ZERO EFFECT

Year Released: 1998 MPAA Rating: R Running Time: 116 minutes Click to Expand Credits: Starring Ryan O'Neal, Bill Pullman, and Ben Stiller. Directed by Jake Kasdan and Bill Pope. Produced by Jake Kasdan, Lisa Henson and Janet Yang.

Maxwell Smart? Austin Powers? Not even close, but that’s what first time writer/director Jake Kasden — nepotunistic son of Lawrence (“Silverado” and “The Big Chill”) — appears to be aiming for with this underwhelming detective spoof. Bill Pullman plays the object of the title, a socially inept private investigator by the name of Zero, Daryl Zero. Steve Arlo (Ben Stiller) tags along as Zero’s reluctant side kick and go-between as they take on a case of a corporate tycoon (a portly Ryan O’Neal) being blackmailed over his dubious past. Kasden produces a handsome looking film, but as a writer, he can’t pull off the gags. To exacerbate Kasden’s comedic deficiencies, the nervous Stiller and lackadaisical Pullman are totally miscast — they should have swapped roles. Kim Dickens adds a spark as the possible suspect and object of Zero’s desire, but in the end, it all adds up to zilch.

Posted on February 2, 1998 in Reviews by Tom Meek

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