Film Talk: Looking Back – Reeking of gold with Blades of Glory

Directed by Will Speck and Josh Gordon, 2007's Blades of Glory is a laugh-a-second sports comedy triumph that showcased Will Ferrell and Jon Heder at probably their most hilarious.

Based on an idea from Busy Philipps and written by Jeff Cox, Craig Cox, John Altschuler, and Dave Krinsky, the flick follows the journey of a mismatched pair of banned men's figure skaters who become teammates upon discovering a loophole that will allow them to compete on the ice once more.

Backing up the Anchorman and Napoleon Dynamite alumni, the film's supporting cast boasts the talents of Will Arnett, Amy Poehler, William Fichtner, Jenna Fisher, and Craig T. Nelson.

Starring a Ferrell at the height of his powers along with a Heder who was riding the cult comedy status that Napoleon Dynamite had achieved, expectations were high for what would surely be a side-splitting pairing. But would the two gel on screen, and would the magic make the triple Axel jump from the rink to the box office?..

Banned for life from men's solo skating competitions after a brawl at the World Figure Skating Championship, rink wild man Chazz Michael Michaels (Ferrell), and former skating youth prodigy Jimmy MacElroy (Heder) find a way back into the sport they love.

Joining up to compete as a pair, the mismatched nemeses are determined to get back out onto the ice and reclaim their glory. But first, with the help of their coach (Nelson), they're going to need to bury the hatchet.

Even if the stubborn skaters manage this though, victory in the upcoming World Winter Sport Games may be beyond their reach, as scheming sibling pairs champions Stranz and Fairchild Van Waldenberg (Arnett and Poehler) will stop at nothing to bring down this latest threat to their crown.

Can Michaels and MacElroy do the impossible and work together to pull of a move that would see them victorious? Or are they destined never to reek of gold again?..

Garnering a positive response from critics, Blades of Glory grossed a total of $145.7 million, $33 million of which on its opening weekend.

Critics wrote positively of the performances of Heder and Ferrell and also the film's screenwriting. In the years since its release the film has retained a spot among what are generally regarded as the best flicks of Ferrell's back catalogue, with the chemistry between him and Heder having smelted comedy gold and delighted many a fan in the process.

With great supporting performances from a strong cast – including notable turns from Nelson and Fisher – Blades of Glory remains good for a giggle any day of the week.

Fans of the skating world my spot a cameo or two from a few old pros, but you'll likely be far too distracted by the brilliant back-and-forth between Ferrell and Heder to notice them.

Good fun, and a flick that never takes itself too seriously, Blades of Glory may be just the light-hearted yarn you've been looking for.