The most common comment I've seen about this movie is that a whole lot of people seem to complain that Steve Martin isn't Peter Sellers. Maybe it's just me, but that seems to be pretty obvious. I mean even if you haven't seen the movie, even if you don't know the two, you should be able to tell that.
While I think Peter Sellers was pretty funny, I happen to think that Steve Martin is pretty good too. And in fact, I think I may go so far as to say that I think that Steve Martin is pretty good as Clouseau. Is he as good as Sellers? That's a tough call. He's different, to be sure. But the movie is every bit as enjoyable as one of the Sellers' films, perhaps more.
While the earlier films were more subtle, this has more of an in-your-face style to it. It's more slapstick. Perhaps because our boys are younger, I can appreciate that more right now.
Promoted to inspector to detract attention from an important murder case, Clouseau bumbles about France in pursuit of the murderer. He is, after all, thinking that he is suppose to solve the case - just like Sellers did originally.
Jean Reno plays a decent foil to his bumbling character, and is supposed to keep an eye on him, to make sure he doesn't get to close to the real investigation.
In the course of things, we naturally see all sorts of things go wrong, and in the end, we see him solve the crime and become the hero. But in the end we feel sorry for Clouseau and feel joy when he solves the case. We laugh along the way, and in the end that entertainment is what it's all about.
Rated PG for occasional crude and suggestive humor and language.
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