Billy Crystal was supposed to "save the Oscars." Many commentators heaved a sigh of relief when it was announced that Crystal, an eight-time Oscar host, would be stepping in for Eddie Murphy at this year's telecast. (Murphy resigned as host last November after his friend and Oscar producer Brett Ratner was fired for making homophobic remarks.) Critics predicted that Crystal's classic style was just what the Oscars needed after 2011's painful attempt to pander to the youth demographic with 20-something hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco, an experiment widely known as the "worst Oscars ever." And viewers were indeed treated to Crystal's signature Oscar bits, including an opening montage in which he was digitally inserted into the year's nominated films and an introductory medley. Did the throwback performance work?
Not at all: "Somewhere, against all odds, James Franco is buying drinks for everybody," says Tim Goodman at The Hollywood Reporter. Franco got the lion's share of blame for last year's hosting debacle, but his efforts are looking better relative to Crystal's "safe, unfunny, retro-disaster." Last year's risky venture crashed and burned, but at least there was curio behind the trainwreck. Crystal's performance was a boring, stale, predictable "lounge act that was entirely too chummy and self-satisfied."
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