Rub The Furry Wall

YES!!! We finally have a comedy worthy of standing in the halls of hysterical gold for 2010. After a slew of allegedly funny rom-coms, indecisive action-comedies, and stupid sex-comedies, we have Get Him to the Greek. If you may remember, a few weeks ago, I filed this one under the category of The Ones to Watch (With Reservations). I should have listened to Aiden from Cut The Crap, and gotten rid of the "(With Reservations)" part for this one, because, if there is a funnier movie this year, I will be seriously surprised! This is quite simply one of the funniest movies I've seen in a good while, one that single handedly rescues the Judd Apatow factory from the sinkhole it was falling into. Get Him to the Greek is crude, vulgar, disgusting, offensive, and immature as all holy hell! But since when is that a bad thing?

His stage presence is off the charts!

Get Him to the Greek could be considered a sequel, of sorts, to Forgetting Sarah Marshall in that it focuses on one of the characters from that film, but that's where the similarities end. The story follows an inexperienced and eager record company employee, Aaron Green, as he attempts to escort the lavish and out of this world rockstar, Aldous Snow, from his home in London to the Greek theatre in Los Angeles, so that he can play an anniversary concert. Easier said then done, as Aldous isn't big into making flights and is more interested in partying his balls off. As Aaron desperately tries to get the out of control rocker to LA on time, he must contend with the eccentricities of his boss, fix his straining relationship with his girlfriend, and follow every request that Aldous makes of him. This includes, but is not limited to, making a detour to Las Vegas, being a drug mule, acquiring drugs, and and other various activities that would have his pastor in a tizzy! Get Him to the Greek is one the most absurd comedies I've ever seen. So much weird stuff happens on the way to LA, but it's all handled in a very realistic way, so that you can accept that this craziness would be happening. The film runs out of steam once they get to LA, but, every other scene before then was laced with more laughs then any other comedy this year, so, all is forgiven!

Jonah Hill plays Aaron. The performance is more of the same that we've seen from Hill in the past. He's awkward, confused, and loses his temper very easily. But, the material he has been presented is significantly better then most of his other recent works, and he handles it with the mark of a comedian who know his shit! He is completely overpowered though by Russell Brand, returning to the role that made him a comic icon. As Aldous, Brand is ridiculous, lewd, offensive, and depraved! He will be pounding Absinthe one minute, and snorting heroin the next! Brand displays great comic timing, and does a wonderful job handling his absurd lines. He is the funniest person on the screen, and if anyone this year makes me laugh harder... I honestly don't know what I would do. The last main role worth talking about is Sean "P. Diddy" Combs as Sergio, Aaron's possessed boss. A self proclaimed master of the "mindfuck", Combs is a revelation. We haven't seen him do anything of this nature before, and all I can say is that I hope he continues taking roles like this in the future. He's hysterical! I'd be all for a movie made that focused specifically on his character, and I don't say things like that all that often. It's a big deal! Supporting roles include Rose Byrne as Aldous' ex, Elizabeth Moss as Aaron's GF, and Lars Ulrich as, well, Lars Ulrich! These aren't the best performances, but, they are funny as hell, which is more then we usually get.

ADRENALINE!!!!!

Writer/Director Nicholas Stoller is a true Apatow protege, meaning, he fully gets what makes Apatow's movies so good. Sure, he fills the pages with enough depraved acts to get the parents of South Park pissed off, but he also fills them with genuine heart and emotion. These are real people you are watching, ones you can connect and relate to. You actually care for and believe the friendship that Aaron and Aldous create as they trek across the globe, and, just in case you haven't noticed, when you care about the characters on screen, their antics are that much funnier! And boy, are they funny! There are some great set pieces in this movie, from various night clubs, to the Today Show, to a stint in an airport. The dialogue oozes wit, and the physical aspect of the comedy is truly inspired! The high point comes near the end, and sees Aaron and Aldous feverishly try to escape a Las vegas penthouse party gone wrong. I don't want to give anything away, but I will say this. If you do have some pain in your side after this scene is done, get back in your coffin, because you don't have a pulse! That one scene is hands down the funniest thing I have seen since Tom Cruise donned a fat suit! After that scene though, the movie just dies, so that the final, really funny scenario, just isn't funny by comparison. In reality, it's actually kinda creepy, but, well, I've said to much. You'll see. Regardless, everything leading up to the end is hysterical, and if you don't laugh at this thing, then you don't have a soul!

Get Him to the Greek is a truly inspired piece of comedy. Not only does it revitalize the Judd Apatow Factory, it revitalizes this summer, which was starting to look tired after Iron Man 2. This is a smart, sweet, flat out hilarious film! The ending is weak, but in no way does that take away from the rest of the movie. Go see it, or P. Diddy will mindfuck you!