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Note: written for my film review website, ShaunMunro.co.uk. Thanks!
~~~
The Foot Fist Way director Jody Hill’s first attempt at a mildly mainstream comedy, Observe and Report, is sure to, by its sheer conception, draw comparisons to Jim Carrey’s criminally underrated dark comedy The Cable Guy. Both films feature a comedian who has recently made it big (this time substituting Carrey for Seth Rogen), and each subverts the expectations of their audience, in bringing something far different, and far more challenging to the table than, say, Dumb and Dumber, or Knocked Up.
Playing out like Paul Blart: Mall Cop for adults, the premise is unmistakably simple – unhinged mall officer Ronnie Barnhardt (Seth Rogen) discovers that a pervert has been exposing himself to the patrons of the mall, and surmises that if he can apprehend the pervert, he can create his own mythic stature as a hero, get the girl, and vastly improve his rather dull life. The comparisons to Taxi Driver are inevitable, and whilst Hill’s treatment of the material certainly has its delightful moments, it simply never materialises into a consistent whole, nor goes far enough with its concept.
However, Rogen’s leering, psychotic creep Barnhardt is the film’s unqualified treat; Rogen demonstrates range beyond the funny fat man that many feared would cause him to become typecast, and he makes Kevin James’ Paul Blart seem even more like an segment from Pee Wee’s Playhouse. Like Blart, there’s occasionally something likeable about this pathetic dolt, that his self-important crusade to justify his seemingly empty existence is so often outrageously futile, and in many ways, he does resemble a more light-hearted Travis Bickle.
Still, much of the film’s undoing is its tonal inconsistency; Barnhardt’s quest to charm beautiful mall patron Brandi (Anna Farris) verges into nervous territory laughter at its most controversial, and whilst this by itself is in no way problematic, the fact that we are then intermittently asked to root for this character seems astoundingly uneven. Furthermore, for a film that runs well under 90 minutes, the narrative takes a while to develop; the pervert storyline takes a backseat to Ronnie’s squabbles with the FBI and his attempts to become a police officer. This wouldn’t be too painful other than the fact that the audience is never convincingly asked to care for Ronnie. Rather, for the most part, he’s a troubled man who needs a lot of help.
It’s a shame that the film fumbles such an elementary part of the creative process, because there’s a lot to like here; Anna Farris, in a perfect spot of casting, hilariously replicates her airhead House Bunny role, whilst Ray Liotta is welcome and game as Agent Harrison, an FBI officer opposing Barnhardt, and Michael Pena is solid as Ronnie’s partner and buddy Dennis. It is Rogen, though, who makes the film what it is; the sheer sleaze he espouses with some creepy grins, and the sociopathic honesty with which he confronts each of the film’s characters is undeniably refreshing.
Regrettably, though, Hill makes a half-baked atempt to explain Ronnie’s behaviour, presenting an unnecessary family history that simply isn’t developed enough to resonate, nor wildly compelling in the way that Carrey’s Chip Douglas’ genesis was in The Cable Guy. The unknown, and the thought of a psychopath without any certifiable cause, is far more frightening and pungent than one who is a product of their environment, and in much the same way as modern filmmakers have insisted on humanising Hannibal Lecter and Michael Myers, Hill’s failure to commit to a truly dark, wholly sociopathic “villain” is the film’s fatal flaw. Given the film’s controversial date-rape scene, perhaps Hill simply felt some levity was needed, yet considering the film’s bar-pushing in other areas (such as some extremely gratuitous full-frontal nudity at the film’s climax), it seems like a back-pedalling half measure at best.
The film’s third act certainly gets muddied by some rather unnecessary caper-ish elements, and even for a comedy, the causal links feel a tad strained, but a chase scene in the closing moments, set to a cover of The Pixies’ classic “Where Is My Mind?”, is an unqualified joy, and by far the most entertaining two minutes of the entire film. To this effect, the climax, with a jolt sure to shock the audience, so very nearly has the boldness to carry the film to the finish line as a satiric indictment of the trigger-happy Superman culture, yet doesn’t quite follow through as fiercely as it could have, perhaps for fear of alienating middle-of-the-road audiences looking for some equilibrium at the close.
Rogen’s Barnhardt is a fascinating curiosity to observe, and while Rogen gives his all, the sloppy, inconsistent characterisation leaves one baffled; should we rejoice Barnhardt’s violent sociopathy, or fear it? The film never goes far enough in any direction to discern this, and perhaps this is to ensure that neither those looking for a laugh nor those out for something darker are left with too sour a taste. Observe and Report is entertaining enough, and often engrossing, but it fails to materialise as savagely dark satire, and is too dark for a light night out.
