Bloodshed is thicker than water: "Step Brothers"

Compared with the more heralded previous pairing of Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, "Talladega Nights," this comedy kind of snuck into theaters last year, it seemed. Then again, at the rate I see movies, "The Dark Knight" could have been out for three weeks before I noticed.

Anyway, I do actually recall "Step Brothers" being in Ye Olde Moviehouse, but I'm also sure the reviews weren't such that I simply had to run right out and see it. That left it to Netflix, which was just the ticket for seeing what magic these two guys -- whom I generally like -- could weave.

Our story: Ferrell is a 39-year-old loser living with his mom, the (still hot) Mary Steenburgen. Reilly is a 40-year-old loser living with his dad, Richard Jenkins. Mary and Rich get married, and voila! The losers become step brothers who follow the predictable comedy arc of hating each other, liking each other and then hating each other again before everyone makes nice.

The funniest guy here actually is Ferrell's character's brother, played by Adam Scott. I knew him best as the annoying yuppie in the HBO series "Tell Me You Love Me," which was distinguished mostly by graphic sex scenes. Scott wasn't funny at all there, but he's a riot here as the perfect pr!ck of a little brother.

Otherwise, this is merely an excuse to string together a bunch of crude episodes, making for a wildly uneven whole. The beginning is kind of lame, while the middle -- when Scott arrives and the brothers join forces -- is better, with the job interviews probably the best part. The climax isn't bad, either, with Ferrell doing both subdued -- his admiration for Enterprise Rent-a-Car is amusing -- and over the top, belting out a Spanish opera tune. (Pretty well, too.)

So yeah, some funny scenes, sight gags, ad libs, whatever. Most of the cast seemed on board, which helps. In the end, it's not as good as "Anchorman," but better than "Talladega Nights." It also made me wonder if Reilly will ever go back to drama again, although I applaud his attitude with these inane ventures. And remember, the clown has no penis.