Steve Pulaski Sour Grapes has a certain appeal for Larry David fans like myself, but ultimately, it's too long and overdone. This is a perfect example of eclectic humor where for every one person who finds a certain event funny there are ten people who are appalled or left scratching their head.This isn't bad, and it serves as a precursor to writer and director Larry David's new hit show Curb Your Enthusiasm, currently finished with its eight season. The show began in 1999, and Sour Grapes was completed and released in 1998. It bares a striking resemblance in some cases, and the way some scenes end with an awkward conversation or a random event occurring now seem like it was hinting at what Larry David would find success with later in his career. It's an interesting little setup, but not executed well enough.What makes Curb Your Enthusiasm work so well? I think it's the character of Larry and his bizarre situations, the highly relatable quality of him that many people find in themselves, and the fact that the character himself is so open with discussing random, off the wall situations. It's a unique and daring show that should be lucky it clicks so well with audiences. But it's not everyone's humor, and neither is Sour Grapes. Maybe if Larry David waited a little while longer, worked on Curb for a few seasons, and made a made a bigger name for himself this film would've been more understood and a bit more of a success. Sadly, we'll have to give it the time period it was conducted in.The story follows around two cousins named Evan and Ritchie (Weber and Bierko). Both of them and their spouses go to Atlantic City for the weekend. The men decide to play the slots. Ritchie asks to borrow two quarters after Evan told him to be eligible to win the jackpot you must put in at least three quarters. Ritchie does and boom, wins the jackpot of $436,214.50. How did I remember that? Because you'll hear that number more times in this film than any other number regardless of amount or digits in any film probably in your life.Evan believes he is entitled to at least half of Ritchie's earnings, but Ritchie believes he only owes Evan the two quarters and nothing more. As you would imagine, the money comes between the two cousins and they bicker like little kids. I admire the film for at least setting up a plausible quibble that will likely have a typical person siding with one of the main characters. Personally, I'm middle of the road having sympathy with Evan believing he entitled to a small portion of the money since he contributed to the win. No more than maybe a fourth of the money should be given to him, but after all, it truly is the gesture that counts.Trying to settle ends, Evan buys Ritchie a jogging suit for his birthday. Ritchie gives the jogging suit to a bum. Evan sees that the weasel gave the jogging suit away on his ride home. So to get even, when Ritchie goes home after a visit from the doctor, Evan. Evan calls him up and says that he has a rare form of Cancer with only a few months to live. Ritchie, who lives with his mom, worries that his mom won't be able to go on without him and thus sets up a plan for the bum to kill his mother.Alas, his plan backfires, and now his mother is in the hospital and he is informed that the Cancer call was just a joke. Now both of the men are in hot water and we are supposed to laugh at both of their miseries. I took longer to explain the plot than I usually do, since I believe a review should be more about the thoughts of the person writing rather than solely the plot of the story. But when it comes to Larry David, in order to explain the film, you have to explain almost the whole thing while dodging spoilers. If I'm trying to mention a funny part in Curb to someone, I have to literally tell them the whole episode's synopsis in order for them to effectively get the joke. It's because much of the humor happens because it was the result of a trigger effect caused by the characters. It's a fun and unique way of humor.This all feels like a dull pilot for a sitcom destined to have half a first season, and since David was also working with Jerry Seinfeld on Seinfeld at the time of this, this could've been a rejected episode idea David wanted to pursue. However, the conflict could've been resulted if the characters had an honest talk with one another instead of acting merely on impulse and present emotions.The funniest scenes exist not with Weber and Bierko, but with the group of bums who have numerous and far too quick lines of dialog. Some of the funniest characters are severely underwritten in a Larry David picture? No way.Sour Grapes is cute, but not very well done. It occupies way too much time and leaves way too little accomplished. It becomes not a comedy, but a very long setup that grows weary when blown out of proportion. The two leads are cute, but not memorable. The script isn't sour, but far from sweet. And the directing is of second rate quality. Larry David is a writing wizard, and it is shown here. But he works better when he has a strict time limit, like with his two successful sitcoms, rather than a free range film that isn't time sensitive. It's a curious piece of history for a man so colorful, but brings little to light other than David's writing abilities and his surefire way to create a successful trigger effect in his stories.

ElijahCSkuggs Sour Grapes. The movie I wanted to love. Damn. Larry David's first directorial debut was a film I was entirely amped up to see. Being a huge fan of Seinfeld and Curb, like most of you, this is a must see film. But unfortunately it didn't even come close to meeting my expectations.The flick revolves around two cousins, where one wins the jackpot on a slot machine from two of the other cousins quarters. The winning cousin doesn't see that he should share any money with his money-sharing cousin. What follows is lots of bickering, and silly situations.So, the plot is pretty on par with a Curb episode. But this is where the problem and solution arises. Only Larry David himself can bring his own Curb-type humor to fruition. The two leads were good, they brought their own style, but the writing is so incredibly Larry David, it's all you compare them to. It's so damn obvious Larry should have played the winning cousin. But nevertheless, he didn't and the film suffered by it. Larry did make an appearance as a t.v. big wig, and like always stole the scene.It's weird, I didn't hate the movie, but I didn't really like it either. Nothing truly funny, though there were a few giggles here and there. But the story was predictable, the actors didn't fit their roles and there wasn't enough L.D. Though I'll still say this is a must-see for all Larry David fans. The writing and humor is there, but it just goes to show, casting is incredibly important. No wonder Larry started his own show and made himself the lead. Genius.

Stephen Johnson There are many reasons why people didn't like the film, craziness, too much music, bad acting but the problem when people when they saw this they didn't think families can act like this but Larry must have based it off of life because it happens! My family too broke up over money and principle (though we screamed more than this movie has), until recently we hadn't talked and wound up meeting on a funny way and solved our differences. This gave me a laugh when I saw the similarities. This movie has a good width and length.Another complaint was the music which runs on for a bit but is really catchy and get's you in the mood of an opera.If you like Steven Webber from Wings you'll get this as well as Craig Bierko who was up for Chandler in Friends(which is also spoofed here.)Overall, a funny movie for David fans, though some will differ. Also look out for Larry David in a few cameos.

scoutdad17 my summary says it all...great funny film.i will beg literally for this ;let's make this happen folks! it worked for star trek,twin peaks & it should have worked for the new "dark shadows"(over 100,000 letters;demonstrations to keep it on!)...we certainly don't have to go that far...SOUR GRAPES WAS JUST AN EXCELLENT HILARIOUS FILM IN THE SEINFELD(DON'T SUE ME JERRY)/LARRY David VEIN!! JOIN THIS QUEST..WE WANT SEUQELS! AND/OR Television BASED ON THIS GREAT FILM!!! EMAIL WARNER BROTHERS;LARRY David(I WISH I KNEW HOW!-IF YOU DO EMAIL ME PLEASE).WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN..ALSO LET'S TRY FOR THE ACTORS IN THIS FLICK: STEVEN WEBER & CRAIG BIERKO TO STAR(THESE GUYS CAN BE UP THERE WITH THE GREATEST COMEDY TEAMS ;IF I MAY BE SO BOLD LAUREL&HARDY ; ABBOT& COSTELLO;THE THREE STOOGES ,MARX BROTHERS.ETC.)THEY DESERVE A CHANCE TO PROVE IT TO US ,AT LEAST ONCE MORE! THIS CAN HAPPEN PEOPLE..IT IS ENTIRELY UP TO US & WE WILL DO IT! GOTTA GO ;MY NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE HALL & MY FINK MAILMAN ,WANT TO USE MY COMPUTER! SINCERELY IN LAUGHTER(?!) DEAN MC.