Movie Review: Observe and Report

Observe and Report

Rating:  

Directed By: Jody Hill

Starring: Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta, Michael Peña, Michael Peña, Anna Faris, Dan Bakkedahl, John Yuan, Matt Yuan, Celia Weston, Collette Wolfe

Plot Synopsis:

At the Forest Ridge Mall, head of security Ronnie Barnhardt (Seth Rogen) patrols his jurisdiction with an iron fist. The master of his domain, he combats skateboarders, shoplifters and the occasional unruly customer while dreaming of the day when he can swap his flashlight for a badge and a gun.Ronnie’s delusions of grandeur are put to the test when the mall is struck by a flasher. Driven by his personal duty to protect and serve the mall and its patrons, Ronnie seizes the opportunity to showcase his underappreciated law enforcement talents on a grand scale, hoping his solution of this crime will earn him a coveted spot at the police academy and the heart of his elusive dream girl Brandi (ANNA FARIS), the hot make-up counter clerk who won’t give him the time of day. But his single-minded pursuit of glory launches a turf war with the equally competitive Detective Harrison (Ray Liotta) of the Conway Police, and Ronnie is confronted with the challenge of not only catching the flasher, but getting him before the real cops. (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Review:

Seth Rogen may be played out in some people’s minds, however I love the guy and think he has plenty of steam left.  Jody Hill’s Observe and Report gives Rogen a platform to give us something different.  A hero that’s not perfect, kind of creepy and someone who makes morally compromising choices.  The description of Observe and Report as “Taxi Driver meets Paul Blart: Mall Cop” may seem a bit strange, but that’s probably the only way you could describe this strange, dark, offensive and, yes, hilarious film.

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