Observe and Report

[Ghostboy]

I loved it also, and I think it's best if one approaches it with all the Taxi Driver references cast aside (King Of Comedy is definitely closer). Seeing it with the crowd at SXSW definitely added to the intensity of the experience, but I think the movie will probably hold up just as well on its own. I'm looking forward to seeing it again.

[MacGuffin]

'Observe and Report' Sparks Date-Rape Debate
by Jessica Barnes; Cinematical

So here's the $64,000 question: Are rape jokes funny? Jody Hill's Observe and Report has just gotten its first dose of bad publicity (not counting the Paul Blart: Mall Cop connection) thanks to a post in the NY Magazine's Vulture blog. They've posed the question: "Does Seth Rogen Rape Anna Faris in Observe and Report?" ... and, as you can imagine, this has sparked a debate among feminists and film critics alike.

Now if you've seen the Red-Band trailer for the comedy about a Travis Bickle-style security guard, you probably know what scene has caught the eye of critics. If not, here's a quick description: After a night of drinking and drugging, Rogen escorts a half-unconscious Faris (Brandi) to his home and the trailer later cuts to a scene in which Rogen is having sex with the incapacitated Brandi. Nice. When he hesitates, however, we hear a slurred voice pipe up with "Why are you stopping, motherf*****?" Guilt assuaged, right? I mean he's not raping her -- she's totally into it ... right? Well, I'll leave my opinion for a little later, but it seems like the answer at large has been a big fat whopping 'No'.

Over at Jezebel, fans have decided that Rogen and Hill have just gone too far, and that this is another in a long line of examples of the anti-woman stance today's successful comedies seem to be taking. But go for a stroll over past the New York Times and in their review of the scene, they acknowledge the rape, but also go on to say, "Before the scene is over she indicates that she had given her consent." Now Farris and Rogen have also participated in a little damage control regarding the scene in question, but unfortunately most of their answers have only managed to make it worse for those offended.

All that being said, I promised you my opinion right? Well, here goes ... I'm going to have to say that as a woman, at no point did I really think rape when I saw the trailer. I saw pathetic, awkward sex between a man and a woman that might be pushing it a little when it comes to the definition of consent. But my gut tells me that it isn't enough to call out Rogen and Hill as women haters. I'm a big fan of context, and if you have a film where the man is as messed up as Rogen is supposed to be, I'm not exactly looking to him for moral guidance. One thing I do know is that I don't mind being offended as long as it's funny, so I'm going to reserve judgement until I see the film. How about you?

[SiliasRuby]

I'm going to marry that girl.....Another comparison that can be made about the film is that Seth's Ronnie is like Jim Carrey's 'cable guy', in both character and what is going on in their careers at the moment. In 1996, Jim was at the height of his funny and he took a dark role in a misunderstood underrated comedy (written originally By Judd Apatow). The other comparisons between the two characters in these two movies (13 years apart from each other) are self evident so I won't delve into that too much. but, yeah.

[john]

Immediately, from the opening chords of "When I Paint My Masterpiece", I was won over. I'd been expecting some great things from this due to Hill's previous efforts, and I was still surprised, and shocked, and exhilarated. It's so much more cinematic, so much more immediate than Foot Fist Way or Eastbound and Down... there are moments and shots in this film that are so unexpected, so cinematic, they made my heart race.

It's funny, it's dark, it has a tremendous amount of redemption in it's own natural, and sometimes wonderfully obscured, way.

Tim Orr's cinematography is pretty great, without being distracting. Same can be said about the soundtrack... there are some really beautifully chosen songs throughout the picture.

I don't know... maybe if I sit on this a little while, I'll start to see some cracks in it... but not right now. Right now I'm just very pleased by what I saw.

[samsong]

i'll take my pathos-cum-comedy from movies like Happiness or King of Comedy (which isn't any less arbitrary a comparison as Taxi Driver) before something like this any day.  pretty funny but great moments are few and far between, though i do appreciate how far the movie goes to get laughs.  otherwise it's vapid as fuck and ultimately pointless if not boring.  action scenes were well executed, loved the drug bender sequence, and the ending is outrageous.  any time anna faris was on screen i couldn't stop laughing.  i don't get the superlative response to this.

hi, my name is sam, and i don't like anything.

[john]

pretty funny but great moments are few and far between, though i do appreciate how far the movie goes to get laughs.  otherwise it's vapid as fuck and ultimately pointless if not boring. 

