When I heard that Carrot Top was going to be starring in a new movie, I cringed.
Now, I’ve seen the movie, and I’m still cringing.
Carrot Top stars in “Chairman of the Board” as Edison, a wacky, red-headed surfer with a love for inventing. The first twenty minutes of the movie is devoted to displaying how pathetic his life is.
Then, by strange chance, Edison meets Armand McMillan, head of McMillan Enterprises, only days before the tycoon dies. Since apparently McMillan Enterprises was founded on the basis of creativity, Armand wanted to pass it on to someone who was like him, and chose Edison.
I thought this plot had a great deal of potential, and the whole concept of a know-nothing loser at the head of major corporation could be milked for a good hour’s worth of humor.
Indeed, the Chris Farley feature “Tommy Boy” was built on a similar idea, and is one of the best slapstick comedies of the decade. But, unlike “Tommy Boy,” which allowed itself to make fun of its star to no end, “Chairman” was much to concerned with making Edison a great guy to insult him.
So, the best opportunity for laughs was wasted.
Like any formula comedy, there is a bad guy waiting to pounce on Edison’s every mistake, there is a love interest that probably wouldn’t go near Edison in real life, and (forgive me if I ruin the movie) a happy ending.
There are a couple of funny scenes - anything about Edison’s inventions consistently is worth a laugh - but a few moments don’t make a movie. Frankly, “Chairman” had entirely too much plot.
The film was so concerned with a well-thought-out storyline (which, by the way, it didn’t come up with) that the laughs were only inserted when there was a convenient time for one - occasions that came much too few and far between.
Carrot Top could never decide which Edison to be. At times, he was a wild-and-crazy guy, intent on having fun and using a high-pitched scream for his dialogue. Then, there was the Edison that was thoughtful and concerned for his newly inherited company. Unfortunately, neither were worth watching.
It’s always disappointing when a perfectly good plot is ruined by poor screenwriting and acting. It’s also disappointing to see that such a talentless star was given a full-fledged vehicle to try his hand at moviemaking. Next time, hopefully, a test audience will stop a movie like this from ever making it to theaters in the first place.
Grade: F