DVD Review: Observe and Report

Observe and Report
Written and Directed by: Jody Hill
Starring: Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta, Michael Peña, Anna Faris, Dan Bakkedahl, Jesse Plemons, John Yuan, Matt Yuan, Celia Weston, Collette Wolfe, Randy Gambill, Alston Brown, Cody Midthunder, and Aziz Ansari

I really don't know how to begin this review. I should say something clever that will hook you in. Something that will make you click the Rawr and read the whole thing but I can't think of anything kind enough about this movie that might accomplish that.

Oh! I know.

Aziz Ansari is the best thing about this movie.

Click the Rawr! for the full review.



The second mall movie this year, following the phenomenal, if slightly mystifying, success of Paul Blart, was Observe and Report. I haven't seen its predecessor but if it's half as bad as Observe and Report than I fear for the movie going public.

Observe and Report is a dark, uncomfortable, unfunny mess of a film. Not even Seth Rogen, who I normally really enjoy, can salvage this movie.

The story is about an uber mall cop who is determined to catch a pervert who is flashing customers at his mall. He also wants to become a cop. More happens, including what has to be a date rape, but none of it is very funny at all. In fact, I barely did more than chuckle.

What was funny? Well like I said before, Aziz Ansari was funny, I can't say why though since he is on screen for about thirty seconds. I also found Michael Pena's lispy voice to be funny.

That's all.

I felt gross after watching it. There is nothing redeeming about this movie or its characters whatsoever. It is a spectacular failure.

Clearly, Warner Brothers doesn't have that much faith in it either. The DVD release has not one single extra, neither does the Blu-ray if I am not mistaken. You get the full screen and the wide screen version of the film and that is it. Not that any features would make this movie any better.

It's not that the acting is bad, because everyone turns in decent performances. It's just that the characters are so unlikeable. There isn't a single person to latch on to. They all seem like such horrible, weird people.

I'm not sure what else I can even say. The movie is bad. There are no special features. Warner couldn't be bothered to put a trailer on the DVD. I really cant even think of a reason why anyone should rent this movie, let alone buy it.

Only someone who is a Seth Rogen completest or someone with zero sense of comedy should buy this.

In case you care, Observe and Report is in stores now.

EDIT: In this review I stated that the blu-ray does not have any features. That is incorrect. There are several special features on the Blu-ray disc. The movie still sucks though.