The sweetness I like to praise in most Seth Rogen movies isn't really present in The Interview where he gets to play straight(ish) man to James Franco's over-the-top moron/diva, a character too infuriating to really ever become sympathetic, even once he "arcs" and learns his important lessons. But while I endorse the audacious premise of sending up Big Bad North Korea, the country's reaction was much more amusing than the film actually ends up being. At its best, it almost approaches being a kind of a Spies Like Us for the new Millennium. Most of the time, it badly straddles several tones, awkwardly marrying dick jokes with violent blood spatter. In the end, I enjoyed the stupid spy story, but did I laugh? No. And that should be recorded as a failure for this kind of movie.
Hilarious movie not for all ages of course, some people can not deal with some humor.
Rogen and Franco are awesome together, this movies is where you see the comedy chops of Franco.
3.75/5
I also watched this because I rather did feel like I ought to because of the censorship angle. I also respect Franco because in his personal life he is a very intelligent and educated man. He has a fistful of degrees and a creative view. So, I feel somehow that he must have method or a reason for all the scatology. The ancient Greeks found it hilarious (Aristophanes' The Frogs) and it still is today.
That said, I think I'll watch a Truffaut or a Chabrol film and regain some brain cells.
Not unwatchable, but close to it. I have never wanted to punch James Franco in the face so much. Eschewing most opportunities for real commentary on media and geopolitics, The Interview's only real moment of genius was its marketing campaign.
It was funny. Not transcendental in any way, but the guy who played Kim was great. I think people might have been expecting more just because of the hype
This is one crazy ass movie I had watched in a while. This movie is awesome! No wonder Sony systems got hacked. Lol. James Franco and Seth Rogen did a great job!
Well, here it is, the film that may cause a fucking war with North Korea. I’ll be honest, I felt good watching this. I felt like I was doing my part as an American by saying fuck you to forced foreign censorship of a clearly satirical film. I thought that the amount of actual propaganda that is spewed out of Kim Jong Un’s mouth dwarfed the obviously joking premise of this film. After seeing the film though, I get it. If they actually watched the film, which is a given that they did, I don’t see how they could not be upset. I don’t think they should be acting like this was a declaration of war, but their feelings should be hurt. I mean, this film was pretty heavy on the completely batshit insane rumors of how North Koreans live and operate. The fearless leader was also played just completely crazy, which is funny because I think the real Kim Jong Un may be crazier. All I’m saying this that the film insulted pretty much the entire country and even though I have no problem with doing this, I can see why they’re upset.
The writer/director combo of Goldberg and Rogen worked like a charm last year with “This is the End”. I loved the film. I thought it was the perfect amount of poop jokes mixed with actual dark comedy. I saw the movie twice in one night I have never done that before or since in the theater. This film did not fair the same way. It started off very funny as we are introduced to the hysterical character of Dave Skylark, an entertainment talk show host who specializes in breaking startling personal news from big name celebrities. Franco plays Skylark and uses every single ounce of comedic juice in this one. It worked. He was hilarious pretty much throughout the whole movie. The beginning however, was the best part. The interview he had with Rob Lowe and Eminem killed me. I wish the whole movie was about Skylark and his show. Franco’s use of completely stupid language as if he was a 14 year old boy in high school had me dying. “They hate us cuz they ain’t us”. Rogen wasn’t used as much as I hoped he would be but he had some Rogen-esque lines, especially once they got to North Korea.
The problem I had with the film was just the sheer stupidity of how things went after they got to North Korea. In fact, I’d argue that the film fell apart right at the moment that everybody was waiting for, the introduction to Kim Jong Un. I realized the satire was present the whole time, I just didn’t laugh. I didn’t find the actor who played Kim funny in the slightest. The accents were distracting. The story was boring. Besides a certain scene with a tiger, I just didn’t really care about anything that happened. The writing just took a full on nosedive to stupid about half way and that disappointed me given how much I have loved Rogen/Goldberg’s previous films. I will however say that there was a certain scene at the end of the film, which when taken down to slow mo, was very impressive. It reminded me of some of the low budget but extremely effective special effects from “This is the End”.
Overall, see the film. It’s your duty to see the film and become part of American history. It’s also dirt cheap and actually pretty high quality for a Youtube release. Don’t expect a serious film though. It’s one long poop joke that delivers its laughs early or whenever the camera is on James Franco. Seriously, I could watch his face in this film all day.
If you liked Seth Rogen & James Franco before, you're going to like it. If you didn't like them before, you're not going to like it.
I have to say I enjoyed Pineapple Express a lot more, but it's a possibility to kill a Friday evening. For the future, someone should help Rogen to sort out his most-missing jokes and trim his films by 15 minutes. Same fun, more flow.
It's funny in that vulgar, Rogen way. Some will be disappointed - this is your friday night guilty pleasure. It is a quite forgettable affair, and it simply cannot be placed in the rows of powerful political satires such as Dr. Strangelove or The Great Dictator. I must add that it is not completely without a spark ("Kim must die. Because that's the american way.").
