'Krippendorf's Tribe' better left undiscovered

Arizona Daily Wildcat Anthropologist James Krippendorf (Richard Dreyfuss) sets up the scene to capture footage of an "undiscovered" tribe from New Guinea. These two particular "natives" happen to be his kids, Mickey (Gregory Smith, center) and Edmund (Carl Michael Lindner, right).

Let's be honest about how we predict this flick will do in the theaters. Can you say 24 hours?

What we have in this comedy is your basic predictable plot line consisting of introduction, conflict and resolution.

So we know what will happen within the first few minutes. The question is, are there any enjoyable moments in between, besides those spent consuming popcorn?

Surprisingly enough, there are a few laughs that catch you off guard.

Here's the tale: Dreyfuss plays the role of Professor James Krippendorf, an anthropologist who's been supporting his three children for the last two years off a grant which was intended for the study of an undiscovered tribe in New Guinea.

As if being the single father of a totally dysfunctional family was not enough, panic rises to new heights when Krippendorf is asked to present a lecture on this so-called tribe.

The money is gone, the tribe does not exist. The farce begins.

With the aid of hideously ugly body paint and ridiculous tribal costumes, Krippendorf transforms his family into the Shelmikedmu Tribe.

Here enters his co-star, greed and ambition driven Veronica Micelli, played by Jenna Elfman.

Veronica will do anything (literally) to be a part of Krippendorf's wacky and wild new tribe, which is receiving an influx of publicity and spotlight attention.

For those of you who cringe when watching actors who are obnoxious to the point of nausea, close your eyes when Elfman appears on the screen.

She is one of those people who are always in your face with a huge smile and a fake laugh; basically, the kind of person you'd love to smack once or twice. "Dharma and Greg," Elfman's sitcom series, may be well received by the public, but remember, she has a co-star on the show - and he's hot.

Even in the worst movies we can always hope for an actor who makes the experience a little less painful; after "Mr. Holland's Opus," this film is a definite step down on the Hollywood ladder for Dreyfuss, but a great actor always shines, even with the most pathetic scripts.

Dreyfuss has this subtle humor, the kind talented actors are often attributed with, which adds a spark of life to the mundane plot line of the film. He makes Professor Krippendorf a likable character, witty and fun, but also kind and sincere.

Although the film is no Oscar contender, it can't be dismissed as a total bomb.

The focus on single-parent families adds moments which are close to tear-jerking, such as the scene where Krippendorf's youngest son finally speaks after years of silence, which were a result of his mother's death. Krippendorf's relationship with his three children also contributes to the minutes we find ourselves engaged in laughter.

Natasha Lyonne, who plays Krippendorf's eldest child, Shelly, is one of those characters who remind the audience that we are in the '90s. She has a tremendous amount of individuality and spunk, traits that are essential in adding color.

Unfortunately, those moments that are deep or funny are few and fleeting, passing quickly, leaving a dull and dry base story line at the core.

As far as the rest of the cast goes, the only other member of the "tribe" worth mentioning is Lily Tomlin. In Krippendorf's life, Tomlin is the enemy. She plays Ruth Allen, the head of the Anthropology Department who smells a fraud and will go to any lengths to reveal Dreyfuss's scam. Although often annoyingly egotistical in her roles, she's a talented, well-respected comedienne with countless films under her belt.

The question that must really be asked after seeing this film is how many more absurd formula movies do we have to endure?