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Black Sheep is directed by Penelope Spheeris (Wayne’s
World) and stars Chris Farley (Tommy Boy), David Spade (Joe
Dirt), and Gary Busey (The Buddy Holly Story.)
*** Black Sheep follows the life of Mike, a man whose
brother is running for governor. Unfortunately, while his
brother has a potentially-excellent career in politics,
Mike is an absolute misfit. The candidate keeps his misfit
brother on against everyone’s better wishes, and it isn’t
long before a rival candidate launches an aggressive campaign
that involves sabotage and doing what is necessary to win,
no matter what. It’s up to Mike to not only get his name
out of the mud, but also to help his brother win the election.
***
Black Sheep isn’t a masterpiece, but it features the
late Chris Farley doing what he does best. The jokes rarely
fall flat, and there’s plenty of laughs to be had from start
to finish. It’s highly unlikely any fan of Farley’s work
will be disappointed in this film. Though if you’re not
a fan of Farley, it’s not exactly going to convert you either.
***
Easily, the greatest strength of Black Sheep is the
cast. Chris Farley is great as Mike, the governor candidate’s
misfit brother – and I couldn’t picture anyone else playing
this role. Combine that with supporting performances from
David Spade (not the first time he’d worked with Farley)
and Gary Busey, and you’ll quickly discover that there are
laughs around every corner. These actors have some pretty
comical material to work with, and it’s good to see them
having fun with their respective roles. ***
Is Black Sheep recommended? If you’re a fan of Chris
Farley, then this is a must-own disc. If you’re not, this
movie won’t change your mind, but just about anyone who
has a thing for comedies should at least give it a rent.
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Image and Sound:
Usually I’m not a fan of upgrading my comedy DVDs to
Blu-Ray, as they are rarely visual films, and wouldn’t upgrade
much from a 1080p transfer. Well, this Black Sheep Blu-Ray
turns that rule on its head. This is an incredible transfer,
with bright, clear picture throughout and strong fine object
detail. The grain level is kept to a minimum, and is never
distracting. From what I can tell, no digital noise reduction
was use here, which is always a plus. Black Sheep looks
amazing in HD, certainly a far cry from what I expected
it to look like in 1080p, and I mean that in a good way.
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