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Comments 1 - 15 of 28
Aa Banks
So it's largely toilet humor with Rogen....Idk about that then hahaSiskoid
The sweetness I like to praise in most Seth Rogen movies isn't really present in The Interview where he gets to play straight(ish) man to James Franco's over-the-top moron/diva, a character too infuriating to really ever become sympathetic, even once he "arcs" and learns his important lessons. But while I endorse the audacious premise of sending up Big Bad North Korea, the country's reaction was much more amusing than the film actually ends up being. At its best, it almost approaches being a kind of a Spies Like Us for the new Millennium. Most of the time, it badly straddles several tones, awkwardly marrying dick jokes with violent blood spatter. In the end, I enjoyed the stupid spy story, but did I laugh? No. And that should be recorded as a failure for this kind of movie.mrjeels
James Franco is so horrible.turhank
Troll in the dungeon :)nyrd
Completely stupid but in a somewhat entertaining way.Joker of Gotham
Hilarious movie not for all ages of course, some people can not deal with some humor.Rogen and Franco are awesome together, this movies is where you see the comedy chops of Franco.
3.75/5
stanleyskubrick
just really badjmars
Four parts Franco/Rogen poop joke humor and one part Inglorious Basterds/American nationalism pornJacqkd
I also watched this because I rather did feel like I ought to because of the censorship angle. I also respect Franco because in his personal life he is a very intelligent and educated man. He has a fistful of degrees and a creative view. So, I feel somehow that he must have method or a reason for all the scatology. The ancient Greeks found it hilarious (Aristophanes' The Frogs) and it still is today.That said, I think I'll watch a Truffaut or a Chabrol film and regain some brain cells.
frankqb
Not unwatchable, but close to it. I have never wanted to punch James Franco in the face so much. Eschewing most opportunities for real commentary on media and geopolitics, The Interview's only real moment of genius was its marketing campaign.1 star
schneid67
It was funny. Not transcendental in any way, but the guy who played Kim was great. I think people might have been expecting more just because of the hypearrbrr
This is one crazy ass movie I had watched in a while. This movie is awesome! No wonder Sony systems got hacked. Lol. James Franco and Seth Rogen did a great job!The_Comatorium
Well, here it is, the film that may cause a fucking war with North Korea. I’ll be honest, I felt good watching this. I felt like I was doing my part as an American by saying fuck you to forced foreign censorship of a clearly satirical film. I thought that the amount of actual propaganda that is spewed out of Kim Jong Un’s mouth dwarfed the obviously joking premise of this film. After seeing the film though, I get it. If they actually watched the film, which is a given that they did, I don’t see how they could not be upset. I don’t think they should be acting like this was a declaration of war, but their feelings should be hurt. I mean, this film was pretty heavy on the completely batshit insane rumors of how North Koreans live and operate. The fearless leader was also played just completely crazy, which is funny because I think the real Kim Jong Un may be crazier. All I’m saying this that the film insulted pretty much the entire country and even though I have no problem with doing this, I can see why they’re upset.The writer/director combo of Goldberg and Rogen worked like a charm last year with “This is the End”. I loved the film. I thought it was the perfect amount of poop jokes mixed with actual dark comedy. I saw the movie twice in one night I have never done that before or since in the theater. This film did not fair the same way. It started off very funny as we are introduced to the hysterical character of Dave Skylark, an entertainment talk show host who specializes in breaking startling personal news from big name celebrities. Franco plays Skylark and uses every single ounce of comedic juice in this one. It worked. He was hilarious pretty much throughout the whole movie. The beginning however, was the best part. The interview he had with Rob Lowe and Eminem killed me. I wish the whole movie was about Skylark and his show. Franco’s use of completely stupid language as if he was a 14 year old boy in high school had me dying. “They hate us cuz they ain’t us”. Rogen wasn’t used as much as I hoped he would be but he had some Rogen-esque lines, especially once they got to North Korea.
The problem I had with the film was just the sheer stupidity of how things went after they got to North Korea. In fact, I’d argue that the film fell apart right at the moment that everybody was waiting for, the introduction to Kim Jong Un. I realized the satire was present the whole time, I just didn’t laugh. I didn’t find the actor who played Kim funny in the slightest. The accents were distracting. The story was boring. Besides a certain scene with a tiger, I just didn’t really care about anything that happened. The writing just took a full on nosedive to stupid about half way and that disappointed me given how much I have loved Rogen/Goldberg’s previous films. I will however say that there was a certain scene at the end of the film, which when taken down to slow mo, was very impressive. It reminded me of some of the low budget but extremely effective special effects from “This is the End”.
Overall, see the film. It’s your duty to see the film and become part of American history. It’s also dirt cheap and actually pretty high quality for a Youtube release. Don’t expect a serious film though. It’s one long poop joke that delivers its laughs early or whenever the camera is on James Franco. Seriously, I could watch his face in this film all day.
2.5/5
www.thoughtsfromthebooth.com
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Torgo
If you liked Seth Rogen & James Franco before, you're going to like it. If you didn't like them before, you're not going to like it.I have to say I enjoyed Pineapple Express a lot more, but it's a possibility to kill a Friday evening. For the future, someone should help Rogen to sort out his most-missing jokes and trim his films by 15 minutes. Same fun, more flow.
Galemathias
It's funny in that vulgar, Rogen way. Some will be disappointed - this is your friday night guilty pleasure. It is a quite forgettable affair, and it simply cannot be placed in the rows of powerful political satires such as Dr. Strangelove or The Great Dictator. I must add that it is not completely without a spark ("Kim must die. Because that's the american way.").Showing items 1 – 15 of 28