I begin? Dark, weird, funny, bizarre, spontaneous and borderline offensive, Bottom never fails to get a laugh out of me. It's an acquired taste admittedly, but in terms of comedy television, they don't get much funnier for me. For those who don't know, Bottom revolves around two men living in a rundown flat. That's kind of it. These two though, are ridiculously over the top comic characters. There's Richie, an arrogant, perverted madman who constantly attempts to act cultured and refined, but always fails. And then there's Eddie, a crazed, violent drunk always trying to make some money. As you can imagine, this premise leads to some outrageously over the top situations. Even if it only got eighteen episodes, this show is full to the brim with so many funny moments. Hell, every episode could be called the best one. But, if you're looking to start, try these five. They're what I'd consider to be the funniest, most creative, and best written episodes of this hilarious show. So, let's get going!

5. Digger (Season 2, Episode 1)

This episode revolves around Richie being matched up with a viscountess via a matchmaking service, leading to a perfect portrayal of his depraved, inept and perverted nature. Rik Mayall runs wild with his portrayal of Richie here, leading to so many memorable gags and lines stemming from his desperate attempts to have any sort of class. I especially like the running gag where every single one of Richie's pick up lines always come back to only complimenting the woman's blouse. Eddie as the butler is great as well, with his hilariously double entendre laden dialogue. And the ending is absolutely hysterical too. If there was an episode to showcase how disgusting these two are, it's probably this one. Probably.

4. Parade (Season 2, Episode 4)

If you ever want to see why Rik Mayall is regarded as a fantastic comic, watch this episode. In Parade, Eddie and Richie try to make money off of betting on Sad Ken, a horse that, despite having 100/1 odds, is certain to win. For me, Rik Mayall makes this episode. From his insane (and fake) stories of his time in the Falklands, to his ridiculous attempts at flirting with a barmaid, his outrageous plan to steal a man's wooden leg, it's all here, and it's hilarious. He's at his comedic best here, with this perfect balance of hilarious dialogue and fantastic physical comedy. The ending is wonderfully absurd too, but I won't spoil it here. It's an episode that perfectly demonstrates why Rik Mayall was such a legend.

3. Hole (Season 3, Episode 1)

I think you can get a lot of comedy out of a group of characters trapped in a small environment, and Hole is the perfect example of that. Eddie and Richie get trapped on the tallest ferris wheel in Western Europe, the day before it's going to be demolished. This episode works because of Mayall and Edmonson's incredible comedic chemistry. The two bounce of each other perfectly here, with some of the funniest dialogue on television. It's also just one scene, by the way. And it makes that format work, setting the episode in real time,a further testament to the fantastic writing.The episode is light on slapstick sure, but it doesn't need it. The writing here is more than enough, offering some of the biggest laughs of the whole series. The ending is hilarious too. It's so clever, so wonderfully dark, and ends the episode on a comedic high.

2. 's Out (Season 2, Episode 6)

Most quotable episode ever. I could just list all the best lines here, but I can't give them away. This was the first episode of Bottom I watched, and in it Eddie and Richie goes camping. It's absolutely mental. This episode is possibly the most comically violent episode of the show, with poles in eyes, heads getting torched, and darts in various places galore. It's madness, but it's glorious madness. This is the episode I recommend starting with, because it gives you the perfect idea of what this show is. Once you understand that there's nothing TO understand, you'll most likely enjoy it. This episode is just fun. Mental, surreal, violent fun that never fails to make me smile.

1. Gas (Season 1, Episode 2)

Wow. Just... wow. This is it for me, the funniest episode of TV. Ever. The plot here is that Richie and Eddie have rigged their gas pipe up to their neighbour's meter. The gas man comes around to check it out, and worried that they'll be found out, Richie and Eddie... actually, you know what? I'm not going to say what happens next. It's so absurdly funny that you have to watch this episode to find it out for yourself. It's just Bottom at it's best. So funny, so memorable, so fantastically written. Every joke here hits the mark, spoken or physical. It's a wonderful episode that encapsulates everything good about Bottom. Just go watch it. It's so worth it.

June Jokefest Day 5: Raising Arizona (1987)

I'm a huge Coen Brothers fan, and this may not be my favourite film of theirs, but damn if it isn't the funniest. I think that Nicolas Cage gets a reputation that I honestly feel is slightly unfair. Okay, yeah, I'm not his biggest fan or anything, and yeah some of his performance are absolutely batshit crazy, but I honestly think that he's done some great stuff, with my favourite of his films definitely being Raising Arizona. It's a movie so crazy, so weird and so utterly ridiculous, that I can't help but find it so incredibly funny. The premise alone is absolutely mental. Basically, Hi a thief and Ed, a policewoman get married, and move into a caravan in the desert. They want to have kids, but she's infertile, and they can't adopt because he's a got a criminal record. So they steal a kid. They. Steal. A. Kid. The catch? The baby they steal is one of the area's prized Arizona Quintuplets. Things get more complicated when two of Hi's prison buddies break out and move in with the couple, Hi begins to go back to his old way, his job becomes threatened, and a bounty hunter comes after the two. Yeah, this movie is absolute chaos, but it's hard not to love.

It's this energy that the film has that makes me love it. It's always on the move, constantly escalating, changeng, getting crazier and crazier, until the madcap climax. It's so much fun to watch, and that's where the laughs come in. With a setup like that, you end up with some fantastically odd scenes, or scenes that start normal, and escalate into sheer madness. The best word to describe it is wild, because that's what it is, it's wild, it's unpredictable, and it's so fun. It's like going on a crazy journey, one so unlike anything else you've ever seen, one that you'll probably never get anywhere else. The Coen brothers have this knack for making all of their films completely different in style, tone and plot, and this is undoubtedly there most off the wall film (though it has competition there, trust me.)

This however, is a double edged sword. As fun as the insanity of the plot is, it can make the film somewhat messy. It tends to get carried away in it's own madness, which, yeah, can often be a problem. I don't know, this film can often lose focus because of how crazy it gets, which, yeah, can be so much fun, but also takes away from the plot. And I know, it's a comedy, but this one puts emphasis on the story and characters, and the situations they find themselves in, and some setpieces escalate a little too much. It gets distracting, and takes takes away from the film sometimes for me, which yeah, is definitely my main problem here.

However, the film makes up for it with how much heart it has. Everything in this film always comes back to how much Hi and Ed love each other. Even when they doubt each other throughout the film (which is spectacularly handled by the way), the film remains positive. The ending actually slows down, doesn't deliver any jokes, just wraps up the film in a very sweet, very fitting way. The charm of this film plays into the comedy too. Because of of much focus the film puts on the relationship between each of the characters, it can combine this with it's madcap humour, exaggerating it beyond all belief, which leads to so many fun situations. And equally, the comedy can lend to the more heartwarming moments too particularly when (SPOILER ALERT!) Hi and Ed give the kid back. The oddness and absurdity is pointed out, but it remains a strong story moment. It's little touches like these that cement the Coen Brothers as great filmmakers.

And, Nicolas Cage. Oh boy. Right, well, one thing I can say is that it's one of the few films where he actually plays a character, not himself, and he's good. I'm not a big fan of his trademark style, as fun and over the top as it can be. He proves here that he definitely can be a talented (intentional) comic, delivering some pretty great lines, and some superb physical comedy. So, you know what, forget all the memes, all the weird moments, all the bees, this is a good Nicolas Cage performance. Not a bizarrely exaggerated one, or an unintentionally funny one, a legitimately solid performance. Who knew?

Look, Raising Arizona is a wild ride. One that's fun, crazy and absolutely hilarious. IT gets madder and madder, but always stays fun. Yeah, it loses focus, or gets too wrapped up in it's own antics, but it's anchored down by it's massive heart, good script, and, surprisingly, Nicolas Cage. Give it a watch. Soundtrack's not bad either.

 

June Jokefest Day 4: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)

Here's a movie that I feel isn't really talked about maybe as much as it should be. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, a film that sees Michael Caine and Steve Martin of all people on screen together. Michael Caine plays Lawrence Jamieson, a suave, sophisticated conman who cheats rich, corrupt women out of their money. He runs into Freddie Benson, played by Steve Martin, and arrogant and foolish crook who swindles pretty much everyone he meets just to get by. Jamieson takes Benson under his wing (with ulterior motives, naturally) and mentors him in the art of the swindle. The two however, decide that there aren't enough targets in Beaumont-sur-Mer for the two of them, and compete against each other by seeing who can con an American heiress out of her money first. At the same time, Jamieson worries about an enigmatic con artist known only as The Jackal, who is pulling similar schemes to Jamieson.