6/10
Thanks for reading,
Reefer
~~~
The Foot Fist Way director Jody Hill’s first attempt at a mildly mainstream comedy, Observe and Report, is sure to, by its sheer conception, draw comparisons to Jim Carrey’s criminally underrated dark comedy The Cable Guy. Both films feature a comedian who has recently made it big (this time substituting Carrey for Seth Rogen), and each subverts the expectations of their audience, in bringing something far different, and far more challenging to the table than, say, Dumb and Dumber, or Knocked Up.
Playing out like Paul Blart: Mall Cop for adults, the premise is unmistakably simple – unhinged mall officer Ronnie Barnhardt (Seth Rogen) discovers that a pervert has been exposing himself to the patrons of the mall, and surmises that if he can apprehend the pervert, he can create his own mythic stature as a hero, get the girl, and vastly improve his rather dull life. The comparisons to Taxi Driver are inevitable, and whilst Hill’s treatment of the material certainly has its delightful moments, it simply never materialises into a consistent whole, nor goes far enough with its concept.
However, Rogen’s leering, psychotic creep Barnhardt is the film’s unqualified treat; Rogen demonstrates range beyond the funny fat man that many feared would cause him to become typecast, and he makes Kevin James’ Paul Blart seem even more like an segment from Pee Wee’s Playhouse. Like Blart, there’s occasionally something likeable about this pathetic dolt, that his self-important crusade to justify his seemingly empty existence is so often outrageously futile, and in many ways, he does resemble a more light-hearted Travis Bickle.
Still, much of the film’s undoing is its tonal inconsistency; Barnhardt’s quest to charm beautiful mall patron Brandi (Anna Farris) verges into nervous territory laughter at its most controversial, and whilst this by itself is in no way problematic, the fact that we are then intermittently asked to root for this character seems astoundingly uneven. Furthermore, for a film that runs well under 90 minutes, the narrative takes a while to develop; the pervert storyline takes a backseat to Ronnie’s squabbles with the FBI and his attempts to become a police officer. This wouldn’t be too painful other than the fact that the audience is never convincingly asked to care for Ronnie. Rather, for the most part, he’s a troubled man who needs a lot of help.
It’s a shame that the film fumbles such an elementary part of the creative process, because there’s a lot to like here; Anna Farris, in a perfect spot of casting, hilariously replicates her airhead House Bunny role, whilst Ray Liotta is welcome and game as Agent Harrison, an FBI officer opposing Barnhardt, and Michael Pena is solid as Ronnie’s partner and buddy Dennis. It is Rogen, though, who makes the film what it is; the sheer sleaze he espouses with some creepy grins, and the sociopathic honesty with which he confronts each of the film’s characters is undeniably refreshing.
Regrettably, though, Hill makes a half-baked atempt to explain Ronnie’s behaviour, presenting an unnecessary family history that simply isn’t developed enough to resonate, nor wildly compelling in the way that Carrey’s Chip Douglas’ genesis was in The Cable Guy. The unknown, and the thought of a psychopath without any certifiable cause, is far more frightening and pungent than one who is a product of their environment, and in much the same way as modern filmmakers have insisted on humanising Hannibal Lecter and Michael Myers, Hill’s failure to commit to a truly dark, wholly sociopathic “villain” is the film’s fatal flaw. Given the film’s controversial date-rape scene, perhaps Hill simply felt some levity was needed, yet considering the film’s bar-pushing in other areas (such as some extremely gratuitous full-frontal nudity at the film’s climax), it seems like a back-pedalling half measure at best.
The film’s third act certainly gets muddied by some rather unnecessary caper-ish elements, and even for a comedy, the causal links feel a tad strained, but a chase scene in the closing moments, set to a cover of The Pixies’ classic “Where Is My Mind?”, is an unqualified joy, and by far the most entertaining two minutes of the entire film. To this effect, the climax, with a jolt sure to shock the audience, so very nearly has the boldness to carry the film to the finish line as a satiric indictment of the trigger-happy Superman culture, yet doesn’t quite follow through as fiercely as it could have, perhaps for fear of alienating middle-of-the-road audiences looking for some equilibrium at the close.
Rogen’s Barnhardt is a fascinating curiosity to observe, and while Rogen gives his all, the sloppy, inconsistent characterisation leaves one baffled; should we rejoice Barnhardt’s violent sociopathy, or fear it? The film never goes far enough in any direction to discern this, and perhaps this is to ensure that neither those looking for a laugh nor those out for something darker are left with too sour a taste. Observe and Report is entertaining enough, and often engrossing, but it fails to materialise as savagely dark satire, and is too dark for a light night out.
