Seth Rogen's wasted in this comedy of errors.
Observe and Report (2009)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:181
Fresh:91
Rotten:90
Average Rating:5.4/10
Consensus: Though it has a mean streak, and does not cater to all tastes, Observe and Report has gut-busting laughs and a fully committed Seth Rogen in irresistible form.
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Genre: Comedies
US Box Office: $23,993,605
Synopsis:
At the Forest Ridge Mall, head of security Ronnie Barnhardt (SETH ROGEN) patrols his jurisdiction with an iron fist. The master of his domain, he combats skateboarders, shoplifters and the...
At the Forest Ridge Mall, head of security Ronnie Barnhardt (SETH ROGEN) patrols his jurisdiction with an iron fist. The master of his domain, he combats skateboarders, shoplifters and the occasional unruly customer while dreaming of the day when he can swap his flashlight for a badge and a gun.
Ronnie's delusions of grandeur are put to the test when the mall is struck by a flasher. Driven by his personal duty 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 him a coveted spot at the police academy and the heart of his elusive dream girl Brandi (ANNA FARIS), the hot make-up counter clerk who won't give him the time of day.
But his single-minded pursuit of glory launches a turf war with the equally competitive Detective Harrison (RAY LIOTTA) of the Conway Police, and Ronnie is confronted with the challenge of not only catching the flasher, but getting him before the real cops.
Seth Rogen stars in the dark comedy Observe and Report, written and directed by Jody Hill (The Foot Fist Way). Donald De Line (The Italian Job) will produce, with Andrew Haas (Without a Paddle), Marty Ewing (Blades of Glory), Thomas Tull (The Dark Knight) and Jon Jashni (Sweet Home Alabama) serving as executive producers. The film also stars Anna Faris (The House Bunny), Michael Pena (Million Dollar Baby), Celia Weston (Junebug) and Ray Liotta (The Rat Pack).
The behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Tim Orr (Snow Angels), production designer Chris Spellman (Superbad) and editor Zene Baker (The Foot Fist Way). Music is by Joseph Stephens.
Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Legendary Pictures, presents a De Line Pictures Production, a Jody Hill Film, Observe and Report, . --© Warner Bros
Starring: Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta, Michael Pena, Anna Faris
Starring: Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta, Michael Pena, Anna Faris, Celia Weston, Collette Wolfe
Director: Jody Hill
Director: Jody Hill
Screenwriter: Jody Hill
Producer: Donald De Line
Composer: Joseph Stephens
Studio: Warner Bros.
Reviews for Observe and Report
There's nothing cute or predictable about Observe and Report. And that's precisely why it works.
Observe and Report is bold, raw and uncompromising. It's also an unqualified mess.
In the end, Observe and Report falls in the somewhat confusing middle -- guaranteed to annoy the mainstream while not quite delivering the final twist and bitter irony the true comic cultists crave.
I'm not sure how many lovable schlubs Rogen agreed to play in Judd Apatow comedies to get this dark little piece made, but I'm delighted he took the risk.
I am all for perverse and dark comedy, but is it too much to ask for it to actually be consistently funny?
How much you're entertained will likely depend on your own taste as well as your appreciation for Hill's subversion of feel-good Hollywood norms.
Mindless, silly and outrageously funny with hilarious, lively comedic performances and plenty of bold, inane and mean-spirited humor.
A few of the less repeatable lines hit their marks, but the whole affair has the pasty-faced desperation of shoppers trapped in fluorescent light.
Director Jody Hill presents all of this as a comedy, somewhere between absurdist and black -- like Napoleon Dynamite meets Martin Scorsese.
A sophisticated comedy about an unhinged doofus, Observe and Report falters under the weight of its ambitions.
The tone of the film wavers queasily, though intentionally, between slapstick and shock.
Writer-director Jody Hill is obviously trying to accomplish something here. But just what is none too clear.
Even for those who relish no-holds-barred humor, there's a point when the most outrageous, caustic comedy can slide from cutting and absurd to just plain mean.
The whole thing is calibrated to wow us with its weirdness, even as it assumes an air of 'Who, me?' guilelessness. I've seen slick, glossy Hollywood thrillers made with less knowing calculation.
I've observed this Seth Rogen comedy, and I can report that it's not very good.
Observe and Report strikes me as a comedy in perfect pace with this moment. It's funny and uncompromising, offering laughs without denial.
Latest News for Observe and Report
September 21, 2009:
RT on DVD: Observe and Report, Classic Star Trek, and more.
Coming out on home video this week are a few new releases from earlier this year (such as Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and Observe and Report), as well as a couple of collections... More...
April 12, 2009:
Seth Rogen more shocking than funny as crude mall cop. ![]()
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April 09, 2009:
Critics Consensus: Hannah Montana Hits A Flat Note
This week at the movies, we've got a pop songbird (Hannah Montana the Movie, starring Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus), a mall cop (Observe and Report, starring Seth Rogen and Anna... More...
April 09, 2009:
Observe And Report: Better Than Blart, And Dirtier Than Harry. And the wicked humor never lets up, as the tone deliciously darkens just when it seems there's nowhere left to go. ![]()
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