Login
Judd Apatow is a powerful name in the realm of contemporary comedy, and any film he's merely associated with is automatically something of interest. Apatow's sole 2010 offering, Get Him to the Greek, is a spin-off of 2008's Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and it foregrounds one of the earlier film's supporting characters: the womanising rock star Aldous Snow, played by Russell Brand. The director of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Nicholas Stoller, even returned as writer-director here. While Get Him to the Greek provides a few big laughs from time to time, the gags are uneven, and the film (similar to its main character) ultimately begins to wear out its welcome as the end draws near. In spite of this, a few memorable set-pieces and instances of sharp satirising makes the film an occasionally amusing commentary on the foibles of rock stardom.
A lackey working for a record company, Aaron Green (Hill) dreams up a grand idea to return rock star Aldous Snow (Brand) to the stage for a special ten-year anniversary concert after the rocker's legacy has been tarnished by a tumultuous relationship, the spectacular failure of a self-important, exploitative single, and years of partying. For his idea, Aaron's boss Sergio Roma (Combs, a.k.a. P. Diddy) gives Aaron the impossible assignment of flying to London and chaperoning Snow to both New York for a talk-show appearance and Los Angeles for the big show. Yet, Snow is notoriously unstable, and he is more interested in partying, drinking, sex and drugs.
With the exception of a fleeting, hilarious cameo for Kristen Bell as Sarah Marshall, Aldous Snow is the only returning character from 2008's Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Jonah Hill also starred in the earlier movie, but as a different character than the one he plays here). The decision to construct an entire feature around Snow was inspired - he stole every scene of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and demanded more screen time. Thus, chief among the challenges that writer-director Nicholas Stoller faced for Get Him to the Greek was to make Snow feel like more than just a scene-stealing misfit. Fortunately, he mostly succeeded. Snow's fundamental outlandishness was retained, yet the character has been developed into a three-dimensional human here with an emotional arc and a vulnerability barely masked by his trademark exuberance. There is also a poignant aspect to the story that affords an element of human drama, which, like most Apatow efforts, allows Get Him to the Greek to emerge as more than just a brainless laugh-fest.
The trouble with Get Him to the Greek, though, is that the movie grows tiresome, and it feels long in the tooth. No doubt, the movie fares best at its early stages; benefitting from a rapid-fire pace, several compelling performances, and an often hilarious script. Yet, especially once the midway point has passed, the film begins to seriously run out of steam, and it suffers from the same lack of craftsmanship that has plagued a lot of films produced by Apatow's company (see Funny People). Throughout the film, it's evident that Stoller was working with a bare-bones screenplay on the assumption that he and the cast would improvise large chunks, and the film would come together in the editing room (adding credence to this theory is the amount of material seen in trailers that is nowhere to be seen in the final product). The trouble with this approach is that a strong, clear foundation and focus is needed in order to generate an effective pace. It's forgivable when the skits are inspired, but there are too many flat skits that become long, repetitive, and at times utterly awkward. Simply put, the gags become far too scattershot, and the pacing is much too uneven.
In terms of acting, Russell Brand is Russell Brand. As Aldous Snow, he fails to break new ground as he's merely an off-the-wall lunatic. His performance is notably focused, though, and he inhabited the role with terrific abandon. Mention should be made of Snow's music, as well, which is well-crafted and catchy enough for the rocker's fame to be believable. Brand is a terrific singer, too. Meanwhile, Jonah Hill doesn't break much new ground either, but, to his credit, he's not his usual foul-mouthed self from Superbad or Knocked Up - instead, he's somewhat restrained as the straight man in over his head. The biggest surprise here is Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs, who's well-suited to comedy. In fact, he's the comedic highlight of the entire movie. Be sure to stay until the end of the credits, as Diddy gets one last laugh.
Jam-packed with cameos and offering sporadic bursts of inspired hilarity, Get Him to the Greek is better in spurts than as a whole. It's difficult to recommend spending your hard-earned money to see the movie, as it's unable to live up to the promise of its opening half hour and it ultimately becomes a bit of a drag. It's nonetheless enjoyable and at times creative, but, considering the brilliance of other contemporary comedies (such as The Hangover), Get Him to the Greek is lacking.
6.2/10