6/10
Thanks for reading,
Reefer
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Note: written for my film review website, ShaunMunro.co.uk. Thanks!
~~~
The Foot Fist Way director Jody Hill’s first attempt at a mildly mainstream comedy, Observe and Report, is sure to, by its sheer conception, draw comparisons to Jim Carrey’s criminally underrated dark comedy The Cable Guy. Both films feature a comedian who has recently made it big (this time substituting Carrey for Seth Rogen), and each subverts the expectations of their audience, in bringing something far different, and far more challenging to the table than, say, Dumb and Dumber, or Knocked Up.
Playing out like Paul Blart: Mall Cop for adults, the premise is unmistakably simple – unhinged mall officer Ronnie Barnhardt (Seth Rogen) discovers that a pervert has been exposing himself to the patrons of the mall, and surmises that if he can apprehend the pervert, he can create his own mythic stature as a hero, get the girl, and vastly improve his rather dull life. The comparisons to Taxi Driver are inevitable, and whilst Hill’s treatment of the material certainly has its delightful moments, it simply never materialises into a consistent whole, nor goes far enough with its concept.
However, Rogen’s leering, psychotic creep Barnhardt is the film’s unqualified treat; Rogen demonstrates range beyond the funny fat man that many feared would cause him to become typecast, and he makes Kevin James’ Paul Blart seem even more like an segment from Pee Wee’s Playhouse. Like Blart, there’s occasionally something likeable about this pathetic dolt, that his self-important crusade to justify his seemingly empty existence is so often outrageously futile, and in many ways, he does resemble a more light-hearted Travis Bickle.
Still, much of the film’s undoing is its tonal inconsistency; Barnhardt’s quest to charm beautiful mall patron Brandi (Anna Farris) verges into nervous territory laughter at its most controversial, and whilst this by itself is in no way problematic, the fact that we are then intermittently asked to root for this character seems astoundingly uneven. Furthermore, for a film that runs well under 90 minutes, the narrative takes a while to develop; the pervert storyline takes a backseat to Ronnie’s squabbles with the FBI and his attempts to become a police officer. This wouldn’t be too painful other than the fact that the audience is never convincingly asked to care for Ronnie. Rather, for the most part, he’s a troubled man who needs a lot of help.
It’s a shame that the film fumbles such an elementary part of the creative process, because there’s a lot to like here; Anna Farris, in a perfect spot of casting, hilariously replicates her airhead House Bunny role, whilst Ray Liotta is welcome and game as Agent Harrison, an FBI officer opposing Barnhardt, and Michael Pena is solid as Ronnie’s partner and buddy Dennis. It is Rogen, though, who makes the film what it is; the sheer sleaze he espouses with some creepy grins, and the sociopathic honesty with which he confronts each of the film’s characters is undeniably refreshing.
Regrettably, though, Hill makes a half-baked atempt to explain Ronnie’s behaviour, presenting an unnecessary family history that simply isn’t developed enough to resonate, nor wildly compelling in the way that Carrey’s Chip Douglas’ genesis was in The Cable Guy. The unknown, and the thought of a psychopath without any certifiable cause, is far more frightening and pungent than one who is a product of their environment, and in much the same way as modern filmmakers have insisted on humanising Hannibal Lecter and Michael Myers, Hill’s failure to commit to a truly dark, wholly sociopathic “villain” is the film’s fatal flaw. Given the film’s controversial date-rape scene, perhaps Hill simply felt some levity was needed, yet considering the film’s bar-pushing in other areas (such as some extremely gratuitous full-frontal nudity at the film’s climax), it seems like a back-pedalling half measure at best.
The film’s third act certainly gets muddied by some rather unnecessary caper-ish elements, and even for a comedy, the causal links feel a tad strained, but a chase scene in the closing moments, set to a cover of The Pixies’ classic “Where Is My Mind?”, is an unqualified joy, and by far the most entertaining two minutes of the entire film. To this effect, the climax, with a jolt sure to shock the audience, so very nearly has the boldness to carry the film to the finish line as a satiric indictment of the trigger-happy Superman culture, yet doesn’t quite follow through as fiercely as it could have, perhaps for fear of alienating middle-of-the-road audiences looking for some equilibrium at the close.
Rogen’s Barnhardt is a fascinating curiosity to observe, and while Rogen gives his all, the sloppy, inconsistent characterisation leaves one baffled; should we rejoice Barnhardt’s violent sociopathy, or fear it? The film never goes far enough in any direction to discern this, and perhaps this is to ensure that neither those looking for a laugh nor those out for something darker are left with too sour a taste. Observe and Report is entertaining enough, and often engrossing, but it fails to materialise as savagely dark satire, and is too dark for a light night out.
