The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard

By the end of The Goods [Paramount], you're going to love Don Ready.

This used car salesman is easy to root for because he's so slick and sharp. However, Don isn't simply a rehash of Jeremy Piven's now iconic Ari Gold. Whereas Ari is the ultimate suit-and-tie wearing Hollywood mastermind, Don Ready is a modern cowboy. With his paisley sleeves rolled up and his vest thinly veiling a wifebeater, he goes from town to town selling cars, breaking hearts and inspiring those around him to, as the movie poster says, "Live hard, sell hard."

The Goods works so well because Piven breathes an immense amount of life into Ready. It's an unorthodox performance for sure. Piven acts cool but he never comes off as cocky. Rather, there's a certain charm to his pickup lines. Take one especially funny quote, "How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the Ice! I'm Don Ready."

He's got a '70s sense of swagger and a modern penchant for profanity. He tells the employees of Selleck Motors, the used car dealership he's been summoned to resuscitate, "I have hair on my balls and I sell cars."

We know the second half of that statement is true and, thankfully, no one asks to verify the first half.

In order to save the dying Temecula dealership, he summons strippers, hires a psychotic DJ (Craig Robinson), promises an appearance from Bo Bice's brother and smoothly moves a lot of cars in a short time. His sales tricks include flipping prices and prank calls but, most importantly, he connects with everyone that he sells to. Piven pulls back the Ari anger and shows a sensitive side. Nevertheless, Ready does enjoy an acrobatic lap dance or three at the strip club still. That's why this character is so awesome, and the movie is funny nonstop.

As with any great comedy, there are a lot of hilarious supporting players. Paxton Harding (Ed Helms) is Don's arch nemesis in town. Helms is hilarious as the "man-band" fronting luxury car dealer. He's zanier than he was in The Hangover, and hearing him talk about O-Town is sidesplitting. His fiancée, the cute Ivy Selleck (Jordana Spiro), instantly becomes the object of Don's affection. As crazy sexist racist salesman Dick Lewiston, Charles Napier's moments are priceless. In the film's opening, he solicits one couple for a sale by espousing some of his more archaic perceptions, and the Marshall Murdoch comes out of him more than once. Alan Thicke, Rob Riggle, Ken Jeong and David Koechner all get time to shine, pulling off some outrageous stunts. Seeing Riggle as a ten-year-old boy is disturbing in the best way possible. However, the best cameo comes from Will Ferrell. Ferrell drops some wisdom, and his moment rivals his appearance in Wedding Crashers even.

Piven's also having fun here. Watching him sing "Turn the Page" is disarmingly funny. He's always so in control, but when he gets silly it's just as potent. That's the mark of true comic talent. Director Neal Brennan has turned Temecula into a full-blown playground for these actors, and he gives each one of them a moment to shine. Ken Jeong takes a pretty funny beating too. He got to kick enough ass in The Hangover, so this may be revenge.

Don Ready will now be known as the patron saint of used car salesman. It works out though because he's so easy to love.

—Rick Florino
08.14.09