In one of the television spots for Step Brothers, Will Ferrell’s character is burying John C. Reilly’s character alive when Reilly cries, “My dad’s going to wonder where I am.”

“He’ll never find you,” Ferrell replies in a manaical deadpan. It’s one of the spot’s funnier lines – classic Ferrell with the classic Ferrell face, giving hope that maybe Step Brothers is the end of Ferrell’s brush with mediocrity.

But there’s a problem: It isn’t in the movie. The scene is, but that line, along with a few others from the trailer and various TV spots, didn’t make the final cut. Sure, this may happen all the time in movies, but when you look at the rest of Step Brothers, it’s hard to explain why that one was left out.

So here we go again. Another Ferrell comedy; another disappointing effort. Frankly, it’s getting old, and now he’s dragged Reilly into the mix, too – another actor in a comedic slump. Worse yet, he’s bringing Judd Apatow to the mediocrity party.

Step Brothers is a reunion of sorts for Ferrell, Reilly, Apatow and Adam McKay, Ferrell’s writing and www.funnyordie.com partner. The four last collaborated on 2006’s Talladega Nights, and previously, the group, sans Reilly, was responsible for 2004’s Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy. But what started out so strong with Anchorman has now manifested into what we’ve come to expect from Ferrell films: a far-fetched storyline, mediocre physical comedy and a touch of overdone sentimentality. Oh yeah, and this time, there’s an R rating to keep the vulgarity up.

If you saw Ferrell in his last two starring roles, Semi-Pro and Blades of Glory, Step Brothers’ shortcomings should seem predictable. But at least with those two films, Ferrell could blame the movie on poor writing or directing. This time, Ferrell – as with Talladega and Anchorman – penned the script with McKay, who also directs.

Yep, it’s on him.

Step Brothers follows a very simple if not utterly confounding concept. Ferrell (Brennan) and Reilly (Dale) both play 40-year-old men who can’t grow up. Ferrell lives with his divorced mom, Reilly with his single dad. Their parents meet, get married and move in together, bringing Brennan and Dale with them. Let the man-child hilarity unfold – or not.

The film’s main problem lies in its concept. No one ever explains why Brennan and Dale act the way they do. It may be funny to watch two 40 year olds acting like 15 year olds, but at least give us a reason – it’s hard to believe, or even understand. There are moments teetering on explanation, but slapstick intervenes, and all hope is lost.

All we know (and this is a stretch) is Brennan never got over his parents’ divorce (when he was 15), and Dale never got over his mom’s death. Even when the parents stick the two in therapy, we don’t get any answers, just Brennan uncomfortably hitting on his therapist. Brennan also has a younger, overachieving brother, Derek (Adam Scott, Corporate Affairs), who emotionally scarred Brennan at a talent show in high school, but none of these reasons explain Brennan’s and Dale’s delusions.

Because McKay and Ferrell flirt with explanation, the lack of one becomes a big issue.

What’s worse is Apatow has his name on Step Brothers as a producer – even Seth Rogen makes a cameo, one of the film’s highlights – and apparently, neither has completely moved past comedy like this yet.

To put Step Brothers into perspective, you should take a look at Talladega Nights, a slightly above-average comedy. Talladega takes Anchorman’s plot and twists it slightly. In both films, Ferrell plays a character at the top of his respective world when he meets an adversary, falls into depression and then lifts himself back to the top, ending the film making out with his adversary.

Was Talladega a poor man’s Anchorman? Yes. Was it still moderately funny throughout? Yes. Was it worth seeing? Not necessarily. Step Brothers makes you wish you were watching Talladega, which isn’t exactly a compliment. But hey, at least it had Sasha Baron Cohen.

All problems aside, Step Brothers does have its brighter spots. Ferrell and Reilly’s chemistry is as strong as it was in Talladega, although it’s different to see Reilly in the assertive role and Ferrell in the more passive. Reilly owns his forcefulness but Ferrell fumbles a bit with Brennan’s more submissive nature.

Step Brothers is not entirely a pathetic excuse of a movie, like Semi-Pro was. It’s just, at this point, it’s hard to laugh at a comedy like this. The filmmakers play up the slapstick and vulgarity to the fullest, but without any real purpose. Ferrell at his most vulgar isn’t Ferrell at his best.

Step Brothers’ tagline reads: “Will they ever grow up?” It’s time to ask Ferrell and Co. the same thing.

rudi.greenberg@gmail.com

RATING: 1 1/2 out of 5 stars