Get Him To THE Greek (Rhoades)

“Get Him to the Greek” Is a Trip to Question

Reviewed by Shirrel Rhoades

I admit I must be missing a “laugh gene” because I have trouble finding British comedian Russell Brand funny. It’s not that I don’t like British humor. I grew up on Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan’s Goon Show, Terry Thomas, Beyond the Fringe, and Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Heck, I even “get” the cartoons in Punch.

Sure, I tolerated Russell Brand in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” because as Sarah’s new boyfriend he wasn’t a character you were meant to be rooting for.

Now here he is again, in his patented performance as a rock star extreme, co-starring in “Get Him to the Greek.” (Yes, he’s reprising his role as egocentric musician Aldous Snow from “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.”)
Pudgy Jonah Hill (“Superbad”) is the slub assigned to see that this off-his-rocker rocker makes it to a scheduled performance at the Greek Theater in Hollywood. The storyline is about Jonah getting hijacked by high living along the way, falling prey to the rock star’s lascivious lifestyle.

This show biz trifle tosses in guest appearances by Christina Aguilera, Pink, Lars Ulrich, Mario Lopez, Rick Schroder, Meredith Vieira, and Billy Bush. Rose Bryne (TV’s “Damages”) is also on hand. Kristen Bell reprises her role as the unforgettable Sarah Marshall. And Sean “P. Diddy” Combs walks away with the show as the exec who sends our boy Jonah on his wayward mission.

This Judd Apatow comedy is currently playing at the Tropic Cinema. As you will recall, Judd has given us such laughetons as “40 Year Old Virgin,” “Knocked Up,” “Step Brothers,” “Pineapple Express,” plus the aforementioned “Superbad” and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.”

So why am I griping about this latest giggle of a movie? Hm, maybe you just caught me on a bad day. Or maybe Russell Brand is not as funny as Judd Apatow thinks.

srhoades@aol.com
[from Solares Hill]