Get Him to The Greek
Release Date:
June 4, 2010
On the Big Board |
| Position |
Staff |
In Brief |
| 50/123 |
David Mumpower |
As uneven a comedy you will ever see, but the Come On Eileen scene is one of the funniest I've ever watched. |
| 84/190 |
Max Braden |
It's really sad when a supporting performance steals a movie but then can't deliver as good a movie as a lead. But I did laugh a couple times, especially at stroking a fur wall to calm down. |
Get Him to The Greek is not a movie about titans. It's not about baklava, nor is it about a global debt crisis. It's about one thing: sex, drugs, and rock and roll! And if there's one character that embodies those traits, it's Aldous Snow.
Viewers were introduced to the decadent, oversexed, British rock star in the 2008 romantic comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The movie starred Jason Segel as an average guy whose girlfriend, played by Kristen Bell, was stolen by Snow, played by Russell Brand. Snow was the kind of competition you'd want to hate but couldn't because he's just too cool. If you haven't seen the movie, imagine Billy Idol and Steven Tyler crossed with Austin Powers. Or even Johnny Depp as a pirate. He's not out to cause any harm because he just wants everyone (mostly himself) to have a great time.
As a result, Snow stole the show and Russell Brand became a breakout star, which has earned him this rare spinoff. In Get Him to The Greek, Brand reprises his role as Snow, who has recently kicked off the bender of all time because of a musical flop and the loss of his girlfriend (played by Rose Byrne).
Cut to Jonah Hill, who appeared in Forgetting Sarah Marshall as a resort worker with a man crush on Snow, but in this movie stars as a new character. Aaron Green is an intern at Capitol Records who comes up with an idea for his record producer boss (played by Sean Combs aka Puff Daddy aka P. Diddy) - why not grab Snow for an anniversary concert?
Green is then charged with the task of flying to London and breaking up the ultimate party to get Snow to The Greek theater in Los Angeles in less than 72 hours. As you can imagine, the comedy is in all the ways this task can get sidetracked. Also expect some wonderfully inappropriate musical lyrics from Snow's sincere-but-oblivious singer.
As with Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to The Greek was produced by Judd Apatow, who delivered hit movies such as The 40-Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and Superbad (which also featured Hill). His most recent projects - Funny People and Year One - have fizzled at the box office, opening around $20 million but finishing at $52 million and $43 million respectively. With the recent flop of the Saturday-Night-Live inspired comedy MacGruber it's difficult to tell how well Get Him to The Greek will perform. Response to the trailer may be a love it or hate it proposition.
But fan response has been largely positive to Apatow's comedies. If Brand can recapture his magic with Hill serving as the straight man, this might be another addition that will draw repeat viewers. (Max Braden/BOP)
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