Sunnyside

I don't think I've ever encountered a director who is as one-note as Charlie Chaplin. All his films are alike, all his performances are virtually identical. Chaplin offers basic slapstick comedy and that's it. If you're lucky you get an overarching plot, if not it's just a collection of sketches.

Chaplin plays a help at the Evergreen Hotel in the idyllic town of Sunnyside. Safe to say, Chaplin isn't all that helpful. He's lazy, he messes up his chores and annoys the customers. The only thing that keeps him going is Edna, but when a city boy arrives in the town Edna quickly falls for his charms.

The bottom line is that I'm simply not a slapstick fan. I can stomach it combined with some action and stunt work, but when it's just slapping gags and expressive gestures, I get annoyed in no time. The fact that Chaplin keeps recycling gags and characters only makes it worse.