Please Don’t Destroy is a title that may not immediately make sense to those unfamiliar with sketch comedy or avid viewers of Saturday Night Live. However, for those in the know, it refers to the comedy group comprising Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy. This group has been creating absurdist videos that have been a regular feature on SNL for the past couple of years. The second part of the title, “The Treasure of Foggy Mountain,” alludes to the old-fashioned adventure movies geared toward kids, which have inspired this spoof.
The film, written by the trio and directed by SNL veteran Paul Briganti, has been produced by Judd Apatow. It seems that the creators of Please Don’t Destroy have watched The Goonies far too many times. The film features the Please Don’t Destroy performers portraying characters with the same names as their real-life personas, who work together at Trout Plus, a big-box sporting goods store run by Ben’s short-tempered dad, played by Conan O’Brien.
In the film, the overgrown adolescents, Martin, John, and Ben, decide to search for a golden bust of Marie Antoinette that was stolen years ago by a “French naval explorer” and hidden on the titular mountain in a state park. The storyline is narrated by a familiar voice, playing up the goofiness and humor that defines the film’s style. The humor is laced with strained raunchiness, evident in two major gags revolving around one of the characters inadvertently exposing his penis.
Throughout the film, the trio encounters a malevolent hawk, a hairless bear, feisty park rangers, and a mountain cult, portrayed by SNL regular Bowen Yang. While the group’s short SNL videos have been amusing, the feature-length venture falls short. Their slacker, doofus personas lack the charm of Adam Sandler, an obvious influence for Herlihy’s father, Tim, a longtime Sandler collaborator. Genuine wit is in short supply, and the film leans heavily toward goofiness, resulting in mixed reviews.
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The film also includes a bizarre celebrity cameo, featuring Gaten Matarazzo from Stranger Things. However, the cameo doesn’t pay off in comedic terms. It is apparent that the Please Don’t Destroy guys are in tune with their target audience. A slapstick fight sequence, set to the jaunty strains of “Young Folks” by Peter Bjorn and John, is aimed at eliciting laughs from a young, dumb, and baked crowd.
The film has received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. While some appreciate the offbeat antics and find the humor hilarious, others find the film lacking in genuine wit and comedic effectiveness. It is no doubt a matter of subjective taste and preference.
Overall, Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain is a comedic adventure that aims to evoke laughter and entertain its audience. While it may not resonate with everyone, it certainly has its moments and brings something unique to the comedy genre.
**Full Cast and Credits:**
– Production: Apatow Productions, Mosaic
– Distributor: Peacock
– Cast: Martin Herlihy, John Higgins, Ben Marshall, Bowen Yang, Meg Stalter, X Mayo, Nichole Sakura, Cedric Yarbrough, Sunita Mani, Conan O’Brien
– Director: Paul Briganti
– Screenwriters: Martin Herlihy, John Higgins, Ben Marshall
– Producers: Judd Apatow, Jimmy Miller
– Executive producers: Martin Herlihy, John Higgins, Ben Marshall, Paul Briganti, Josh Church, Sam Hansen, Matt Riley, Michael Sledd
– Director of photography: Isiah Donte Lee
– Production designer: Bruce Curtis
– Editor: Daniel Gabbe
– Costume designer: Emily Gunshor
– Composer: Amie Doherty
– Casting: Gayle Keller
