Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)

[Edgy MD]

Icelandic boy grows up dreaming of writing and performing the winning song in the titular Eurovision Song Contest. Most of the town thinks he's an idiot, but a local mute girl is so taken in by his dream that she learns to sing and join him on his quest. Overdramatized production numbers ensue.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Stupid-funny at times.

[Frayed Knot]

Stupid-funny at times.

iow, a Will Ferrell movie?

[Edgy MD]

Yes, but ratios matter. This one was summat overlong. And the setup:punch proportion didn't quite work for me.

Ferrell's unself-aware semi-famous guys with shamelessly off-the-rack personas (Ron Burgundy, Ricky Bobby, Chazz Michael Michaels), are usually of the American variety. He gets a wig, he comes up with a name, and the part almost plays itself. You recognize folks you know, folks on TV, folks so maddeningly shallow that you want to tear down the whole American apparatus. And perhaps just a little, you recognize yourself, or at least, somebody you kind of might have been like 20 years ago, and the bullshit you perhaps bought. And that's good satire.

Eurovision music culture certainly has parallels in America — somewhere between American Idol, Vegas, and Super Bowl halftime bullshit — and as fascinatingly insane as it might be to an outsider, it's still very foreign, and so you don't really get the punch in the face satire should give you. Somebody else with a funny name across the ocean is getting punched, so it feels kind of bullying to enjoy it too much.

I gave it 2.5/5 My wife is charitable to anything that puts Ferrell in a good wig (and this does), and so might have liked it a little more. Side-plot about Icelandic belief in elves also enhances the proceedings.

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

I liked this one a little better than most Will Ferrell movies. I think it dialed down the slapstick a little -- though there is some, for sure -- and dialed up the tenderness.

I think "Elf" could have used a little more tenderness and less grossness.

[MFS62]

I've been aware of Eurovision for several years. One of my favorite actresses, Danielle Ruah(from Portugal), has hosted it several times, and one of my favorite singers, Saara Aalto (Finland) finished second one year. For Americans who don't follow it, it is a BIG deal, watched by hundreds of millions every year.
That said, I'm a little reticent to see the movie because I'm not a big Will Farrell fan( to put it delicately), and he will ruin Eurovision for me.

Later

[smg58]

The movie had its moments, but it peaked with "Volcano Man" right at the beginning.

[LWFS]

I've been aware of Eurovision for several years. One of my favorite actresses, Danielle Ruah(from Portugal), has hosted it several times, and one of my favorite singers, Saara Aalto (Finland) finished second one year. For Americans who don't follow it, it is a BIG deal, watched by hundreds of millions every year.
That said, I'm a little reticent to see the movie because I'm not a big Will Farrell fan( to put it delicately), and he will ruin Eurovision for me.

Later

You should do the thing, I think.
It's amiable enough, and done with a significant amount of obvious love/respect for the whole enterprise; there's heavy involvement from vets (all the songs were written by Eurovision all-stars) and many, many Easter eggs that seem like they'd be a lot more meaningful if you actually DO follow Eurovision.