Julian RuncanObserve and Report: A Dark Surprise
March 17th 2010 05:51
I will admit that for someone who is supposed to know a lot about movies, it took me far too long to realize that Observe and Report is one very large allusion to Taxi Driver. Once I saw the connection it was blatantly obvious, and made the entire experience much more enjoyable. The movie was not a lost cause before this realization, but certainly different from what I was expecting.
The movie is a lot more than an R-rated version of Paul Blart: Mall Cop. Observe and Report is a true dark comedy, joining the ranks of The Cable Guy and Death to Smoochy as a canonical example of the genre. These sorts of movies are not for everyone however, and this one in particular suffered from a terribly misleading marketing campaign. This is not your typical bromance farce, and really shows that Seth Rogan is a versatile actor.
The entire cast really nail their roles, although Anna Farris and Ray Liotta don't stray far from their established comfort zones. Rogan plays the disturbed Ronnie with a nearly frightful degree of authenticity, and gives the film a certain warmth and relatability which would have been difficult to capture with someone else in the role.
As far as dark comedies go the movie holds up decently, but the most admirable feature of Observe and Report lies in the narrative. The characters and events mimic important scenes from Taxi Driver, and there are many direct references in the dialogue and delivery.
The average Seth Rogan fan will probably dislike Observe and Report, those who enjoy dark comedies will find their time spent well, and those who know Taxi Driver well enough to pick up on all of the subtle references will recognize the filmmaker's obvious passion for a masterpiece of cinema.
7.0/10
| 33 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
