Whilst mildly amused by Russell Brand’s two-dimensional character Aldous Snow in ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ I was more than surprised to hear that Judd Atapow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Funny People) had decided to propel the “rockstar” into his very own movie role.
The good news is that Sarah Marshall is largely forgotten, and the film promises to spin a good yarn. The opening newsreel sequence of the rise and fall of Aldous Snow raises some genuine laughs as Snow’s downfall unfolds (including disastrous flop single “African Child” featuring a music video depicting him as a “White African Space Christ.” Yes, a cheap gag but succinctly sets up Aldous Snow as the mindless arsehole he is.)
Fast forward a few years and we meet Aaron Green (Jonah Hill). Young, obese and ambitious, Green is an assistant at a record label whose bright idea it is to stage a major comeback for his hero Aldous - an anniversary concert of his career-shaping performance at LA’s world-famous Greek Theatre ten years previously.
Hill’s dopey portrayal of this naïve fool, keen to remain loyal to his girlfriend back home is heartwarming in places, but Hill’s first bash as a lead man would’ve been far from thrilling if Brand had not been there to juxtapose this lame dog of a character.
The real star of the movie emerges in the unlikely shape of P. Diddy (formerly known as Puff Daddy to children of the ‘90s). He is a superb addition as Green’s over-zealous boss determined to ensure Green gets Aldous to the Greek on time. Injecting high energy and uttering swear words to genuine comedic effect, which is a rarity these days, I’ve a newfound respect for Diddy. Similar to the popularity Tom Cruise ignited during his sterling performance as Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder. Les Grossman, incidentally, is to get his own Hollywood film spin off. Despite my enjoyment of Tropic Thunder, this is unpleasant news evident of Box Office desperation to grasp money wherever it can.
Which is precisely why, despite moments of fun throwaway humour, Get Him To The Greek left me feeling slightly cold as its thin plot dragged on. All the while, the premise of the movie brings with it little suspense as you know damn well Green is going to “Get Him To The Greek” and a 72 hour deadline isn't exactly a tight schedule.
It’s clear from the off that this film is a vehicle through which to explore Russell Brand for the US audience. “Who is this kooky British guy marrying our kooky popstar Katy Perry?” A flamboyant, intelligent ex-drug addict Brand, quite naturally, delivers a believable performance as egocentric Aldous Snow.
But the real question is, can he pull off anything else? If you didn’t enjoy Brand in Forgetting Sarah Marshall then you won’t be much further impressed by this outing. The inevitable realisation of his personal failings and attempt to turn his life around is predictable, soppy and far from inspirational.
If you’re into Judd Atapow’s work or you’re looking for a good "date movie" it’s certainly worth a watch but a comedy classic it ain’t.
6 ½ /10
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