CASEY PHILLIPS: I'm a total sucker for movies about musicians. Maybe it's artists' inherently dramatic lives. Maybe it's that those films tend to have excellent soundtracks. Whatever the reason, many musician biopics are among my favorite films.
If "Get Him to the Greek" hadn't been about a former rock star, Aldous Snow (Russell Brand), connecting with a die-hard fan (Jonah Hill), I might have been turned off by its floppy plot and low-blow humor.
As it is, it kept favorably reminding me of a less-serious, raunchier version of "Almost Famous," and I liked the well-cast characters, some adapted from director Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel's previous (awesome) collaboration on "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." The film just kept hitting the right notes, despite itself.
HOLLY LEBER: Doesn't biopic indicate actual person? And other than the pool scene, what else screamed "Almost Famous?" Did I black out and miss an impromptu chorus of "Tiny Dancer?''
With a weekend between viewing the film and writing this review, I'm struggling to express my feelings, largely because I don't really have many feelings about the movie. It wasn't memorable.
Yes, there were moments that made me laugh, but I don't recall what they were, and no, I didn't have a wild weekend.
Look, every comedy doesn't have to be "Bringing Up Baby," but my strongest impression of a film shouldn't be 'jokes about certain unprintable bodily functions (if you've seen the trailer, you know what I mean) aren't funny.'
And they're not. Ever. They're gross. Not gross-funny. Gross-gross.
CASEY: I didn't say this was a biopic, just that many biopics are my favorites. As to similarities to "Almost Famous," how about a fan becoming disillusioned with the glamorous life of his idol? If you missed that, you were sleeping through the whole movie.
There's not enough room here to discuss how you're wrong, but suffice it to say that I was laughing most of the time and can remember plenty of amusing scenes (the adrenaline shot, "The Daily Show," the threesome). Methinks you need to see it again.
HOLLY: Yeah, somehow I don't think I'll be running back to the theater, and not just because I feel no need to stroke your need to be right, which you aren't in most cases. I will, however, agree that perhaps you have a stronger recollection of "Almost Famous," and are therefore more likely to find the relevant comparisons, though that doesn't make "Get Him to the Greek" any better. Frankly, this discussion just makes me want to watch "Almost Famous" again, which will be a better use of my time.
And once again, dear friend, the "Today" show," not "The Daily Show."
CASEY: By the way, I don't need reassurance that I'm right. Knowing I am is enough for me.
HOLLY: Oh yes, sunshine, you're the epitome of grace. Sigh. The things I put up with ...