The Film
Forgetting Sarah Marshall was a huge breakout for star Jason Segal -- and apparently, for Russell Brand, too. Yes, Brand was funny in the movie, but enough to have his own spin-off? That's the concept behind Get Him to the Greek.
Director Nicholas Stoller was apparently so enamored with the character of Aldous Snow, as well as actor Jonah Hill, that he penned and directed this semi-sequel. The weird thing is, Hill plays a completely different character here. It's like his Matthew the Waiter never existed and now he's been promoted to Aaron the record executive.
Aaron needs to impress his boss (played by scene-stealer Sean "Diddy" Combs), so he comes up with the idea to have Aldous recreate his classic concert at LA's Greek theater -- hence, "the Greek." So now, we know where the characters are going. However, there's just a little problem with getting them to their destination.
From there, the movie is a bit of a drunken blur, in a dizzy-and-I'm-going-to-throw-up-in-your-backseat sort of way. Watching Get Him to the Greek is like being the designated driver with two drunken idiots who keep mooning passersby, shielding your eyes and vomiting out the car window. Sound fun? Maybe for a few minutes. After that, though, puke and inserting things into Jonah Hill's butt should be listed under your "fun" requirements. And if they're not, well you may not make it through the film.
The songs in the movie are sort of funny, but a lot of those, along with other comical moments, get lost in all of the mayhem. Then they try to tie up the laughs, along with serious plotlines into one mushy package. It's extremely disappointing, except for maybe Diddy. Please don't give him a spin-off though; isn't that how we got into this mess in the first place?
Want to get more of the Greek? Check out Joe Lozito's review of the theatrical version of Get Him to the Greek.
The Picture
Much like the material on-screen, this 1.85:1 transfer is a mixed bag. For the most part, however, the film displays really bold, beautiful colors. Even the opening music video, where color is intentionally off a bit, looks great. From there, the characters travel to multiple scenic locations, all of which serve as a video showcase. There's great detail as well, which is really apparent in our main duo's facial hair. That said, there is a bit of grain in the film, as well as a few soft shots. Also, some of the darker scenes lose a lot of detail and are a huge contrast to the rest of the film's sharp images.
The Sound
There's a lot of music in Get Him to the Greek. However, this DTS-HD Master Audio track just doesn't rock as hard as it should. The film opens on a music video, which is loud, with a few flickers of audio for the surrounds. This is how much of the movie's music plays out. It's good -- very good for a comedy, in fact. The dialogue, even with Brand's thick accent, sounds great. There are also plenty of ambient noises, especially during street and Vegas scenes. However, a lot of the music, including the punk-laden soundtrack is a little disappointing and one-dimensional.
The Extras
What does Universal do for an encore? Include an insane amount of extras on Get Him to the Greek. The Blu-ray has theatrical and unrated versions of the movie, as well as commentary, music videos and a Karaoke option. There are also three featurettes; two cover the music, with the third, "Getting to Get Him to the Greek" being the most comprehensive and interesting.
Another slightly interesting tidbit on the Blu-ray is a Bonus Movie. It actually has nothing to do with the film, but instead is Universal's gift to you -- a free movie to stream. Three choices are available: Uncle Buck, Dazed and Confused, and Life. There's nothing we haven't seen 50 times before, but the price is certainly right. From there, you can also stream other movies for $2.99 a pop. An interesting take on BD-Live.
Once you are finished with the Blu-ray, the set also features a second disc, with a ton of special features. A lot of it is standard fare and it's in standard definition. However, the collection is pretty hearty. Some of the stuff is funny, with the Gag Reel including a few seconds of filming during an actual earthquake.
Final Thoughts
We love to support Judd Apatow and all of his celebrity spawn, but aside from a little bitty of Diddy, Get Him to the Greek is extremely disappointing. This release does have an above average audio and video presentation, especially for the comedy genre. Also, the collection of extras deserves a gold record, even if half are in standard-def. That said, the film just falters. It starts off pretty hardcore, only to get all girly in the end. What's so rock and roll about that?
Product Details
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