A comedy wherein the humor is derived from a simple mix-up. Most comedies have aspects of this form running through them, but the true comedy of errors has the mix-up as the core of most of its gags. Often involving cross-dressing or twins, many of these films mimic aspects of the Shakespearean play for which the type is named. In both Tootsie, and Mrs Doubtfire, much of the humor is fueled by the fact that the audience knows the protagonists are men dressed up as women, but the other characters don't. In a movie like Safe Men, however, the comedy comes from two dolts, mistaken for expert thieves, and their inability to live up to their reputation. Double-takes, slapstick and racy humor abound. |