Author: Alton Williams

Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past *****

Matthew McConaughey is like Marmite. You either love him or hate him. Whatever your opinion of him you will know exactly what to expect from Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past, the latest in a seemingly endless line of romantic comedies that see him essentially playing the same character over and over again, even if it is a character he seems perfectly cast for. Jennifer Garner, on the other hand, is hard not to love, an actress who has proven herself capable of playing almost any kind of role, having played everything from action heroines to romantic leads (her first leading role was in romcom 13 Going On 30, a personal favourite of this critic), and has managed to avoid the typecasting that has so clearly plagued McConaughey’s career. While the presence of McConaughey as leading man has no doubt already turned off a lot of people from seeing this film the presence of Jennifer Garner in a film is always a good thing, and add in Michael Douglas and rising star Emma Stone to the mix, not to mention director Mark Waters (Just Like Heaven and Mean Girls), and this film, a romantic comedy take on the classic Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol seems like it has all the ingredients for a winning romcom. So, is it the success that it promises to be or will you leave the cinema wishing to perform an exorcism to banish the film from your memory?

Connor Mead (Matthew McConaughey) is a notorious photographer who has a bad boy reputation of loving beautiful women and dumping them when they fall in love with him. He is constantly finding himself being thrown at by women and loves the lifestyle that sees him having non-stop fun without any serious commitment. His brother Paul (Breckin Meyer) is about to get married, and Connor thinks he is making a terrible mistake and tries to talk him out of it. But old flame Jenny Perotti (Jennifer Garner) is at hand to ensure that he doesn’t ruin the big day for bride Sandra (Lacey Chabert). As Connor tries to just get through it all he inadvertently finds himself doing just what Jenny has feared, effectively messing up everything for the happy couple. However, the night before the wedding Connor is visited by the ghost of his deceased Uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas), the man who taught him his womanizing ways, who tells him that he is going to be visited by three ghosts throughout the night. The first comes in the form of old girlfriends Allison Vandermeersh (Emma Stone) who, acting as the Ghost of Girlfriends Past, takes him through all his old girlfriends, including his relationship with Jenny which blossomed since childhood but was ruined by Connor when he left her, afraid of committing himself to her. The next ghost, the Ghost of Girlfriends Present, comes in the form of his assistant Melanie (Noureen DeWulf), and she shows him the damage he is causing to those closest to him. The final ghost, the Ghost of Girlfriends Future, shows him how the life of him and everyone around him will turn out if he continues his life the way he’s living it, and the outcome isn’t good. Thus, Connor sets out to redeem himself, repairing the damage he has caused and perhaps find true love himself.

Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past starts off without much gusto, initially seeming like it is just going to be an average Matthew McConaughey romcom with little to set it apart from the crowd, as we are introduced to his character and his womanising ways. However, it isn’t too long before the movie really gets going when the focus moves away from the protagonist’s seemingly perfect life and Jennifer Garner appears on screen for the first time, brightening everything up, and making you realize that this is far more than just another Matthew McConaughey romcom, it is also a Jennifer Garner romcom. As such, there is a certain sweetness that comes into the film, something the film shares with 13 Going On 30, which gives the film a sense of charm that is typically lacking in most of McConaughey’s films. Matthew McConaughey is an actor who is irritating to some but charming to others so it is hard to speak for everyone in terms of describing the quality of his performance. Connor Mead is basically the same as in every other romcom he has done but he does play the role very well and convincingly. He shares a very touching, heart-warming and actually quite believable chemistry with co-star Garner and whenever the two of them are in a scene together they really light up the screen, and in spite of the Connor’s flaws it is hard to not find yourself wanting the two of them to end up together. It is great to see Jennifer Garner as a romantic lead once again, as it was a role she played so well before and she does so again her with a truly lovable performance full of charm and heart. It is also great to see up-and-coming teen actress Christa B. Allen portraying Jennifer Garner’s younger self for a second time after doing so in 13 Going On 30. While she really doesn’t get enough screen time, she delivers a delightful and memorable performance. There are also some excellent performances from the other cast members with star on the rise Emma Stone once again showing how versatile an actress she is with a hugely entertaining and quite funny performance as the Ghost Of Girlfriends Past. Michael Douglas is perfectly cast as Uncle Wayne, delivering an excellently humorous performance and there is also a very entertaining performance by Robert Forster as the soldier turned minister father of the bride. The direction is also strong with Mark Waters, who has had considerable experience with films such as this, having directed the wonderful and highly underrated Just Like Heaven, being the perfect man for the job. He has crafted a romantic comedy that is unlikely to win praise for originality – if you’ve read A Christmas Carol you will know the whole story and even if you haven’t you will probably guess – but has more than enough charm, warmth and humour to make it a thoroughly watchable movie experience. The tale of redemption at the heart of the film is not only charming but actually seems reasonably convincing and this is crucial to the success of the film as a character who should be despised becomes a character who we really root for. As a whole, Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past is a film that lots to recommend it although anyone who particularly dislikes Matthew McConaughey is unlikely to enjoy it as much as this critic did. While I will no doubt receive criticism for praising this film so highly I stand by my comments and firmly recommend this for anyone looking for a perfect date movie for anyone just looking for a charming feel-good film.