6/10
Thanks for reading,
Reefer
~~~
The Foot Fist Way director Jody Hill’s first attempt at a mildly mainstream comedy, Observe and Report, is sure to, by its sheer conception, draw comparisons to Jim Carrey’s criminally underrated dark comedy The Cable Guy. Both films feature a comedian who has recently made it big (this time substituting Carrey for Seth Rogen), and each subverts the expectations of their audience, in bringing something far different, and far more challenging to the table than, say, Dumb and Dumber, or Knocked Up.
Playing out like Paul Blart: Mall Cop for adults, the premise is unmistakably simple – unhinged mall officer Ronnie Barnhardt (Seth Rogen) discovers that a pervert has been exposing himself to the patrons of the mall, and surmises that if he can apprehend the pervert, he can create his own mythic stature as a hero, get the girl, and vastly improve his rather dull life. The comparisons to Taxi Driver are inevitable, and whilst Hill’s treatment of the material certainly has its delightful moments, it simply never materialises into a consistent whole, nor goes far enough with its concept.
However, Rogen’s leering, psychotic creep Barnhardt is the film’s unqualified treat; Rogen demonstrates range beyond the funny fat man that many feared would cause him to become typecast, and he makes Kevin James’ Paul Blart seem even more like an segment from Pee Wee’s Playhouse. Like Blart, there’s occasionally something likeable about this pathetic dolt, that his self-important crusade to justify his seemingly empty existence is so often outrageously futile, and in many ways, he does resemble a more light-hearted Travis Bickle.
Still, much of the film’s undoing is its tonal inconsistency; Barnhardt’s quest to charm beautiful mall patron Brandi (Anna Farris) verges into nervous territory laughter at its most controversial, and whilst this by itself is in no way problematic, the fact that we are then intermittently asked to root for this character seems astoundingly uneven. Furthermore, for a film that runs well under 90 minutes, the narrative takes a while to develop; the pervert storyline takes a backseat to Ronnie’s squabbles with the FBI and his attempts to become a police officer. This wouldn’t be too painful other than the fact that the audience is never convincingly asked to care for Ronnie. Rather, for the most part, he’s a troubled man who needs a lot of help.
It’s a shame that the film fumbles such an elementary part of the creative process, because there’s a lot to like here; Anna Farris, in a perfect spot of casting, hilariously replicates her airhead House Bunny role, whilst Ray Liotta is welcome and game as Agent Harrison, an FBI officer opposing Barnhardt, and Michael Pena is solid as Ronnie’s partner and buddy Dennis. It is Rogen, though, who makes the film what it is; the sheer sleaze he espouses with some creepy grins, and the sociopathic honesty with which he confronts each of the film’s characters is undeniably refreshing.
Regrettably, though, Hill makes a half-baked atempt to explain Ronnie’s behaviour, presenting an unnecessary family history that simply isn’t developed enough to resonate, nor wildly compelling in the way that Carrey’s Chip Douglas’ genesis was in The Cable Guy. The unknown, and the thought of a psychopath without any certifiable cause, is far more frightening and pungent than one who is a product of their environment, and in much the same way as modern filmmakers have insisted on humanising Hannibal Lecter and Michael Myers, Hill’s failure to commit to a truly dark, wholly sociopathic “villain” is the film’s fatal flaw. Given the film’s controversial date-rape scene, perhaps Hill simply felt some levity was needed, yet considering the film’s bar-pushing in other areas (such as some extremely gratuitous full-frontal nudity at the film’s climax), it seems like a back-pedalling half measure at best.
The film’s third act certainly gets muddied by some rather unnecessary caper-ish elements, and even for a comedy, the causal links feel a tad strained, but a chase scene in the closing moments, set to a cover of The Pixies’ classic “Where Is My Mind?”, is an unqualified joy, and by far the most entertaining two minutes of the entire film. To this effect, the climax, with a jolt sure to shock the audience, so very nearly has the boldness to carry the film to the finish line as a satiric indictment of the trigger-happy Superman culture, yet doesn’t quite follow through as fiercely as it could have, perhaps for fear of alienating middle-of-the-road audiences looking for some equilibrium at the close.
Rogen’s Barnhardt is a fascinating curiosity to observe, and while Rogen gives his all, the sloppy, inconsistent characterisation leaves one baffled; should we rejoice Barnhardt’s violent sociopathy, or fear it? The film never goes far enough in any direction to discern this, and perhaps this is to ensure that neither those looking for a laugh nor those out for something darker are left with too sour a taste. Observe and Report is entertaining enough, and often engrossing, but it fails to materialise as savagely dark satire, and is too dark for a light night out.
6/10
Thanks for reading,
Reefer