Certainly, Will Ferrell's star power and a hook involving a drunken, cursing baby landlord are the obvious reasons why this short gained so much popularity - but the story isn't bad, either. It would have been great to see Will play a new character, but come on, that's not going to happen. So instead, he and pal Adam McKay, who directed this video and cast his toddler in the title role, relied on Will's well-known personality in order to skip right over any real character set up.
As soon as Pearl, the Landlord with the temper and drinking problems, shows up at Will's door, his DESIRE is clearly to talk her into giving him a couple weeks to pay his rent.
The genius of this video, the thing that makes viewers blind to the fact that there really is not much story going on, is the twist on the conventional OPPONENT. I can safely say that we've never seen a grown male hero go up against a screaming baby and really believe that she is the main opponent, but the twist is so surprising that you kind of buy it. Anyway, you're laughing too hard to notice if it doesn't.
As soon as Pearl, the Landlord with the temper and drinking problems, shows up at Will's door, his DESIRE is clearly to talk her into giving him a couple weeks to pay his rent.
The genius of this video, the thing that makes viewers blind to the fact that there really is not much story going on, is the twist on the conventional OPPONENT. I can safely say that we've never seen a grown male hero go up against a screaming baby and really believe that she is the main opponent, but the twist is so surprising that you kind of buy it. Anyway, you're laughing too hard to notice if it doesn't.