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Hannah Montana: The Movie ****

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last couple of years it is highly unlikely that you are unfamiliar with the Disney sensation that is Hannah Montana but for those of you who are unaware here is a brief summary. What began in 2006 as just another Disney Channel comedy series has grown into a worldwide a sensation transforming its star Miley Cyrus from daughter of one hit wonder Billy Ray Cyrus into a megastar whose success now greatly out-shadows the success of her father, with her proving a hit both as an actress and as a singer. In the show she plays Miley Stewart, a seemingly normal teenager living in California but she leads a double life, also being a pop sensation under the guise of Hannah Montana. The show follows her as she attempts to live two lives whilst also keeping her secret from the world, with her close friends and family (her real life father Billy Ray Cyrus also plays her father in the show) constantly at her side to help her out whenever she gets into trouble, and getting into trouble is something she is extremely good at. It may not sound like much but Miley’s antics have created a craze that is only comparable recently to the likes of Disney’s High School Musical and now the inevitable movie has finally hit cinemas (although technically, it’s actually her second movie after last year’s 3D concert movie Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best Of Both Worlds Concert Tour) and while Hannah Montana: The Movie is no doubt going to be completely derided by a lot of moviegoers, it is actually a lot better than you might expect.

Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus) has been living with two lives for some time now, getting to be both a famous pop star and live a normal life. However, the popularity of Hannah Montana has begun to take over her life, with her publicist Vita (Vanessa Williams) determined to put her even more into the spotlight. When she gets into a very public fight with another celebrity over a pair of shoes and upstages her best friend Lilly (Emily Osment) at her own birthday party, father Robby Ray (Billy Ray Cyrus) realizes that Miley is forgetting her roots and decides to take her back to her home town of Crowley Corners in Tennessee. Little to her knowledge journalist Oswald Granger (Peter Gunn) is on her trail determined to discover her secret and reveal it to the world. Miley is reluctant at first to go along with her dad’s wishes, just wanting to return to her pop star life but it isn’t long before she starts remembering what she used to love about the place when she meets old friend Travis Brody (Lucas Till). As Miley begins to adjust to the quieter life and romance seems to be in the air, however, she finds herself having to become Hannah Montana again in order to help save the town from a greedy property developer. But with Hannah Montana getting in the way of her blossoming romance with Travis and her secret in great danger of being revealed she must make a crucial decision. She has had the best of both worlds but now she must choose just one. Fortunately, Robby Ray, Lily and her brother Jackson (Jason Earles) are at hand to make sure that she makes the right decision and once again becomes the Miley they all know and love.

