This movie sort of surprised me. It wasn't necessarily what I would call a good movie but I have to admit it was sort of fun. It's not something I'd recommend to anyone but I will admit to having enjoyed it. If you stack it up against other movies of it's ilk, TV adaptations of old shows or even super hero movies, it's a solid entry into the former category and about average in the latter.
This movie is full of actors whom either I don't like or don't get in their roles. Tom Wilkinson has a small role as Seth Rogan's father and I"m not sure what he got out of the movie or what he even brought to the table. Edward James Olmos (From here on out known as EJO) has an even smaller role as the editor in chief of the newspaper that Seth Rogan's character owns. In one seen EJO wears what appears to be simply a blazer with the sleeves removed. When I commented on it Lauren responded with, "That's what they call vests." Somehow Lauren always manages to slip in a line funnier than any in the movie. I still think it was a weird vest to be wearing because it had a lapel but whatever. Maybe these roles were larger initially or something, I don't know.
I have a pretty serious love/hate relationship with Seth Rogan. He was amazing in Freaks and Geeks and the first couple of Judd Apatow movies he was pretty solid. He has a tiny role in Donnie Darko that is pretty great Everything else has sort of turned me off. I'm just not into the simpering oaf as a movie character. It also looks like he might give you a damp handshake. Here is as annoying as ever but it fit the character better than some of his other roles. I wonder why he lost so much weight to be in this movie, it clearly would've been funnier if he were chubbier.
Christopher Waltz plays the bad guy with the bad hair cut. Why do people in movies have haircuts no one has in real life? I don't know why I'm supposed to believe that the most powerful drug dealer in LA has a shitty white guy Caesar. I think he's probably a fine actor but I really could not stand Inglorious Basterds and don't understand at all how he won an Oscar for it but that's the Oscars for you. He plays a meth kingpin in this movie and even though almost everything I know about the hierarchy of meth dealership is from Breaking Bad I'm pretty sure that it's a laughable conceit. He also has a double barreled gun that is just stupid.
Cameron Diaz plays the female lead and you know what? I like Cameron Diaz. I know I talk a lot about stuff I don't like on this blog but I'll tell you know up front and totally real, I like Cameron Diaz. I think she can act and be funny and that it's a unique skill set for an actress these days. Who else has it? I don't think there's an actress that can range from totally silly to totally serious the way she can. I'm sure some of you disagree but I don't give a fuck.
The real winning performance in the movie though is Jay Chou as Kato. He is a great foil for Seth Rogan. His weird ESL doused enthusiasm is refreshing. Even though he came off really cool, he accomplished it by playing Kato as sort of a nerd who knows he's really in charge of the situation. Without Chou as Kato the whole movie falls apart for me.
I'm not going to bore anyone with a plot synopsis, there's barely one to follow which shouldn't be much of a surprise. But if you have nothing to do on a Sunday afternoon it's probably worth a rent after it comes out on DVD.
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