‘Oscar’ Is an Ambitious Screwball Comedy
The overall tone ofOscaris confusion and misunderstanding.
Its a lot to keep track of, but thats part of the fun.
But Is Sylvester Stallone Actually Funny in ‘Oscar’?
Image via Buena Vista Pictures
At the close of the sequence, Stallone deadpans into the camera, inviting the viewer into his crucible.
Stallone is quick, punchy, and confident.
To maintain sanity within the asylum is the feat.
Hes not twisting his face and screaming at children likeArnold SchwarzeneggerinKindergarten Cop, hes trying to maintain his cool.
Mainstream cinema was defined by noisy and explosive blockbusters led by Herculean action stars.
For everyCobraandTango & Cashfor Stallone, there was aCommandoandPredatorfrom Schwarzenegger.
By the decades closure,theTerminatorstar pulled out the ultimate trump card: comedy.
As fierce rivals, Stallone needed to match any moves by Schwarzenegger.
AlthoughTango & Cashis a buddy-cop comedy,Oscarwas the actors first foray into the genre.
Unlike Schwarzenegger, critics and audiences scoffed at the idea of Stallone the Funnyman.
A year later, he hoped thatStop!
However,Oscarserves to remind viewers that Stallone is not just his muscles, and never has been.
He’s the man that brought usThe Expendables, thefarcical deconstruction of ’80s action excess.
He would go on to make more comedies to varying degrees of success.
