Director: Nicholas Stoller
Starring: Russell Brand, Jonah Hill, Sean Combs, Colm Meaney, Rose Byrne
Score: 7 / 10
This review by Robert Nijman.
Surprise hits often go the way of the sequel. The makers of ‘The Hangover’ are currently developing a second film, ‘Iron Man 2’ has been doing well at the international box office and the interwebs are already buzzing with the sounds of A-Team sequelness. Enter director Nicholas Stoller to reap what he has sowed with the unexpected success the hilarious ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ has brought him – although in this case spin-off fits the bill a bit better. Where the original was all about Peter Bretter (Jason Segel, who wrote the script himself), the focus has now shifted to the absurd life of rocker Aldous Snow and one of his biggest fans, Aaron Green (Russell Brand and Jonah Hill, the first grade comic relief of the first installment). Aaron, a music label representative, has to take care of the derailed Aldous during one crazy weekend en route to the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. A premise that given the circumstances – crew both on and behind the screen – has only so many paths to follow.
That it does go wrong, is pretty obvious from the get go. The film opens with the ridiculous shock rocker dressed as an even further dissolute Jim Morrison for the music video of his latest song ‘African Child’ – “it’s not up to me if people want to call me an African white Jesus” – that is equally controversial as it is a commercial disaster. A painful stage in the career of the artist, who due to the poor reception of his new album slides head-on back in to drugs and alcohol – after years of abstinence. Cue an extensive montage full of amusing cameos and public drunkenness. In other words, Aldous being Aldous – casually godforsaken and apparently without any social conscience. As it turns out, allowing more depth to a completely shameless character (which in an earlier film did so well as a supporting role) doesn’t always yield the best results, but for the first part you get to fully enjoy Russell Brand’s antics in a role that just doesn’t seem to be far off from his real persona. Jonah Hill on the other hand, appears to be a little off key from his usual raging teen / twenty-something roles, as he now has to inhibit a shy and somewhat held back sidekick. During the retarded trip however, that takes him from London to LA by way of New York and Las Vegas, he develops his character in a drugs- and alcohol induced way that would shy even the likes of, erm, Aldous Snow. As it turns out, Aaron so exaggerates his protective tasks during the near delirium the journey turns out to be that, in the end, he outidiots his idol. Very convincingly, it must be said.
As with ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ however, the best bits are reserved for the supporting cast. First of all, Colm Meaney clearly enjoys the part of Snow Sr. – in a role somewhat referring to Michael Caine’s schtick as the father of Austin Powers – and Rose Byrne pleasantly exaggerates her Jackie Q. – the female counterpart to Aldous’ far out character – by both bedding down Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich and tapping her comedy skills in the distinctly lascivious video for ‘Super Tight’. A song written by Jason Segel, who is credited both for creating the characters we’ve already encountered in FSM as well as for writing some of the lyrics worked into the discography of Infant Sorrow. Surprisingly introducing the best new character however, is Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs who in the role of impertinent record executive Sergio can not so much be praised for his acting abilities as for the fun he oozes in uttering the lines writer / director Stoller has bestowed upon him. If the Aaron-Aldous interaction wasn’t enough to get you aboard this comedy wagon, Sergio certainly nudges you over the edge and into the rush hour. Which is a good thing, as it efficiently covers the sheer lack of coherent plot that drives this vehicle.
It is unfortunate then, that ‘Get Him to The Greeks’ lasts just a bit too long – not to say a good half an hour. As an absurdly entertaining riff on rock & roll stardom, the spin-off is very successful, but the closing act was simply unnecessary. The top level tomfoolery, seeing corny jokes quickly followed by (more) successful pieces of comedy, can after an hour or so no longer be maintained when the nonsensical adventures of the movie are overrun by drama that is, by all standards, uncalled for. For the obvious reason you cannot conclude an hour-long clip show of pubescent gags heading absolutely nowhere – other than the physical location of The Greek – with unsolicited lessons in morality. Moreover, there is no good reason to try and untie a strung together heap of plotlines who have solely been called into service and indeed life to set up the many childish / sufficiently funny / hilarious* jokes (pick one according to personal taste and specific scene). In other words, Stoller cum suis should have left the pedantic wiseacring well enough alone and ended this silly story on the same page it has been introduced: Aldous Snow as an ‘African white Jesus from outer space’, taking his own credo ‘when life slips you a Geoffrey, stroke the furry wall’ from Infant Sorrow hit “Furry Walls” to heart – which is basically all his audience ever wanted.
