Eye Candy #486 - "Get Him to the Greek"

Get Him to the Greek:  Here is a film that can’t decide what it wants to be, whether it be a wildly raunchy comedy (songs about genitals abound) or a feel-good  rumination on what makes us truly happy.  Russell Brand reprises his role as English rock star Aldous Snow (from “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”, though at times he seems to be similar in name only), brought back to do a anniversary concert at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles.  Jonah Hill plays a record company peon, Aaron, who is tasked with getting the debauched Snow from London to Los Angeles for the concert.  Hijinks, unsurprisingly, ensue, involving drinking, drugs, clubbing, groupies, more drugs, threesomes, and a very funny Sean Combs as Aaron’s boss (he arguably has some of the funniest scenes in the film).  Rose Byrne, Elizabeth Moss, Colm Meaney, and a host of celebrities playing themselves are here in support.  The film is uneven, swinging from raucous comedy bits (particularly a brawl at a Vegas strip club) to bits of jarring humanity (when Aldous encounters his failures as a father, lover, and son).  But it doesn’t commit to either, so it doesn’t do either well.  Sure, there were parts I laughed in, but I found Aaron’s scenes talking about what Snow should do with his life, as you watch Aaron cave in to Snow’s peer pressure the entire picture (including being a drug mule) and you can’t help wonder that if the creators of the film wanted to drive that point home, they wouldn’t have the voice of point be the character who deviates vigorously from it for over 90 minutes.   Has some good moments, but isn’t a great picture. Woodchuck sez, “Worth a look, but be warned - it is raunchy.”