This is the End

FRIENDS

This is the End - Friends

Modern comedy falls into three groupings; buddy comedies (The Internship) re-hash comedies (any of The Hangover films) and comedy that came from the penis of Judd Apatow.  If it wasn't for Apatow you could say that comedy would be dead.  Coming from a generation that thought "The Cable Guy" was one of the best comedies of the 1990s, that pretty much sums it up.  But what happens when you get a film that doesn't have any of Apatow's fingerprints on it, yet, remains at heart, an Apatow film?  You get the Rapture-inspired comedy, "This is the End."  A film about friends, redemption, and a lot of jokes about cum.

Let me put this on front street;  "End" will not be for everyone, but it should be if you've seen any Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill, or Danny McBride film, which I guess would mean that THIS film IS for EVERYONE!  Sure the humor is sophomoric, gross, and the conversations between the actors runs from inane, homoerotic, to, at times, philosophical, but what would you expect from the same guys that brought you "Superbad" and "Pineapple Express."

"End" revolves around a party at James Franco's new house where he's invited everyone from Kevin Hart to a coked-up Michael Cera (who steals every scene he is in). Between the cocaine lines, bong hits, and Capri Suns, The Rapture begins, sucking people into heaven in blue light, while sinners remain on earth.  A majority of the cast dies, but a small group, including Rogen, Hill, McBride, Franco, Craig Robinson, and Jay Baruchel,  survive and slowly turn on each other while trying to figure what to do in the now-post Ap

If you're looking for a plot and/or story, you're looking for the wrong thing.  "End" is clearly a comedy showcase from Rogan to Robinson.  Each actor gets their chance to shine and it's hilarious the watch even if you kind of know where the story is heading come the climax (that sentence is full of innuendo, but so is this film).  There will be some people in the audience that might feel divided about the humor, that ranges from potty-talk, to mean-spirited, but remember; it's comedy anyway you slice it, and unless you are simply someone with no sense of humor, you'll get a chuckle every few minutes.

What sets "End" apart from other Apatow fare, as well as any other comedy that's been in the multiplex lately is the film's take on celebrity.  "End" plays out more like a reality TV show, which might make you wonder; are these actors really like this in real life?  The answer is; maybe, maybe not.  Most of use are used to the characters that Seth Rogan, James, Franco, and Jonah Hill play in their movies; man-boys that smoke pot, have menial jobs, yet somehow end up for the better come the end of their films.  "End" takes this idea and puts it in some semblance of reality, yet all the actors are still playing a caricature of themselves from their films.  It's an interesting way to view the film when you think about whether these guys have slowly taken up a role in "real" life that they are known for from their films.  It's meta upon meta upon meta......

If you don't want to get that deep, that's fine, "End" is still the funniest movie that you'll see all year without a doubt, and that should be enough to get you're money.  However if that's not enough.....spoiler alert......the Backstreet Boys are in it.  Now if that doesn't make you want to pony up about 10 duckets, well, I'm sure you can still check out "The Hangover: Part III" at the dollar theater.

Fun Fact:  Over the course of their careers, The Backstreet Boys have sold over 130 Million records.  Suck on that N'Sync!