In the past year there have been a number of scandals surrounding Miley Cyrus that may have soured many parents on her, making them question her suitability as role model for their children. However, while Miley Cyrus’ mistakes have been much publicised, Hannah Montana: The Movie shows that she is actually is a very good role model for young girls. While her character undeniably makes some mistakes in the film she learns from them and redeems herself, showing that there is far more to her than what appears on the surface. The messages that this film carries are sincere and honest and thus make it perfect for young children as not only will they enjoy the film but they may also learn something. This film is as much redemption for Cyrus herself as it is for her character as it helps to wipe away any memories of her recent scandals (which were blown all out of proportion by the media anyway – after all, as Miley Stewart said teenagers act without thinking and get zits. It’s what they do.), showing that she is a genuine talent, both as an actress and a singer, who really deserves the admiration of her fans. Her performance, both as Miley Stewart and Hannah Montana, is likable and entertaining, and her character is one that has certain relatable qualities that make her seem more like a real person, something that is crucial for us to care about the journey she undergoes in the film. Her singing is of a very high standard and she is given some very catchy and lively songs to sing here as well as some more sombre and moving ones, and she does both with a genuine sense of gusto, something that is present throughout much of the film. This is a film that is meant to be entertaining and nothing more and it succeeds with this goal wholeheartedly. The humour is spot on, providing good, clean and honest laughs, and even though it is unlikely that it will fully satisfy more mature moviegoers the target audience will love it. The plot, while following a formula that many will be very familiar with, is decent, telling a simple tale of a country girl finding her self and falling in love. The setting is beautiful with Tennessee providing some great scenery against which to set the film’s events, and it is all captured on film beautifully.
It isn’t just Miley Cyrus who shines here, either, as the remainder of the cast are also very entertaining with Billy Ray Cyrus (who actually gets to sing here as well) and Jason Earles being just as much fun as they are in the TV show, Emily Osment being very good in the best friend role, Vanessa Williams convincing as Miley’s catty publicist and Lucas Till making a charming romantic interest for Miley. There is also an entertaining cameo appearance by model Tyra Banks. The only gripes are that fans of the show may be disappointed by the reduced roles for Mitchel Musso and Moises Arias as Oliver and Rico, the once great Barry Bostwick is completely wasted and the extremely stereotypical portrayal of a British journalist by Peter Gunn is frankly quite irritating. These are minor quibbles, however, in what is overall a very entertaining film. Hannah Montana: The Movie is funny, sweet and charming and a great choice for a family trip to the cinema. Sure, it’s rather corny but you’ll leave the cinema with such a warm feeling inside that you won’t care.

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X-Men Origins: Wolverine ****

Since X-Men III: The Last Stand effectively ended the X-Men franchise as we all know it, killing of several popular and prominent characters in the process, the big question has been where to go next. The route that the studio decided to go down is that of spin-offs and prequels, the first of which is X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which, if successful will lead to the production of more films, including a film chronicling the beginnings of villain character Magneto and one focusing on some of the series’ younger characters. About as eagerly anticipated as a film can get, Wolverine has nonetheless faced a constant series of hurdles right through its development and production and leading up to its release, with creative differences between director Gavin Hood and 20th Century Fox head honcho Tom Rothman being at the forefront of a wealth of negative buzz surrounding the film and a recent scandal involving a work print of the film being leaked onto the internet doing little to improve perceptions. So, with a huge level of expectation and a lot to suggest that the film won’t live up the hype, is X-Men Origins: Wolverine everything fans have been hoping for or is it the final adamantium claw in the coffin for the X-Men franchise?

In the mid 1850s the young James Logan and his brother Victor Creed run away together after Logan accidentally kills their biological father who had murdered Logan’s adoptive father. Each possessing incredible regenerative ability that allows them to heal from almost any injury and prevents them from aging, Logan (Hugh Jackman) and Victor (Liev Schreiber) serve in many wars together throughout the years, eventually catching the attention of William Stryker (Danny Huston), an Army officer who recognizes them for what they are and invites them to be a part of a special team consisting of mutants with unique abilities that carries out special operations. Soon, however, Logan begins to question the orders of Stryker while Victor’s violent tendencies become more extreme. The two grow apart eventually leading to Logan leaving the team. Six years later, the team is no more and Logan is living a quiet life with girlfriend Kayla (Lynn Collins) but this is shattered when she is murdered by Victor who is apparently hunting down all his old team mates. Seeking revenge, Logan finds his opportunity in the unexpected form of Stryker who offers to make Logan indestructible giving him the means to actually kill his brother. He volunteers to be part of an experiment in which an indestructible metal substance known as adamantium is grafted to his skeleton but soon realizes that Stryker has his own agenda. Escaping before Stryker can achieve his goal, Logan, now calling himself Wolverine, attempts to track down Victor so that he can exact his vengeance but his plans change when he discovers that Stryker has been rounding up mutants in order to steal their abilities to create an ultimate mutant super weapon, and he is the only one who can stop it.

