In 2000, the acclaimed comedy troupe of The Kids in the Hall series reunited for a live performance tour, six years after their groundbreaking television series went off the air, and four years after the release of their movie The Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy. A camera crew followed the Kids -- Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson -- as they traveled across the United States and Canada. The Kids in the Hall: Same Guys, New Dresses captures highlights of their hilarious on-stage performances, as well the sometimes prickly working relationship of five talented men who each have their own ideas about comedy. Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter also make cameo appearances as Dave Foley and Mark McKinney visit O'Brien's television show (to the consternation of Thompson, who canceled an appearance on the same show at the last minute). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
As a tour documentary, The Kids in the Hall: Same Guys, New Dresses does capture more of the touring aspect than it does on-stage skits from the sold-out 2000 reunion tour. Much of the drama concerns the tension between the colorful Scott Thompson and the businesslike Dave Foley. When Scott cancels his segment on Conan O'Brien, Dave and Kevin McDonald show up for a short bit. Although the intent of the appearance is to promote their tour, Scott's feelings are still hurt. Kevin, seemingly the most sensitive group member, anticipates this and attempts to smooth things over with Scott. It's these kind of moments that may broaden a fan's perception of the Kids, which has likely been based solely on their comedic personas and characters until now. The appearance on Conan lends itself to another of the documentary's finer points. While sitting around in Conan's office, Andy Richter joins the conversation on how to shape the last-minute bit. The film then cuts to the fruition of the bit with a clip from the actual television show. This is a delight for those who appreciate the process of creating comedy in addition to the finished product. This kind of process does become tiresome, however, in Scott's lengthy bout with the robotic dog in the first half of the film. But most of the backstage and rehearsal footage is reasonably intertwined with the on-stage business. Those looking for a filmed version of the tour will be disappointed in the lack of skits, but the select few included (mostly concentrated during the montage conclusion) are hilarious. Mark McKinney and Bruce McCulloch in "Jesus 2000" is a particularly funny one, especially since Bruce is not seen very much during the documentary. For the most part, this is an interesting study of group dynamics when it's not laugh-out-loud funny. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
