Synopsis:
Bi-polar mall security guard Ronnie Barnhardt is
called into action to stop a flasher from
turning shopper's paradise into his personal
peep show. But when Barnhardt can't bring the
culprit to justice, a surly police detective, is
recruited to close the case.
The Freak's
Rating: F : Along with all other
American filmgoers, I've been forced to become a fan of Seth Rogen. His
likeable laugh and everyday look make him a
legitimate physical break from the Hollywood norm. Rogen
hit the scene
in 2006's Knocked Up as a lovable loser and continued
milking the stereotype for all he could get in a
few additional films. Now, you'd be hard
pressed to find a week of 2009 where your local
theater isn't showing at least one film with his
name somewhere in the credits. The studios
have put the Seth Rogen train in high gear...and
its time they allow it to slow down.
Every man has a desire to be a tough guy.
We start young, playing with toy guns as
early in life as we're allowed. Rogen is no
exception to this, already filming the Green
Hornet (yes, he'll soon be a superhero on
screen). Knowing this element of his
personality, it is easier to understand what
attracts him to projects such as this. Observe and Report is the second of
two Rogen-starring films that pose as comedies
but include a major dose of action, the first
being last year's Pineapple Express. Both films
suffer a lack of identity in that you never
quite know if you're watching a comedy, action
or drama. Lack of an established genre
results in uncomfortability among audience
members. We don't know whether we should
laugh, tense up or cry.
Supporting characters in the film give decent
performances. The real problem is the
material...it just isn't funny. Chris Rock
couldn't make lines in this one funny. A
taser scene in the film along with a drunken one
liner by Anna Faris during a sex scene provided
the only true laughs in the film.
The
writing is some of the worst I've ever seen on
film. Micheal Pena (of The Shield, World
Trade Center and Babel) has hit a career low
with the role of Dennis, a walking stereotype
with an out of place accent. There are
also Islamic, Asian and Spanish characters
thrown in for good measure (all amazingly
insulting). Along with the horrible
character writing, the film has acts of brutal
violence, a rape scene of sorts and even a
heroine scene tossed in that are extremely out
of place. Every time you feel comfortable
enough with the film being a comedy, one of
these inappropriate acts finds its way into the
story and ruins it.
Observe And Report is a classic example of a
project being greenlit to capitalize on
someone's stardom, with little consideration for
quality of film. It is absolute trash and
not worthy of your hard earned cash. With
other comedies out at the same time that are FAR
more deserving of your money (e.g.
I Love You Man),
look for this one to quickly make its way to
DVD. Even there, I'd leave it on the
shelf.
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