Pushed out by the Judd Apatow comedy factory, Forgetting Sarah Marshall was a nice shot in the arm to the staid romantic comedy genre. The movie will likely be remembered for Jason Segel’s full-frontal and a scene stealing performance from Russell Brand as the hedonistic rock star Aldous Snow.
Nicholas Stoller, who directed Marshall from a script by Segel, takes over writing duties for the spin-off film, Get Him to the Greek. Brand returns, reteaming with Jonah Hill who plays a different character this time around.
Aldous Snow has settled down since last we saw him. After a stint in rehab, he’s married pop singer, Jackie Q (Rose Byrne), and plays attentive father to their son, Naples (Lino Facioli). However, Snow relapses following the utter failure of his latest album (the hilariously pandering “African Child”) and the dissolution of his marriage.
Back in L.A., Aaron Green (Jonah Hill), a low-level talent scout for Pinnacle Records, hopes to impress his boss, Sergio (Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs). He pitches the idea for Snow to perform a live concert at the Greek Theater and wins up having to act as the petulant superstar’s glorified babysitter. Traveling from London to Hollywood, Green gets a first-hand look at the rock ‘n roll lifestyle of sex, drugs, and even more drugs.
Much like its progenitor, Get Him to the Greek examines relationships with just a touch of raunchiness. For Snow, it’s his crumbling marriage and his relationship to his father (Colm Meaney), a lounge act in Vegas. Green ties to hold it together with his workaholic med student girlfriend, Daphne (Elisabeth Moss). When Stoller doesn’t lay it on too thick, the personal elements feel genuine. Yet, the film sputters towards the end when it becomes a little too sentimental.
The comedy is mined from the usual odd couple situations. Greek is like a road movie crossed with The Hangover in dealing with the mischief that overgrown man-children get into. Hill plays off Brand well as the overwhelmed straight man and Sean “P. Diddy” Combs gives a surprisingly funny performance as the overbearing boss. The soundtrack is catchy and the film features plenty of cameos from celebs like, Christina Aguilera, Meredith Vieira, and Kristen Bell reprising her role as Sarah Marshall.
Rating: ** ½
No comments:
Post a Comment