Now that it is finally here it is safe to say that X-Men Origins: Wolverine is not the travesty that quite a few have apparently claimed it to be. At the same time, however, it is certainly not the mind-blowing movie experience that many fans have been hoping for. Some of the key reasons for this are due to the action sequences and visual effects which, while being decent on their own terms, are nowhere near as epic as we have come to expect from the X-Men films and superhero/comic book movies in general. The action scenes are indeed thrilling and well staged but they are also rather conventional, not really doing anything that hasn’t been done before and also not providing a fresh angle either. This is likely, at least in part, due to the fact that director Gavin Hood doesn’t really come from an action background and, as such, doesn’t have a whole lot of experience in the field. The visual effects are much the same, with them being consistently good but rarely great, settling to be just passable and get the job done rather than be truly eye-popping. They are way below the standards we have come to expect from films like this and they fail to even come close to anything we have seen in any of the other X-Men movies. This is likely due to the fact that 20th Century Fox hasn’t been investing as much money in many of the films they have been making lately and sadly this means that the effects are nowhere near as good as they could have been. The film also fails to live up to its predecessors in its general look and feel as well, with it just not seeming of the same quality as the other X-Men films. This is a flaw by comparison though and not a problem with the film itself. Viewed on its own terms, the film has plenty of things going for it. The most notable is the storyline which takes on the format of a revenge thriller predominantly, mostly making for an engaging plot with a lead character who we really can care about. The only criticism that could be levelled at the plot applies to the earlier sequences revolving around the early years of Wolverine. Beyond the pre-opening credits sequence we get to see very little of the character’s early life, with his experiences in various world conflicts seeming rather rushed and underdeveloped, merely being shown in the opening credits rather than being given any prominence in the storyline. It’s a real shame as a lot more could have been made of this. To start with the flow of the story also feels a bit off, with the slow pace allowing for some good character development but certain plot elements again feeling rather rushed. Once the real story kicks in, however, the flow seems a lot better, with Wolverine’s search for vengeance making for a reasonably engaging and entertaining viewing experience. Director Gavin Good it at least successful in delivering a film with a story that makes you care, even though he is not so good in the action department. This is, of course, helped massively by the acting, which is probably the film’s biggest strength. Hugh Jackman is again on top form as the titular protagonist, convincingly capturing the character’s inner turmoil and making for a very emotive and sympathetic performance that we really can really empathise with. He is ably backed by strong performances from most of his co-stars as well. Liev Schreiber is probably the best as Victor, delivering a thoroughly enjoyable performance that convinces as we see him slowly transform from intelligent human being to a far more animalistic persona. This performance provides a good contrast to that of Jackman, whose character fights off his animalistic tendencies. Danny Huston, while not being in the same league as Brian Cox in X-Men 2, is very good as William Stryker, being a suitably malevolent screen presence but never coming on too strong as a villain type. For X-Men fans there is also much to enjoy in the inclusion of a whole range of mutant characters who have never been seen before on the big screen including Gambit (Taylor Kitsch), Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), Kayla Silverfox (Lynn Collins), John Wraith (Will i Am) Bolt (Dominic Monaghan), The Blob (Kevin Durand), Agent Zero (Daniel Henney) and Emma Frost (Tahyna Tozzi). There are also appearances by the younger versions of established characters Cyclops (Tim Pocock) and Professor X (a de-aged Patrick Stewart). The amount of screen time these characters get varies, with some only being seen quite briefly and the quality of the performances is also variable although there is no doubt that fans will be happy to see these characters on the big screen at long last. Overall, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is not a wholly successful film. It won’t fully satisfy either X-Men fans or movie fans in general but as it stands it is still a very entertaining and enjoyable action blockbuster that has more than enough merits to make it worth checking out even if it isn’t quite the example of wish fulfilment that many were hoping it to be. Perhaps with a more capable director or less creative interference by the studio it could have been more but as it is it is good but not mind-blowing.

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Reviews by Robert Mann BA (Hons)

O’Horten trivia? Director Bent Hamer also directed Factotum in 2005. He has beaming credentials alongside a great name.

This Norwegian dramedy is centered around a life changing moment in 67 year old Odd Horten’s existence. This great character is similar to The Death Of A Salesman role in ways but with a modern twist in Norway.

Swaying into retirement from 40 honest years in the railway game, Odd Horten realizes that he has nothing to show for it. What has it all been for when people forget you instantly? Only owns a minimal house with no family, real friends or connections.

Our hero Horten tries to do things differently. Taking more risks and doing things he would never have done he attempts to eradicate regret.

Sometimes obscure, the film shifts into gear in the second half more so allowing the story to keep on track. Darkly shot, the cinematography reaches its destination for a tale of regret and longing. Horten makes a connection in the end and is free from a guilty conscious or any regret stored up.

At points, the story loses steam but overall it is a film that locomotive enthusiast should get onboard with.

State Of Play ****

A Hollywood remake of the BBC television drama of the same name (which was directed by David Yates, best known for his work on the last Harry Potter movie as well as all the upcoming ones), State Of Play may be a completely Americanised version of the story told in the series but its British connections have not entirely been severed with British production company Working Title being behind this glossy American remake and hopefully assuring that it doesn’t betray the key themes and messages of its British inspiration. At the helm is Kevin MacDonald who won much critical acclaim for his 2007 film The Last King Of Scotland and based on word of mouth from the film’s US release last week it seems that this film is another winner with the film critics for MacDonald although the underwhelming performance it has had at the box office suggests that the average moviegoer may not be as impressed as the average film critic.

Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe) is a brash newspaper reporter working for the Washington Globe who will do whatever it takes to get his story. He is investigating the story of a petty thief who has been gunned down in an alley while colleague Della Frye (Rachel McAdams) is investigating the death of the assistant of Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) in an apparent suicide. Collins just happens to be an old friend of McAffrey and Frye attempts to get an angle on her story from him. He is reluctant until he discovers that these two seemingly unrelated deaths may not be so unrelated after all. Spying a conspiracy waiting to be uncovered, McAffrey finds himself in the middle of the biggest story of his career and with rookie investigator Frye in tow he begins uprooting clues that lead him to a corporate cover-up full of insiders, informants, and assassins. But as he draws closer to the truth and faces increased pressure from editor Cameron Lynne (Helen Mirren), the relentless journalist must decide if it’s worth risking his life and selling his soul to get the ultimate story.

Effectively blending political thriller and journalistic thriller in the same manner as the 1976 Robert Redford/Dustin Hoffman classic All The President’s Men, State Of Play delivers everything you could possibly hope for from a thriller with such an acclaimed director and such an impressive ensemble cast as this. The performances are virtually all excellent, with Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdams both being extremely convincing and sharing a believable on-screen reporter-reporter chemistry, and there is also a very good performance from Ben Affleck, an actor who has often been criticised for lack of acting ability (personally, though, I’ve found some of his past performances to be excellent as well) but delivers an emotive performance here, capturing the essence of a US senator type well. Helen Mirren is also very good even though she is rather underused. The cast also features Jeff Daniels, Robin Wright Penn and Jason Bateman. It is not just the acting that is of a high standard here though. With glossy production values, good cinematography and a strong script, co-written by Duplicity writer Tony Gilroy, Lions For Lambs writer Matthew Michael Carnahan and Breach writer Billy Ray, director MacDonald has successfully crafted a stylish and entertaining thriller that is packed full of suspense and plot twists and manages to be engaging for the duration. The intricately plotted storyline which combines elements of political scandal with corporate corruption and journalistic investigation is interesting and, for the most part, quite plausible. Only the ending is likely to defy anyone’s perceptions of realism but this will be down to the individual viewer. As a whole, State Of Play is a very well executed thriller that is both entertaining and quite thought provoking at times, and that doesn’t betray its inspiration, even if in the eyes of some viewers it may not match it.

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The Uninvited ***½

2009 so far has been an extremely mediocre year for the horror genre with five horror movies having been released and not one of them being even half decent, even though this doesn’t seem to have bothered the majority of moviegoers as virtually all have performed well (at least by the standards of the horror genre) at the box office. The Uninvited is this year’s sixth horror film although with a decent cast and fairly promising trailers it looks like it has the potential to break the trend for poor quality scare flicks that 2009 seems to be experiencing.

Anna (Emily Browning) is a teenager who has spent ten months in an institution following a suicide attempt that came after the death of her mother in a fire. Finally returning home she is reconciled with father Steven (David Strathairn) and sister Alex (Arielle Kebbel), but is shocked to find that her mother’s former nurse Rachel (Elizabeth Banks) is now her father’s girlfriend and has moved in with them. As she tries to continue her recovery, Anna finds it seemingly impossible to let go of the past, having nightmares that seem to be trying to tell her something. And things only get worse as she begins having terrifying visions that suggest that her mother’s death was not an accident. Anna and Alex soon begin to suspect that Rachel may have murdered her mother in order to get to their father and that they may be next on her list. As they set about trying to prove their theory, however, Rachel seems determined to thwart them and a shocking revelation about what has really been going on determines to pull the family apart once and for all.

A remake of Korean horror film A Tale Of Two Sisters, The Uninvited follows in the footsteps of other American remakes of Asian horror films such as The Ring, The Grudge and The Eye. Fortunately, it follows in the footsteps of the two former films which were pretty good rather than the latter which was simply awful. Directors The Guard Brothers have crafted a horror film that is based more on suspense on psychological threat than the jumps or gore or many recent fright flicks, and this is one of the film’s major strengths. Right from the start they create an effective sense of impending dread and they provide the scares with well orchestrated sequences that create genuine suspense and tension instead of merely trying to make the audience jump. The scares here are real scares, the kind of which makes for a genuinely terrifying horror film and not the kind of which you forget straight after leaving the cinema. To give an idea of the effectiveness of the scares, in every other recent I have seen there was always someone laughing in the audience but not this time. The scares are heightened thanks to some good cinematography and the production values of this film in general are of a higher standard than the majority of recent horror movies. The inevitable plot twist also works. While it may be somewhat conventional and no doubt there will be some who will figure it out early on, it does come as quite a surprise and within the logic of the film it actually makes sense, not contradicting anything that has come before. The film also delivers in the acting department with strong performances from most of its cast members. Emily Browning, who is no stranger to horror having previously appeared in 2003’s also pretty good horror flick Ghost Ship, is very good as Anna, convincingly portraying the role of a traumatized teenager. Arielle Kebbel also delivers a good performance as sister Alex. Browning and Kebbel share a good sister-sister dynamic with their on-screen chemistry proving believable and sincere. Appearing on screen for the umpteenth time in year, Elizabeth Banks, an actress who some people may be growing tired of by now, actually delivers one of her best performances. As Rachel, she is suitably cold and silently threatening, but she portrays the role in such a way as to make you question what her character’s true motivations are, something which proves particularly effective considering the twist ending. The only weak link in the cast is the usually reliable David Strathairn who gets so little to do that his talent is just wasted here. This is not through any fault of his though, it’s just that the script requires very little of him. As far as the script goes, the storyline isn’t one of the most original and some of the typical horror clichés are present but they aren’t as predominant as in most modern horror films and don’t prevent the film from providing authentic scares. Overall, The Uninvited is never going to be remembered as a horror classic but it is still a very scary and enjoyable horror film that, given the sorry state of the horror genre as of late, is easily the best mainstream horror film in quite some time.

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Observe And Report ½

There have been many cases in the past of multiple films with similar themes being released in close proximity to one another, Armageddon and Deep Impact being just one of many examples, and now there is yet another duo of films that follow this trend. Coming just over a month after the Kevin James starring Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Observe And Report is another comedy about an underappreciated security guard who gets his chance to be in the spotlight. The similarities with that film are obvious although both films are of a very different nature, the former being a light-hearted, good natured family friendly flick while the latter is a very dark and very adult film, and the headlining stars come from very different fields of comedy with Observe And Report featuring Seth Rogen, a comedian who this critic finds highly overrated and cannot understand why he is so popular with moviegoers. As such, whereas I enjoyed Paul Blart: Mall Cop when I went to see Observe And Report I really wasn’t that keen on observing and reporting it.

Ronnie Barnhardt (Seth Rogen) is a mall security guard who has bi-polar affective disorder. He is underappreciated and dreams of becoming a police officer and escaping his mediocre life. The only thing in the mall that he doesn’t seem to hate is Brandi (Anna Faris), a ditzy blonde who works at the cosmetics counter but rebuts his advances. When the mall is plagued by a flasher who is turning the shopper’s paradise into his personal peep show, Ronnie thinks that it is finally his chance to show everyone what he is capable of by bringing the flasher to justice. When police Detective Harrison (Ray Liotta) is brought in to close the case, Ronnie finds himself in a rush against time to catch the guy responsible before Harrison does. However, a spate of burglaries in the mall and his own aggressive tendencies threaten to ruin Ronnie’s moment of glory.

Plot-wise there are some distinct similarities between Observe And Report and Paul Blart: Mall Cop with the story developing and unraveling along very similar lines. However, while the basic principles may share something in common, the details most definitely do not, with this film’s content being of a very adult nature. It hardly seems like the characters can go for more than a few minutes without spouting profanities and the constant swearing just seems gratuitous, detracting from the film rather than adding anything to it. The violent and sexual content often seems just as gratuitous. The plot is paper thin, seemingly only existing to link together a series of gags, something that wouldn’t be too much of a problem if the gags were actually funny or had some charm to them, which they aren’t and which they don’t. Some will find the humour downright offensive in parts too. Only a few very brief moments even came close to raising a smile from this critic and more such moments would have gone some way to making the film marginally better than it is. Any positive things that could be said about this film are rendered completely redundant, however, by a date rape sequence which is sickening, offensive and not remotely funny. Any film that considers this kind of thing to be funny is really not worthy of praise and only someone with a twisted sense of humour is likely to get any laughs out of it. The problem isn’t just that the film isn’t funny, though, but also that the majority of the characters just aren’t remotely likeable. Seth Rogen, who I have never found to be that funny anyway, is almost despisable Ronnie, a character who does things and behaves in such a way that is virtually impossible to feel any sympathy for him, even when we are clearly supposed to. This isn’t necessarily through any fault of his, with the way his character has been written largely to blame, but it doesn’t change the fact that he isn’t that good anyway. The once great Ray Liotta is transformed into a farce here with this film being a complete waste of the talent of a genuinely gifted actor. At the very least, though, it is easy to empathise with his character when he shouts at Rogen’s. Anna Faris, an actress who has shown herself to be very talented, is reduced to a stereotype here, again making for a very unlikeable character. The only performance in the film that has any charm at all is from Collette Wolfe who has a relatively small role as Nell, a mall employee who forms a close friendship with Ronnie. She is actually quite a delightful screen presence and it’s a real shame that she had to be in such an awful film as this when she could do so much better. All in all, Observe And Report is pretty much a complete failure as a comedy and this isn’t helped by the fact that there doesn’t even seem to be a point to it all. No doubt there are people who will actually enjoy the film but it if you like your comedies to be clean, inoffensive and actually funny, don’t Observe And Report this film, just re-watch Paul Blart: Mall Cop instead.

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Reviews by Robert Mann BA (Hons)