GET HIM TO THE GREEK (Universal, 2010) D: Nicholas Stoller, w/ Russell Brand, Jonah Hill. Rating: NNNNN DVD package: NNNN Rating: NNNNN
This is one of the all-time great sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll movies, up there with Spinal Tap and Almost Famous. It takes a sharp, satiric look at the rock star as narcissistic, empty-headed monster and delivers a non-stop mix of farcical and subtle gags.
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The rock star is Aldous Snow (Russell Brand), whom you might recall as a minor character in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Record company nerd Aaron Green (Jonah Hill) has 72 hours to get from L.A. to London and bring Snow back for a major concert. But just dumped by his long-time girlfriend (Rose Byrne) and with his latest disc universally reviled, Snow is deep into sex and substances and in no mood to cooperate.
Brand delivers Snow’s megawatts of energy through a surface mask that remains unchanged whether he’s spewing filth or expressing warm-hearted concern. He’s very funny. So are the rest of the cast and the material. Listen closely to the song lyrics, especially Jackie Q’s hymn to anal sex and Brand’s furry wall number.
Best of the very funny extras is Blind Medicine, scenes from a hospital drama starring Sarah Marshall as a blind surgeon.
EXTRAS Widescreen, director, cast and producer commentary. Two blooper reels, Blind Medicine segments. English, French, Spanish audio and subtitles.
