Release Date: 4/10/09
Observe and Report, directed by Jody Hill, is a very bizarre comedy that can’t really be compared to anything except maybe the director’s previous film The Foot Fist Way or his HBO series East Bound & Down, which he also directs. Nonetheless, Observe and Report is a fantastic little comedy that mixes violence, humor and a very strange lead character, portrayed to perfection by the easily likable Seth Rogen. This unique mix along with the solid direction of an up-and-coming comedy director Jody Hill, makes for one of the best comedies so far in 2009, right up there with I Love You, Man.
At the Forest Ridge Mall, head of security Ronnie Barnhardt played by Seth Rogen, patrols his jurisdiction with an iron fist, combating skateboarders, shoplifters and the occasional unruly customer while dreaming of the day when he can swap his flashlight for a badge and a gun. His delusions of grandeur are put to the test when a flasher strikes the mall. Driven to protect and serve the mall and its patrons, Ronnie seizes the opportunity to showcase his underappreciated law enforcement talents on a grand scale, hoping his solution of this crime will earn a coveted spot at the police academy and the heart of his elusive dream girl Brandi, the hot make-up counter clerk who won’t give him the time of day, played by Anna Faris. But his single-minded pursuit of glory launches a turf war with the equally competitive Detective Harrison of the Conway Police, played by Ray Liotta, and Ronnie is confronted with the challenge of not only catching the flasher, but getting him before the real cops do.
Observe and Report will be that one comedy that really comes out of nowhere, much like Role Models of last year, and be atop the lists of movie fan’s favorite comedies of the year. The unique style of the director mixes raunchy language with some awkward moments that are just sometimes depressing, but at the same time hilarious. It’s definitely a different way of telling a joke and it’s kind of hard to explain you just have to see it for yourself. There is some really great laugh out loud moments in the film especially when Ronnie gets some life advice from his mall security partner Dennis, the Latino with a lisp, played by Michael Pena. There is also a great cameo by the hilarious Danny Mcbride who is protecting his 10-year-old crack dealing son.
“You suck this gun like a dick motherfuckerrrrr, and when it cums it will shoot your brains all over the street.”
There are many more great characters that have small roles and I didn’t really have a problem with any of them. This movie has a little big of everything that you could ask for in a comedy, drug-use, fight scenes, sex scenes, great one-liners, a sweet soundtrack, and an alcoholic mother. If you are also a fan of the beginning of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, you know the scene that the movie is now famous for, think that times 10. Hahaha. I’m cracking up just thinking about it. It is one of the most outrageous endings to a movie I’ve ever seen and I don’t know how they wrote that in the script and got a production company to pay to have it made. It had me crying laughing and it was completely perfect.
Jody Hill should be making comedies for a long time. He just made a damn good one.
Like my mother always says, “You can polish a turd, but it’s still a piece of shit”
STAMP THIS SHIT…. IT’S MADE!!!!
IMDB: 8.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 50%
Moviewiseguys: 8.5/10
