To recap: Sony gave co-directors Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg a lot of money to make “The Interview,” a movie in which Rogen and James Franco play talk show producers who travel to North Korea to interview the nation’s real life leader, Kim Jong-un. Before they leave, the CIA asks them to assassinate the dictator, whom they say has nuclear weapons capable of reaching the U.S.
The existence of the movie didn’t sit well with a certain individual, or group of people, who proceeded to hack Sony’s computers and then release A LOT of embarrassing internal emails. This person, or these people, then threatened moviegoers who saw “The Interview” with violence, prompting multiple theater chains to cancel screenings of the film.
Sony initially responded by shelving the movie, but after President Obama criticized the company for bowing to terror threats, Sony released the movie in a limited number of theaters and through video-on-demand services on Christmas Day. “The Interview” went on to make $15 million in online rentals during its first week of availability, making it Sony’s highest grossing online comedy release.
As I watched “The Interview” from the comfort of my couch, I kept thinking, “All of that over this movie?”
That doesn’t mean “The Interview” isn’t a good film. On the contrary; it uses an occasionally clever script to deliver some hard political punches. Plus, there are more than a few laughs to be had along the way.
I don’t want to oversell it, though. On the whole, “The Interview” is goofy, ridiculous, and far too anally obsessed for its own good.
I mentioned the occasionally clever script. “The Interview” follows talk show host Dave Skylark (Franco) and producer Aaron Rapoport (Rogen), the team behind the celebrity gossip show, “Skylark Tonight.” As the pair is celebrating their 1,000th episode, they learn Kim is a fan of the show, prompting Aaron to arrange an interview.
When the CIA catches wind of the interview, they propose Dave and Aaron assassinate the leader using a time-delayed poison administered during a handshake. They’re reluctant at first, but eventually agree, largely because Dave has the hots for one of the CIA agents, Lacey. There’s a funny running gag about characters “honey trapping” (the movie uses a different word that can’t be printed in a newspaper) each other, and that certainly happened here.
Kim proves to be a charmer, and he and Dave spend a lot of time bonding, finding common ground (like how they both felt pressured by their parents to be someone they’re not), and singing Katy Perry songs. Just as Dave is beginning to consider ditching the plan to kill Kim, he finds a grocery store stocked with fake food.
While “The Interview” is packed with over-the-top silliness, juvenile dialogue, and improvised scenes (Franco almost takes a few bits too far, but he knows just when to pull back), Rogen and the other writers ingeniously use the public’s perception of Kim as a ruthless dictator and a master manipulator to create what feels like a chillingly accurate portrayal of the man. Even more shrewdly, through Dave’s initial sympathy for Kim, they explore whether America has done more harm than good by establishing itself as the police force of the world. The level of commentary is impressive for a film centered on broad comedy.
Props go as well to actor Randall Park, who delivers a superb portrayal of Kim, making him funny, human, and terrifying, depending on what each scene needs. I’d love to see him nominated for an Oscar in the supporting actor category, but I doubt that will happen.
As a whole, “The Interview” is lowbrow comedy at its loosest and goosiest. Still, I laughed at a lot of the gags, laughed really hard at a few of the gags, and appreciated the look of what appeared to be a rather expensive production.
A caveat: If gags about male genitalia, butt humor, or extreme gore bother you (the violence is surprisingly graphic – surprising because it stands in stark contrast to the general comedic tone of the film), “The Interview” probably won’t be your cup of tea. I generally don’t go for those things, but I still enjoyed the movie, largely because Franco and Rogen are very likeable and have great on-screen chemistry.
Three stars out of four. Rated R for pervasive language, crude and sexual humor, nudity, some drug use, and bloody violence. David Laprad is the assistant editor of the Hamilton County Herald and an award-winning columnist and photographer. Contact him at dlaprad@hamiltoncountyherald.com.