Way to Go, Ronnie!
Observe and Report is funny, but it's also pretty creepy
Ignas Bautrenas
Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Arts
Seth Rogen, one of Judd Apatow's favorite Freaks, has gained an awkward reputation for playing altered versions of the very same character-a chubby, scruffy, stoner who rocks a Jew-fro and curses endlessly. Some love him for it and some can't stand his sight, but all will be shocked by the persona-flip in Rogen's latest film, Observe and Report. We have seen him in a role of a high school burnout (in Apatow's short-lived TV show Freaks and Geeks), a sympathetic slob (in Knocked Up), and the leading man in an action-packed comedy (in Pineapple Express), but who knew that this Hollywood's wise-ass was capable of a dark and crude performance reminiscent of Adam Sandler's Barry Egan in Punch-Drunk Love? If you march into the theatre expecting another Apatovian comedy, I suggest you broaden up your expectations- Observe and Report is not like any other Rogen film.
Written and directed by Jody Hill, Observe and Report doesn't have anything to do with Judd Apatow or anyone from his troupe whatsoever. Rogen stands alone as bipolar mall cop Ronnie Barnhardt, whose only life-long aspirations are to become a real, gun-toting police officer and win the heart of "the most beautiful girl in this mall, and possibly the world": the gum-smacking Brandi (Anna Faris). When the regular routine of the Forest Ridge Mall is disrupted by an anonymous flasher who sexually assaults women, as well as a chain of mysterious store robberies, the mall needs a hero. Accompanied by a small group of apprentices and constantly in conflict with the stuck-up persona of Detective Harrison (Ray Liotta), who's there to solve the very same cases, Ronnie embarks on a mission to apprehend the pervert, find the robber and set things right. However, coming off of his medication causes Ronnie to engage in unusual investigation methods that throw the audience into a pit of crude humor colored with unexpectedly dark undertones.
I am impressed by this new direction for Rogen. Surely, I love all his roles as a stoner chub, but how long can one play the same card before becoming redundant? Staring in Kevin Smith's Zac and Miri Make a Porno, the upcoming flicks Funny People and The Green Hornet, and now Observe and Report are great gateways for Rogen to broaden up and explore his talent for acting as much as his comedic improvisational capabilities.
When it comes to the rest of the cast-each actor adds his or her own charm and sparkle. Observe and Report features Scary Movie star Anna Faris in her most annoying and bitchy role to date (heck, I never liked her…), Ray Liotta in his funniest role to date, and Michael Pena as a right hand man to the head of the mall security. Observe and Report is an unexpected turn for all of its crew-it's partially funny, partially "sick", and partially crazy, but above all, honest and sincere. And that's where lies its unique brand of charm.
Written and directed by Jody Hill, Observe and Report doesn't have anything to do with Judd Apatow or anyone from his troupe whatsoever. Rogen stands alone as bipolar mall cop Ronnie Barnhardt, whose only life-long aspirations are to become a real, gun-toting police officer and win the heart of "the most beautiful girl in this mall, and possibly the world": the gum-smacking Brandi (Anna Faris). When the regular routine of the Forest Ridge Mall is disrupted by an anonymous flasher who sexually assaults women, as well as a chain of mysterious store robberies, the mall needs a hero. Accompanied by a small group of apprentices and constantly in conflict with the stuck-up persona of Detective Harrison (Ray Liotta), who's there to solve the very same cases, Ronnie embarks on a mission to apprehend the pervert, find the robber and set things right. However, coming off of his medication causes Ronnie to engage in unusual investigation methods that throw the audience into a pit of crude humor colored with unexpectedly dark undertones.
I am impressed by this new direction for Rogen. Surely, I love all his roles as a stoner chub, but how long can one play the same card before becoming redundant? Staring in Kevin Smith's Zac and Miri Make a Porno, the upcoming flicks Funny People and The Green Hornet, and now Observe and Report are great gateways for Rogen to broaden up and explore his talent for acting as much as his comedic improvisational capabilities.
When it comes to the rest of the cast-each actor adds his or her own charm and sparkle. Observe and Report features Scary Movie star Anna Faris in her most annoying and bitchy role to date (heck, I never liked her…), Ray Liotta in his funniest role to date, and Michael Pena as a right hand man to the head of the mall security. Observe and Report is an unexpected turn for all of its crew-it's partially funny, partially "sick", and partially crazy, but above all, honest and sincere. And that's where lies its unique brand of charm.
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