The Rocker is a prime example of what happens when talented people are paired with utterly pedestrian material. This story of an aging rocker (more of a “never-been” than a “has-been”) who finds redemption by joining his nephew’s garage band (called A.D.D.), is just plain uneven. Many of the performances, and some of the writing, are sharp and memorable, but this cannot erase the fact that much of the story is derivative and, worse, a bit boring.
Rainn Wilson plays the eponymous rocker (real name Robert 'Fish' Fishman) with a great combination of earnestness, self-delusion and bizarre-itude unlikely to be conjured by another performer. This role gives Wilson a chance to prove that he does not have to play idiosyncratic second banana roles on the big screen (My Super Ex-Girlfriend was not worthy of his talents). Wilson carries a unique energy that is far more nuanced than say Will Farrell or even Jack Black. Killer work is also put in by Jason Sudekis (whose turn as the band’s manager takes being a douchebag to unexplored and hilarious heights) and Christina Applegate as the mother of A.D.D.s frontman (Applegate needs to recognized as a great comedic performer by everyone, right now).
The teens in the movie, however, don’t quite hold up their end of the film. Emma Stone (Superbad) is a promising young star but this is her least interesting performance to date. Josh Gad plays Fish’s nephew with a certain degree of comic grace but has inserted too many Jonah Hill-isms to make it an original work. The least intriguing of these young actors, Teddy Gieger, gets the most to work with as the band’s dreamy/brooding lead singer. The trouble is Geiger fails to brood or to make us dream about him even a little.
Beyond the performances, The Rocker feels structurally uneven as well. The story of A.D.D. feels like something that didn’t pass muster at Nickelodeon so a more adult comedy was superimposed on top of it. The great writing in the film’s stands out because it is surrounded by so much that borders on dreck. It is fashionable these days to put a certain degree of heart into Hollywood comedies (a trend that does not necessarily need to be endorsed). The Rocker's attempt at pathos seems so contrived (the audience can feel themselves entering a “touching” scene) it makes one yearn for the tenderness of even School of Rock. As with many films that surround fictional bands, the music is so lame that the notion of the group making it big is simply not believable.
So Rainn Wilson will have to wait a bit longer before he gets his breakout picture. If you want a completely satisfying movie, you will have to wait a bit longer as well.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Pineapple Express: The story of the love between a man and his dealer
Screenwriters Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg have the heterosexual male love story market cornered. Last summer’s Superbad explored what happens when two high school guys realize they love each other over the course of one crazy evening. Pineapple Express follows a very similar story arc except this time it is the love shared between schlubby stoner Dale (Rogan) and his dealer Saul (James Franco). Just as in Superbad the duo bond, have misadventures, fight, and reunite; only this time there is the added element of wacky tobaccy to enhance their experience and impede their progress.
Unlike those in Superbad, the misadventures found here tend to be full of violent activity. The refreshing part is that nearly all of the violence comes with consequences. There is no panache or swagger in the scrapes that Saul and Dale find themselves in, just a lot of pain and awkwardness. Director David Gordon Green is careful to never dip into slapstick. The violence is funny because it is so real. The viewer knows that an actual fight amongst normal dudes would look way more like Pineapple Express than something out of Under Siege.
The real draw of the film is James Franco. At first his stoner shtick is funny because he is cast against his normal dashing type; soon his shtick is funny because he is talented. Too many of the current crop of comedians simply rely on their personalities for a laugh. Franco actually uses acting skills to bring Saul Silver to life. This gives the film a nuance not found in many Judd Apatow produced movies(yes the uber-producer found time to put his name on this picture as well) where a great deal of fun is had by the actors and only some of that is transferred over to the audience. Franco shines opposite Rogan who, while still lovable and hilarious, is playing the same guy from Knocked Up, 40-Year Old Virgin, and Superbad.
Rogan more than makes up for his minimal range with his skills as a writer. This script has a seemingly endless number of killer lines and winning moments. He and Goldberg have a lighter touch than Apatow; both the raunch and the sentiment seem more realistic and palpable. The scenarios the characters find themselves in don’t seem forced to create a laugh (as is the case in the Harold and Kumar movies). The comedy comes from small moments and reactions that come across as genuine. Besides writing an out-of-place and over-the-top role for Ed Begley Jr. (as the father of Dale’s girlfriend) and an end sequence that drags past the point of interest, these young writers have produced another wonderful script. Pineapple Express may be the closest thing to a truly enjoyable romantic comedy to be produced in years.
Unlike those in Superbad, the misadventures found here tend to be full of violent activity. The refreshing part is that nearly all of the violence comes with consequences. There is no panache or swagger in the scrapes that Saul and Dale find themselves in, just a lot of pain and awkwardness. Director David Gordon Green is careful to never dip into slapstick. The violence is funny because it is so real. The viewer knows that an actual fight amongst normal dudes would look way more like Pineapple Express than something out of Under Siege.
The real draw of the film is James Franco. At first his stoner shtick is funny because he is cast against his normal dashing type; soon his shtick is funny because he is talented. Too many of the current crop of comedians simply rely on their personalities for a laugh. Franco actually uses acting skills to bring Saul Silver to life. This gives the film a nuance not found in many Judd Apatow produced movies(yes the uber-producer found time to put his name on this picture as well) where a great deal of fun is had by the actors and only some of that is transferred over to the audience. Franco shines opposite Rogan who, while still lovable and hilarious, is playing the same guy from Knocked Up, 40-Year Old Virgin, and Superbad.
Rogan more than makes up for his minimal range with his skills as a writer. This script has a seemingly endless number of killer lines and winning moments. He and Goldberg have a lighter touch than Apatow; both the raunch and the sentiment seem more realistic and palpable. The scenarios the characters find themselves in don’t seem forced to create a laugh (as is the case in the Harold and Kumar movies). The comedy comes from small moments and reactions that come across as genuine. Besides writing an out-of-place and over-the-top role for Ed Begley Jr. (as the father of Dale’s girlfriend) and an end sequence that drags past the point of interest, these young writers have produced another wonderful script. Pineapple Express may be the closest thing to a truly enjoyable romantic comedy to be produced in years.
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