Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days and 30 Nights -- Hollywood to the Heartland

NEW YORK (CNS) -- Despite a promising premise and some real virtues, the documentary "Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days and 30 Nights -- Hollywood to the Heartland" (Picturehouse) is ultimately undermined by the blue humor it showcases.

Established star Vaughn, who also helped produce the film, organized the 2005 tour with two worthy goals in mind: to help boost the careers of four up-and-coming performers whom he admires (Ahmed Ahmed, John Caparulo, Bret Ernst and Sebastian Maniscalco), and to bring stand-up comedy to smaller cities in the West and Southwest where that genre is a rarity.

The featured comedians, along with Vaughn himself, show considerable talent, and there are undeniably funny moments. But, as with so many of their contemporaries, these comics indulge in both relentlessly vulgar language and explicitly sexual humor. One of their mothers aptly sums up the problem when she refers to her son's "truck-driver mouth."

Director Ari Sandel's film provides insight into the comedians' family backgrounds and the cathartic psychology of stand-up. There is also a moving scene in which the visiting funnymen organize a benefit performance for refugees from Hurricane Katrina. Amiable country singer Dwight Yoakam, who appears along with other friends of the impresario, further enriches the entertainment.

None of these elements, though, can compensate for the mind-numbing repetition of the f-word, which can be heard more than 130 times in a 100-minute film, or for the coarse nature of many of the jokes. Just how unnecessary this material is can be seen when Vaughn and his friends decide to excise it for one evening from the Katrina benefit.

If the film had done the same, it might have been warmly recommended.

The film contains pervasive rough and crude and much crass language, several uses of profanity, and sexual and scatological jokes. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

---

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops