MARK FOKER'S MOVIE REVIEW - GET HIM TO THE GREEK (From Your Local Guardian)

FOKER'S REVIEW - GET HIM TO THE GREEK

11:31pm Wednesday 9th June 2010 in Your Say By Mark Foker

Staring: Russell Brand, Jonah Hill, Rose Byrne, Elisabeth Moss.

Director: Nicholas Stoller

Producer: Judd Apatow

Isn’t life funny. One minute you’re a disgraced comedian and DJ feeling the backlash of the ‘sachsgate’ incident and the next thing you know you’re a huge Movie star. I’m sure Russell Brand is crying all the way to the bank!

Actually, I really don’t think money is all that important to him, I believe that Mr Brand just wants to conquer the Universe and be loved. Which brings me on nicely to his latest film ‘Get Him to the Greek’. This is the latest in a long line of successful comedies from the Judd Apatow stable (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Funny People). The film teams up ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ stars Russell Brand and Jonah Hill once again. Brand revives his role as the British rockstar Aldous Snow while Hill plays a new character, record executive Aaron Green who suggests to his record mogul boss Sergio (Sean ‘P.Diddy’ Combs) that a 10 year anniversary comeback tour for the once beloved Aldous Snow would be a great way to make money for the record company.

The only problem is that Aldous is now a washed up has been following a disastrous album called ‘African Child’ and also the bad break up with his pop star girlfriend Jackie Q (Rose Byrne who played Ellen Parsons from TV’s Damages). Sergio likes the idea and puts Aaron on a career-making assignment. Fly to London and bring Aldous Snow back to LA to appear at the famous Greek theatre with a quick stop over in New York to guest star on the Today show and all in 36 hours…simple you might say? Of course not. Aldous is in a self destructive spiral and his biggest ever fan Aaron begins to think that he may have bitten off more than he can chew and gets dragged along into the ‘Sex, drugs and rock & roll’ lifestyle.

There are some really funny moments in this film but also one or two gross-out scenes that make your face do that squinty ‘eeyoo’ look. However the film can also be quite touching and none more so than in the scenes that show a growing relationship between the two men and there is also the underlying theme of loneliness created by fame. Russell Brand stands out as an extremely convincing actor and Jonah Hill has grown from the little chubby high school kid in ‘Superbad’ to the big chubby man living out his dream.

Along the way we have some nice cameos from the likes of Pink and Christina Aguilera plus P.Diddy shows that he has a knack for comedy. In the scenes where Aldous is performing on stage he seems to turn into Russell Brand and you would be forgiven for thinking that you’re watching ‘The Russell Brand story’. I think this could be ‘The Hangover’ for 2010. It’s great entertainment and how could you not fall for the Brand charm.