`Martin & Orloff' doesn't shrink from comic task
Review by Paul Sherman
Friday, May 7, 2004

A year ago, a Hollywood studio released a dumbed-down remake of the 1979 comedy classic ``The In-Laws.'' Who knew there was an independent comedy already in the can that did a better job of reworking the premise Hollywood botched on its second try?

That premise finds one unsuspecting guy being reluctantly sucked into the seat-of-the-pants life of a wilder guy. In ``Martin & Orloff,'' made in 2002 and now being distributed by its producers, these guys are an adman and a psychiatrist.

Of course, this time part of the gag is that the adman is fresh from a suicide attempt and the shrink is the person who is supposed to get him back on his feet.

Don't tell that to Martin Flam (Ian Roberts), who designs character costumes for an ad agency and is unprepared for the unorthodox ways of therapist Dr. Orloff (Matt Walsh, formerly of Comedy Central's ``The Daily Show'').

``This'll be good for you'' is the assurance Orloff gives Martin as he drags his patient to a softball game and encourages him to replace the absent umpire. A fight and arrest soon follow, and in this early action, the comedy feels forced and clumsy.

But ``Martin & Orloff'' grows on you, as does stress-inducing, carefree Orloff on bemused Martin.

Not surprising for a movie full of sketch-comedy veterans, ``Martin & Orloff'' is episodic in structure, but most of these jaunts reap laughs. Orloff takes Martin to a bad dinner-theater play that turns out to be full of suicide references - ouch - and encourages him to go out with a stripper friend (Amy Poehler of ``Saturday Night Live'') who happens to have a big, angry ex-boyfriend (Sal Graziano) - double ouch.

Orloff also nudges Martin into standing up to the demanding client (Les J.N. Mau) who drove him to attempt suicide. But this time Martin has the help of Orloff and the doc's band of oddball friends and enemies.

It's this ensemble of characters that ultimately makes ``Martin & Orloff'' amusing. By the time the movie is over, every character - from the ex-boyfriend and the psycho Gulf War vet (H. Jon Benjamin) to the needy playwright (David Cross) and the violent patient stuck in hypnosis (Katie Roberts) - has shared the comic glory. That's something most other comedies can only envy.

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