That's pretty much how I feel about most of Todd Solondz's output. On repeated viewing, Happiness is pretty vacuous, it's just more subtle about it and benefits from a really strong supporting cast.

Having only watch Observe and Report once, it would be a bit unfair of me to say it succeeds in a way Happiness doesn't, plus I don't think it's intentions are the same. I do think I'll probably end up watching this film a lot more than Happiness.

I think you might actually have some good arguments to expand on here, but I have a hard time understanding why you would consider the film "pointless".

[SiliasRuby]

I'm surprised more people haven't seen this film, considering who is involved.

[JG]

SPOILS (for observe & report, and eastbound & down)

i liked fist foot way and love eastbound & down, but i don't think this movie is very good. what i love about those projects is that there aren't really that many jokes or gags - the funniness comes from the way characters phrase certain things; their subtle looks and gestures (namely mcbride). the characters are slimy and the filmmaking unsentimental, but there are moments of clever and genuine filmmaking. i'm thinking of the ending of eastbound and down - mcbride ditching his girl, driving to orlando without a clue. maybe a little obvious, but also kind of heartbreaking.

there are inspired moments in observe and report, but every time i felt the movie heading into that kind of territory, it said 'no' and went the other way. i don't mean that i was asking for a touching moment between ronnie and mom, but i don't think the movie ever fully committed to itself, and sort of lost its way as a result. i'm mostly talking about the third act, where i thought is vacillated between the ferrell-mcckay movie it would have been in different hands, and the truer, mean spirited movie it could have been.

(wouldn't it have been more honest if he didn't get his job back?)

there was a point toward the end of the movie where there was another music montage of rogen beating the shit out of things, and while i admired the filmmakers' decision to disallow rogen a proper arc , i don't think it was fair to deny the audience of theirs. the movie never really takes a stance, and, ultimately, i don't think its funny enough not to.

still, lots of great moments here. "its for the tears." also, "y'know i thought this was going to be funny, but its just kind of sad," which i thought was a terrific and timely nod to the audience. as long as the studios keep allowing hill and co. to make movies this far left of center ill check em out.

[modage]

I did not like this. 

All the characters (save one) are despicable and they're also unrealistic.  The problem is: it's not very funny.  I get that Rogen's character is supposed to be delusional, but does that mean so should the police?  And other mall employees?  When the film began I was trying to go with it, but I went from being on the fence to actively disliking it at about the halfway point. I don't blame Rogen for trying to stretch but I will blame writer/director Jody Hill for not having the material to support him.  If it weren't for Eastbound & Down, I'd say this film might've sunk his career.  Unpleasant and (mostly) unfunny.

A sidenote: What happened to Anna Faris?  I couldn't tell if she looked like plastic for her character or because she actually looks like that now.  Unfortunately it was not just for the character.

[RegularKarate]

I think this thing evened out to be "alright".

The first half is basically a failure.  Seth Rogen was miscast (I feel like it was probably written for McBride).  He can't really pull this character off.. it works at times, but mostly he's too cute and cuddly.   

There were other characters who were just too cartoonish.  Michael Pena struck me as comic relief for a comedy (completely unnecessary) and Anna Faris sucked per usual (a boring caricature).

Also, the jokes were just bland in general.  A couple half chuckles here and there, but not enough to really carry it.

There's that breaking point though around halfway through where everything starts to get really good and I can put away my issues with the first half.  Things get dark and exciting... I woke up and really got into it.

I call this a minor mis-step for Hill, but applaud him for what he accomplished and can't wait for whatever he does next.

Also, how insanely different did Ben Best look?

[Pozer]

This is my favorite movie of the year so far, hands down.

worst for me so far, laughs down. i couldnt muster up one single snicker throughout. granted i was under the weather and doped up on a miscellany of over the counteries. during the first half i kept thinking maybe i should be watching it on a better day, but by the end i knew i'd never give it a second chance. luckily it was short.

it's not really the worst movie of the year, but what the hell? ive never seen east bound and fist foot but it's like the director said "Seth, do funny stuff with the f-ins and Anna Faris be Anna Faris and the rest of y'all, be unrealistic and do funny accents." that muddled equation equals unfunny as hell.

over improving with the f-in's is REALLY unfunny as hell. "The fuckin'.. thing was fuckin' on her fuckin' thing and I don't fuckin' give a fuck! Fuck you!" Vince Vaughn is the worst at this. Seth Rogen, close second.

[Stefen]

I remember Larry David saying, "what the fuck?" was the cheapest laugh you could ever try to get.

It's true.