Observe and Report (2009)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Jody Hill

Writer (WGA):

Jody Hill (written by)

Release Date:

10 April 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Right now, the world needs a hero.

Plot:

Bi-polar mall security guard Ronnie Barnhardt is called into action to stop a flasher from turning shopper's paradise into his personal peep show. But when Barnhardt can't bring the culprit to justice, a surly police detective, is recruited to close the case. |

Plot Keywords:

Police Detective | Bi Polar | Flasher | Mall | Security Guard

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Seth Rogen	...	Ronnie Barnhardt
Ray Liotta	...	Detective Harrison
Michael Peña	...	Dennis
Anna Faris	...	Brandi
Dan Bakkedahl	...	Mark
Jesse Plemons	...	Charles
John Yuan	...	John Yuen
Matt Yuan	...	Matt Yuen
Celia Weston	...	Mom
Collette Wolfe	...	Nell
Randy Gambill	...	Pervert
Alston Brown	...	Bruce
Cody Midthunder	...	D-Rock
Deborah Brown	...	Female Reporter (as Debra-Jayne Brown)
Aziz Ansari	...	Saddamn

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive language, graphic nudity, drug use, sexual content and violence.

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45064) | Australia:MA | Ireland:16 | UK:15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Finland:K-15 | Iceland:16 | Argentina:16 | Singapore:R21 | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Bosque Farms, New Mexico, USA

Company:

De Line Pictures

Trivia:

Jody Hill has described his initial inspiration for this film as wanting to do a comedic version of Taxi Driver (1976). There are numerous references to Taxi Driver (1976) throughout the film, like Ronnie having to restart his spoken manifesto in mid-sentence.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the seen where Rogan is accusing the Indian mall worker of being the streaker as his massages lotion into a high school chick, you notice as they are going back and forth saying "f*** you" there is a woman pushing a stroller in the right background by the kiosk that disappears and reappears as they are cursing at each other.

Quotes:

Ronnie Barnhardt: Yuens, you guys are my infantry. One of you dies, God gave me another one.
Matt Yuen: Okay.
John Yuen: Awesome.

Movie Connections:

References Miller's Crossing (1990)

Soundtrack:

Sittin' Back Easy

A little too dark a comedy...

A line that really stood out for me in this movie involved a secluded detective coming from behind a door and stating something along the lines of "I stayed because I thought this was going to be funny, but really it's a little sad." I know they were going for dark humor in this movie, but sometimes it's a little much. I almost wished Rogen was playing the typical Will Ferrell/Adam Sandler/Jack Black man-child, but when it was revealed why his character was so bizarre it stopped being funny, and the fact that the other characters (especially Liotta's detective) acted oblivious to his condition was terrible. It was incredibly sad during the somewhat disturbing sex scene between Ronnie and his crush (played by Faris), because it seemed he truly believed there was a romantic connection going on (in his defense, that makes him a much better person than had he not felt that way). Ronnie is also the typical comedy protagonist in which a slew of horrible things happen to him, but unlike Gaylord Focker's circumstances, the movie manages to make it hit a little harder than it should, and even though the protagonist is a jerk, you feel more sorry for him than you should in a comedy. The surprise ending alone is worth the watch, however, and despite what I said the movie's not a total downer, as there are moments of genuine hilarity scattered throughout. Worth watching, not owning.