WAR

The Interview -War

There is something to be said about a film that pretty much destroys the trust and security of a movie studio, single-handedly starts a cyber war, and draws the ire of all social media outlets where everyone is suddenly a film critic and each have the best review, "well, it sucks because it sucks." I've always been a huge fan of those types of reviews. "The Interview" is that film and is by far the most polarizing "thing" to happen this year, besides maybe Kim Kardashian's "Paper Chase." Who'd of thought that a stoner comedy, at heart, would cause mass hysteria the likes that haven't been seen since, well, ever.

Out story begins with Dave Skylark and Aaron Rapoport, James Franco and Seth Rogen respectively, who host and produce "Skylark Tonight" a celebrity-trash interview show. After 1,000 episodes, Aaron is looking for something a little more meaningful in his journalistic career. As luck would have it, North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-un is a huge fan of Skylark's show, as well as "The Big Bang Theory." Feeling that this could be their big break to be taken serious, the duo setup an interview to take place in Pyongyang where Skylark will interview Jong-un. Upon catching wind of their impending interview, the CIA gets wind and wants in on the action, namely seizing the chance to kill the North Korean despot. Dave and Aaron travel to North Korea, and needless to say, hijinks ensue that include dick and fart jokes, while tossing in stereotypical stoner humor with a dash of "wink-wink-nod-nod" movie reference references.

The simple take away from "The Interview" is this; if you like "Pineapple Express" "This is the End" "Neighbors" or anything else that is within the Judd Apatow inner circle, you will enjoy "The Interview," it's that simple. Will this film get ripper apart by critics and the Internet? Of course it will. One, mainly because critics who sit in their ivory tower find it incredibly difficult to understand why a film like this would be a political touchstone. I mean, for a little bit there, it seemed like World War III was imminent. Critics hate when something takes over the consciousness of a people when it clearly shouldn't. Add in the pile on of Internet trolls who say the movie sucks, because well, the movie sucks to them, and you have the bait set for a film to become something that runs in a 24 hour news cycle days on end. Guess what people, you just got trolled by Franco and Rogen. If you didn't think this is the response they wanted, well, you need to get your head examined.

Sure, the film has plot holes, underwritten characters, is about 25-30 minutes too long, and has large gaps of just uselessness, but would you expect anything less? With that being said, I was never bored, I laughed throughout much of the film, and you can't deny the fact that Franco and Rogen like making films together and see film as fun and not just something that needs to be respected and cherished, and worst of all, a landmark event. Christ, the film is about two bumblers trying to save the world from a 3rd-world dictator, is there anything more ridiculous than that?

So, is "The Interview" worth the hype? Not at all, its a typical comedy in the Apatow vein that most people should be very familiar with. Is it a bad movie and does it "suck?" Of course not, it's very funny, absurd, and has plenty of quotable lines. Unfortunately, the film will be better remembered for the "war" it started, which when I think about it, maybe isn't such a bad thing after all.

Fun Fact:There is nothing fun about North Korea.....