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By now everyone has heard about the controversial leaked data from Sony Studios, allegedly perpetrated by the North Koreans, now seemingly to be an inside job. Just days before the release, there were ominous threats made toward any American movie theater that was going to show the film, and ultimately the studio kowtowed to the terrorist threats. Ultimately, after being chastised by Hollywood and President Obama, Sony decided to brazenly throw caution to the wind, fight the terrorists, and release the movie through various outlets. It just so happens that the film has earned more than initially projected, so there you go. Suck it, North Korea. Now, outraged patriotic Americans want to fly over North Korea and drop DVD's in a guerilla freedom blitzkrieg. Too bad the North Koreans are still watching VHS.
Seriously though, this is a comedy. A true bromantic comedy reuniting the slightly effeminate James Franco, who plays the vapid pop culture talk show host, Dave Skylark and his producer, Seth Rogen, who plays his best friend and confidant, Aaron Rapaport. The two of them score an interview with Kim Jong Un, who they find out is a fan of Skylark's show, and so naturally, the CIA intervenes and asks Dave and Aaron to assassinate the leader for them. That's really about it for the plot. Very simple, but very controversial as the subject of a comedic assassination plot is a currently reigning head of state.
Rife with pop culture references, and a strange obsession with Honeydicking, The Interview doesn't do anything to make North Korea look any worse than the dozens of documentaries that simply show their actual government controlled way of life. In fact, Kim Jong Un (played by Randall Park) is portrayed to be a slightly compassionate, and complex man, although it is done in an obviously sardonic way.
Take away North Korea, and this is a vehicle for James Franco and Seth Rogen to make raunchy jokes, engage in debauchery, and basically have fun making a movie that they know people will want to see. I imagine that they are pretty good friends in real life, and the line of fiction in comedy is continually blurring; not so much with plot or story-lines, but with interpersonal relationships and banter. Take This is the End for example. The movie was ridiculous, but take away the whole apocalypse thing, and it's just a bunch of celebrities hanging out having a good time. The same is true with The Interview. Seth Rogen seems to be acting as himself, and James Franco is trying a bit too hard to be funny. It works from time to time, but his constant identity crisis is baffling to me (comedian, serious thespian, student, teacher, writer, director, etc.) I guess it's good for him that he's so ambitious, but I'm left with the impression that he's just trying too hard to be thought of as more than just a pretty face.
Directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (writer - Superbad, Pineapple Express, Green Hornet, This is the End), it's nothing exceptional in really any way. Some of the best humor occurs before North Korea is even mentioned (the whole Eminem sequence), but you have to hand it to the team. They took a clearly controversial film and knocked it out from start to finish, standing by their work and ultimately winning the war on terror and distributing a red, white, and blue slap in the face of the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea. Bravo fellas.
The supporting cast is mostly forgettable except for Lizzy Caplan, whose CIA agent Lacey is a wasted opportunity for a great supporting comedic performance/bromantic love interest. She does a nice job with the role, but isn't fed enough juicy material or given enough screen time to create anything substantial. The supporting cast is mostly fodder for Franco and Rogen to do what they think is funny, which at times actually is. The one missing piece is the cameo of Dennis Rodman - what's up with that?
The Interview isn't nearly as shocking or controversial as expected, and it is on par with the humor of Rogen and Franco's past works, but for some reason the absence of drugs/alcohol diminishes the humor. Hmm. They would do well to stop forcing humor, and letting it evolve, and please, spread the love to the rest of the cast. James Franco, you aren't as funny as you think you are. 6/10 because of the guts to make the movie in the first place.