The jokes here largely come from the fierce rivalry between Jamieson and Benson, and the different methods they use to try to cheat this woman out of her fortune. Throughout the film, we see the two become increasingly more unscrupulous means, and some of the lows these two stoop to makes for some fantastic comedy, especially when they screw each other over, which is constantly. The chemistry between the two, combined with Glenne Headly's charming performance as Janet Colgate, makes for some spectacular laughs. All three of them have this great presence on screen, and they play off each other incredibly well. They all have strong personality, which of course makes for some of the best laughs of the film.

Michael Caine in particular is superb. He's got this charming demeanor about him, despite playing an absolute scumbag. The film never portrays him as any different to Steve Martin by the way, even if he thinks he is. And that's another thing I love about his character. He sees himself as this noble thief, stealing from the wealthy and corrupt. This is a double edged sword, because on one hand, he does seem to have some kind of a conscience, but on the other, he might just be as corrupt as some of the people he swindles. He goes about his business in this elegant and charismatic manner, which I just find impossible to hate.

Steve Martin on the other hand, is, well, I'm not a fan of his anyway. Don't get me wrong, I respect him as a comic, I see why he's popular, and I understand why he was as successful as he was, but I am not a fan of his work. Not even here. I'm sorry, but this guy drags the film down for me. I just don't find him funny, and I'm not too sure why. Just something about his style doesn't work for me. I get the character that he's playing is a jackass, but even then, I don't think he makes it work here. And not only can it be done, it can be done well. Incredibly well. And for me Steve Martin just doesn't do it. He gets a laugh every once and a while (especially when he's posing as Jamieson's mentally challenged younger brother), but generally he just kind of annoys me. And yeah I praised him earlier, but that's only when he's playing off of Caine and Headly, which he does well. On his own though, I can't stand him. I know that maybe it's an unpopular opinion, but it's what stops me from calling this movie the funniest I've seen (foreshadowing).

Regardless, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels has a wonderful comedic script, tight direction, wonderful comic chemistry and is just a very funny film. Yes, it's brought down by Steve Martin, but it's saved by two things: Michael Caine and his wonderful comic timing, and the intelligent script, especially with it's twist ending (which I refuse to spoil here). Both work so well together that they make the movie irresistibly funny. I'd honestly say go see it, it's very funny. If you like Steve Martin, you'll probably get more out of it than I did, but if you're like me and you don't like Steve Martin, watch it anyway. There's enough in this movie for me to keep it fun, enjoyable, and most importantly, funny. So yeah, go and give it a watch. 

June Jokefest Day 3: My Top 5 Favourite Looney Tunes Shorts

I love Looney Tunes, so picking my 5 favourite shorts proved difficult, but not impossible, so let's get going!

5. What's Opera, Doc?

Of all the Elmer Fudd shorts, this one would probably be my favourite. It's a spoof of operas, with many jokes poking fun at all the tropes and clichés commonly seen in them. It's also pretty much the funniest Elmer vs. Bugs short, with strong wordplay, clever physical gags and some pretty fluid animation. I'd say that this is the best looking of the Looney Tunes shorts, with mind blowingly beautiful backrounds. Not to mention the surprisingly depressing ending, which I won't dare spoil. It's a classic, and with good reason.

4. Duck Amuck

The idea here is genius. Daffy Duck (my personal favourite character in Looney Tunes) gets into a fight with an animator. It's hard to describe all the crazy shit that happens next, but it's some of the best physical comedy I've ever seen. The escalating craziness combined with the creative visuals make this short absolutely unforgettable. It's crazy, it's fun, and it's hilarious. And the reveal at the end? Genius.

3. One Froggy Evening

Talk about a classic. A man finds a singing frog. Every time he tries to profit off the frog's talent, the frog stops singing. I love how the man is instantly punished every time his greed gets the better of him. It doesn't actually feature any trademark characters, but this was the first appearance of Michigan J. Frog, who was in assorted Looney Tunes media afterwards. I do find it odd that they never did an awful lot with this character after this short. Maybe they couldn't think of too many funny situations to put him in, I don't know. What I do know is that One Froggy Evening is a superb piece of comedy.

2. The Great Piggy Bank Robbery

That. Animation. This short has some of the funniest facial expressions of any animation I've seen. The plot here is that Daffy, after reading a Dick Tracy comic, imagines that he has to foil a dastardly plot to rob a load of piggy banks. Everything here, from the exaggerated facial expressions to the ridiculous villain names (I'm a Neon Noodle fan myself) is fantastic, and absolutely hilarious. The writing here is spot on, making for some of the funniest gags in Looney Tunes. It's also a great parody of crime stories like Dick Tracy, affectionately spoofing a whole load of different aspects of them. This one's a must see.

1. Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2 Century

As I said, I'm a huge Daffy Duck fan. And this short is awesome. So awesome that it got its own series. The jokes here all hit bullseyes, like the disintegrating pistol that lives up to its name a little too well. This short is great, almost too funny for words, and features Daffy at his absolute best. It wasn't an easy decision, but Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2 Century is my favourite Looney Tunes short.

June Jokefest Day 2: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

It's honestly hard to know what I can really even say about this film that hasn't already been said. I know that I'm supposed to give my thoughts on this film, but what can you even say about Monty Python and the Holy Grail? It's hilarious. Go watch it.

fin.








Okay, no, I'm kidding. Monty Python and the Holy Grail, one of the silliest movies ever, but also probably one of the funniest. I'm a huge Python fan, and the three movies (not counting And Now For Something Completely Different or Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl) are some of my favourite comedies ever. None of them are my favourite comedy (foreshadowing), but all of them come damn close. Holy Grail is often considered the best of the bunch, and I can see why. It's low budget, and absolutely ridiculous, but it's a near perfect comedy film, one that undoubtedly deserves the acclaim it gets. So, for those who don't know, what is Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Well, King Arthur is on a quest to find Knights of the Round Table (who dance when they are able). That is, until God tells them to find the Holy Grail, and then the search is on. I'll admit, the first time I saw this movie, I wasn't actually a huge fan of it. I mean, the opening and ending scenes felt like they dragged on quite a bit. But it was only on rewatch, when I knew about both of those jokes, that I really appreciated them, and now I think they're absolutely hilarious. They're two great cases of fourth wall breaking in film, though I think that they can both be a little jarring the first time around.

From there, the film tells joke after joke and it's absolutely hilarious. I could talk about each scene, but chances are, you already know them all. The Black Knight, the witch trial, the wedding, Castle Anthrax, the French Taunters, the Trojan Rabbit, Scene 24, the Rabbit of Caerbannog, the Bridge of Death, the Knights Who Say Ni, the list goes on. These are gags that have gone down in history as some of the funniest scenes in the history of cinema, and I can see why. The idea behind them are so simple, but so silly, and the film just embraces that silliness and it's hilarious because of that. I love ridiculous humour (as you'll see later), and this film just nails that so well. It's simple sure, but you've got to love how much they can do with these ideas, how funny they can make them.

So why was I a little disappointed the first time I watched this movie? Well, honestly, maybe it's because, if you're not in on some of the jokes, watching it for the first time can be a little strange. Love it or hate it, you have to admit that there are few movies like it, and watching something like that without prior knowledge can honestly take you by surprise. Don't get me wrong, I've seen it many times since and I love it every time, but it's just this movie is so surreal the first time you see it. Like I remember seeing the ending, and being like "That's it? That's how it ends?". Now though, I get it, and I think that the ending is hilarious. So is most of the film actually. It's definitely one of the funniest films of it's time, albeit one that you probably need to see more than once to really get it.

So, in conclusion, what do I think of Monty Python and the Holy Grail? I love it. Absolutely. Maybe I didn't fall in love with it first time around, but since then? I'd call it one of the funniest films I've seen. It only gets even funnier, sillier and more charming with every rewatch. Almost every joke hits bullseye, and the writing is just so fantastically funny, as is the acting. Everything works here, and it's not hard to see why so many people love this movie, why so many call it one of the funniest films ever made. I'd say go see it, but who am I kidding, you probably already have.

June Jokefest Day 1: Airplane! (1980)

So, as I've said time and time again, I love comedy, in all forms, especially movies and TV. So, why not dedicate a whole month to the art of making people laugh? I know I've talked a lot about some very funny films (and Rat Race), but now I'm taking the whole month of June to talk entirely about comedy. It's a real passion of mine, so I'm going to do it justice as best I can. So enough with the introductions, let's get this show on the road.

And what better way to start June Jokefest than with a film often considered one of the funniest ever, Airplane! I'll admit, I was actually skeptical about this film before I saw it. It had this huge reputation, and I honestly doubted it could live up to my expectations. I mean, everyone calls it one of the funniest movies ever, so it was hard not to feel this way before I watched it. And then I actually sat down to watch Airplane!, and I have to admit, it didn't just live up to my expectations, it surpassed them.

