Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Between Two Ferns: The Movie’ on Netflix, a Funny or Die Sketch Silly-Putty-Stretched to Feature Length

New on Netflix, Between Two Ferns: The Movie ventures far beyond the few feet between said ferns. That means cameras had to move around and stuff. And someone needed to write a plot, since the Funny or Die series of shorts it’s based on consist wholly of Zach Galifianakis interviewing celebrities in a hilariously awkward, contemptuous manner. Those of us who’ve seen three minutes of awesome transformed into 90 minutes of awful — I’m looking at you, vast majority of Saturday Night Live sketches-turned-movies — may wonder if the idea is viable material for a feature-length narrative. Or perhaps that doesn’t matter, as long as it makes us laugh.

BETWEEN TWO FERNS: THE MOVIE: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: You probably know the premise by now: Zach Galifianakis (Zach Galifianakis) hosts a janky cable-access talk show called Between Two Ferns, in which he improbably hosts A-list celebrity interviews on a cruddy soundstage betwixt a pair of leafy, flowerless plants that reproduce via spores and, unlike mosses, are vascular. They’re in pots. It’s not an airtight formula, because how Zach Galifianakis (Zach Galifianakis) encourages people like Charlize Theron, Brad Pitt and Barack Obama to participate in such a low-rent, wack-ass show stretches credibility like a single piece of creamsicle-flavored taffy being pulled from Santa Claus’ house to McMurdo Station. But we buy it, because it’s funny.

Anyhow, the movie builds a world around Zach Galifianakis (Zach Galifianakis), whose character is a surly doofus who gives off lonely, sad-guy vibes like stink lines from a rotting roadkill possum. His best pal and producer is a grossly enabling sweetie named Carol (Lauren Lapkus), his cameraman is Cameron “Cam” Campbell (Ryan Gaul) and his sound tech is “Boom Boom” De Laurentis (Jiavani Linayao).

After a disastrous interview drenches Matthew McConaughey with water from burst pipes, resulting in the studio’s utter destruction, Zach Galifianakis (Zach Galifianakis) meets with Funny or Die overlord Will Ferrell (Will Ferrell), who gives him an ultimatum: hit the road and get him 10 celebrity interviews in two weeks. If Zach Galifianakis (Zach Galifianakis) succeeds, Will Ferrell (Will Ferrell) will bankroll a big-time major-network talk show to be hosted by Zach Galifianakis (Zach Galifianakis). Which just so happens to be Zach Galifianakis’ (Zach Galifianakis) dream gig.

So Zach Galifianakis (Zach Galifianakis), Carol, Cam and Boom Boom hop in Zach Galifianakis’ (Zach Galifianakis) car, the fiercely vascular ferns dropping spores in the passenger seat, with Carol, Cam and Boom Boom squeezed in the back seat. They land chats with David Letterman (David Letterman), Paul Rudd (Paul Rudd), Tiffany Haddish (Tiffany Haddish), Awkwafina (Awkwafina) and several others. Meanwhile, a documentary crew follows Zach Galifianakis (Zach Galifianakis) around the whole time, so the movie Between Two Ferns: The Movie has an excuse to break the third-and-a-half-wall when it isn’t breaking the fourth one. Will Zach Galifianakis (Zach Galifianakis) achieve his dream of hosting the next Chevy Chase Show?

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: The mock-doc conceit runs wholly on the cast’s improvisational skills, recalling Christopher Guest’s films, crossed with The Office and not even an iota of the psychological introspection and compositional mastery of Ingmar Bergman.

Performance Worth Watching: Wielding a Southern accent filtered through a mouthful of jawbreakers, Edi Patterson plays public access station manager Shirl Clarts — Shirl Clarts! — in a cameo that makes you wish the movie was about SHIRL CLARTS, or at least had more SHIRL CLARTS. Although maybe the reason Shirl Clarts is so great is that we’re left wanting more SHIRL CLARTS.

Memorable Dialogue: “My name is Shirl Clarts, S-H-I-R-L C-L-A-R-T-S.” — Shirl Clarts

Sex and Skin: The ferns are like characters in the movie, but they never wear clothes.

Our Take: If you think it’s funny that I made myself type Zach Galifianakis (Zach Galifianakis) a whole bunch of times, therefore forcing myself to navigate the obstacle course of the proper spelling of Zach Galifianakis (Zach Galifianakis) a whole bunch of times, well, joke’s on you — I cut-and-pasted that bitch. As it is, I find it far more difficult to spell McConaughey.

It’s always hard to tell whether improv-based movies like Between Two Ferns: The Movie are difficult or easy to execute, because people like Zach Galifianakis (Zach Galifianakis) and Lapkus make it look effortless. The cast enjoys some decent chemistry, although the movie sometimes feels like it’s killing time between celeb interviews. It’s tempting to say the interview outtakes running during the end credits are funnier than the movie itself — and it’s tempting because it’s mostly true.

That isn’t meant to be a backhand to the movie’s face, because there’s some funny stuff in there, i.e., a deeply silly visit to Peter Dinklage’s house, the way Zach Galifianakis (Zach Galifianakis) pronounces “ruined” as “rooned” and the Jon Hamm and Keanu Reeves interviews (of course, 2019 being the Year of Keanu). But as these things tend to go, it’s an uneven blend of comedy firecrackers and misfires.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Between Two Ferns: The Movie is ultimately a smidgen more funny than it is uneven.

John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com or follow him on Twitter: @johnserba.</em)

Stream Between Two Ferns: The Movie on Netflix