It's hard to actually know what to say about this movie, not just because of it's fame, but because of how much focus is put on the insane amount of jokes it throws at you. I mean I could explain the plot, in which a war veteran has to fly a plane when most of the people aboard fall ill, but it's not a plot driven film, instead focusing on doing everything it can to get a laugh out of the audience. As I said, it's actually kind of difficult to talk about Airplane! in too much detail, because it's full of so many gags, and it's hard to discuss without spoiling the jokes, but I will say that the sheer variety of jokes in this movie is insane. Visual gags, puns, innuendo, wordplay, slapstick and all of the parody. All of it. The movie parodies... kind of everything, but it's mainly a spoof of films like Airport, and especially Zero Hour.

 I think that Airplane! works so well as a parody because of it handles it's tone. The acting in this films is completely 100% serious, which works so well with how batshit crazy and stupid the script is. It's this combination of stern faced delivery which wouldn't be out of place in the films that Airplane! parodies, and the escalating absurdity of the jokes that just makes it work so well. Nothing is out of bounds here: the movie is ridiculous enough to do pretty much anything, and it works. The movie's utter stupidity becomes this unique style that rarely fails to get a laugh. Almost every joke hits the mark and very rarely do they fall flat. This film also nails it's running gags. Every time one is used, it never feels repetitive, and the writers always find a way to make it work. 

It's not perfect though. Ignoring the simplicity (which I'm fine with, after all, it's not a plot driven film), there are aspects of Airplane! which don't really work for me. For instance, the two leads are so bland. Look, I know it's not the point of the film, but I don't remember anything about these two outside of their names. It's not like the other characters were exactly forgettable or anything either, Leslie Nielsen, Lloyd Bridges and Peter Graves are all great in their roles and really stand out to me, but I find it hard to get invested in the characters of Ted and Elaine. Don't get me wrong, they're well acted (by Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty) I guess, but the characters themselves are one dimensional and actually pretty boring. Again, it's not the point and it's all about the jokes, but still, I'd at least like to see them fleshed out a little more. Also, not every joke has aged too well. They're great for the most part, but some gags do show their age.

As it stands, Airplane! has earned it's legacy. Any problem I could find with the film doesn't change the fact that it's an outstanding piece of comedy, one that's endlessly creative in the sheer amount of gags it throws at you. I mean, it deserves it's reputation as one of the funniest movies, and while I wouldn't call it my favourite comedy (foreshadowing), it's still one I have a huge amount of respect for, one which I feel has made an indelible impact on comedic filmmaking as we know it, and one that everyone should see at some point in their lives. Look, it's not perfect, and I stand by my complaints, but the fact is, this film is hilarious, and that overshadows any flaws it has. If you haven't seen Airplane!, drop everything and do so now. There's a reason why it's as acclaimed as it is, and surely you'll enjoy it.

My Thoughts On- Rat Race (2001)

Okay, so let's talk guilty pleasures. You know what I'm talking about, those movies you know aren't great, but enjoy regardless. Everyone has one (or more), and mine happens to be the 2001 comedy film Rat Race. I'm a huge fan of comedy in general, and I love me a good comedy movie. Many of my all time favourite movies are comedies, and I think there's definitely an art to making people laugh. And hell, so many comedy movies are timeless classics. Rat Race, is not one of them. I'll acknowledge it now, this isn't art. It's not even actually that good. So why am I talking about it? Well, because I can, and because I find this movie absolutely fascinating. So, for those unaware, what is Rat Race? Well, think It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, but make it even stupider, and you honestly wouldn't be a million miles away. An eccentric millionaire sets up a game, where six groups of ordinary people race to a locker in Silver City, New Mexico, which contains 2,000,000 dollars, That's it. The meat of the film comes from the characters, and the batshit crazy situations they find themselves in. The plot's simple, but hey, good comedy really doesn't need a good story, it just needs to be funny. And it is... for the most part. But more on that later. For now, let's talk plot.

As I said earlier, Rat Race's plot is thin, but not terrible. The movie puts a lot of focus on coming up with creative scenarios during the race portion, which makes the ending kind of out of nowhere. To spoil, every character has a sudden change of heart, and they all donate the money to charity. In a movie full of out of nowhere contrivances, this one is just so jarring. The jokes are minimal, and it's a universally out of character moment for everyone. I wouldn't even mind, but it's in a film full of assholes who'd do anything for quick, easy money, so it makes no sense that they'd give it all away. The tone shifts too, which makes it even more out of place. Seriously, why is this how the movie ends?

That aside, the plot divides itself into seven, with each one focusing on each one of the characters. This makes the plot hard to discuss, as problems I have with one story, don't really carry over to other stories. I love that it is an ensemble cast, don't get me wrong, but damn, is it hard to analyze. Speaking generally, I like the plot, as scattered as it occasionally is. It's fun, it's stupid, and it's always on the move. It's not a plot based movie, it can afford to focus more on it's jokes. And speaking of it's jokes...

Holy Basil Fawlty does this movie throw out a whole load of jokes. Do all of them hit? No. Some are too low brow, some too stupid, and some just not funny. The ones that do work though, work because they're over the top, spontaneous and just so off the wall ridiculous that you have to laugh. Runaway hearts, Hitler's car, hot air balloons, crazy squirrel women, helicopter chases and a bus filled with Lucille Ball impersonators are just some of the things that this movie throws at you. It's stupid, but creatively so. You can't help but watch as the movie gets increasingly more ridiculous. It's not subtle, hell, it's not always even funny, but it's always throwing more and more at you. It's a movie that just does not stop, and it's pretty spectacular. Some of it will undoubtedly make you groan, but hey, some of this stuff actually works pretty well. One scene involving the aforementioned runaway heart, a dog, an electric fence, Newman from Seinfeld and Mr Bean in particular is absolutely hilarious. Yeah, the jokes are hit and miss, and incredibly silly, but that's part of the charm.

And then there's the cast. John Cleese, Rowan Atkinson, Whoopi Goldberg, Breckin Meyer, Seth Green, Wayne Knight, Cuba Gooding Jr., Vince Vieluf, Jon Lovitz, some really funny, talented people are in this movie. And though I wouldn't call this any of their best work (except maybe Vince Vieluf, he hasn't really done anything too great), I will say that there's this kind of satisfaction off seeing all of these people run wild, and bounce off each other in the process. Some of them are admittedly better than others (Rowan Atkinson as Enrico Polini in particular is just perfect), but they all work well at being terrible people to each other, which is pretty much what the movie is. The cast plays off each other pretty well actually, doing what they can with the script. It's not career defining stuuf, but it's actually alright for what it is.

So, Rat Race seems.... good, I guess. Why am I calling it a guilty pleasure of mine? Well, it sucks.Yeah, it's not good. Obviously I see some good in it, otherwise I wouldn't have made this post,  but this movie really isn't all that good. Lazy writing, cheap jokes, one dimensional characters (Enrico Polini notwithstanding), over reliance on gross out humour and physical comedy, it just isn't well made. Now, you can argue two things. First, it's a comedy movie, it's not going to be art. That is something to take into consideration, however, so many comedies are great because of the care and effort put into them. They can still be stupid, but they can be intelligently stupid, stupid, but well written and generally well crafted. Grossout humour can even be done well if you know what you're doing. Comedy can be well made and low brow, hell, Mel Brooks made a career off of low brow, crass, and stupid humour, and did it well. But Rat Race isn't well made. It throws everything at the wall, and yes, some of it sticks and works and is funny (see above), but so much of it isn't. So much of it falls flat and dies incredibly quickly.

The second point you can argue, a point which is harder to counter, is that it was made by Jerry Zucker, who made movies like Airplane! and Top Secret! and Ghost... for some reason... I guess that one isn't relevant. My point is that Zucker has made movies like this. Rewatching Airplane!, you'll notice that it too isn't that well made, but succeeds because of it's phenomenal script and perfect comic timing. Rat Race lacks both of these things, for the most part. It's not really Jerry Zucker's best work, but it's hard to say "this movie sucks because it's stupid and poorly made, but THIS MOVIE? It's great! it's stupid and poorly made!" without sounding redundant. The failing is in the script. You can't get it right all the time, I guess.

So mediocre performances, a poor script, great set pieces and Newman from Seinfeld make this kind of shit movie into the ultimate guilty pleasure for me. I acknowledge that it's bad, but I have a soft spot for it. I admire it's creativity, premise and Rowan Atkinson, but ultimately, it's lazy script, poor direction and generally terrible characters drag it down big time. I'm not recommending this movie at all, but if you're curious, give it a watch. Honestly, it's harmless, and hey, I've watched this movie more times than I care to admit, but I guess that's why it's a guilty pleasure.