Movie Review - Observe & Report

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Yes, it looks like a rip off of Paul Blart: Mall Cop.  But keep in mind that Observe & Report was in production simultaneously with Paul Blart.  The films are being released less than three months apart and while I suppose a film could technically be written, casted, filmed, edited and released in that time, it’s highly unlikely.  As for any similarities between the two, truth be told, I didn’t see Mall Cop.  However, my guess would be that “mall security” would be the extent of any and all resemblances.

Seth Rogen plays Ronnie Barnhardt, head of security at the Forest Ridge Mall.  He rules the mall with an iron fist but is viewed as a joke by the other mall employees.  He has something of a love/hate relationship with the police.  He dreams of being a cop while also hating them out of jealousy for what he’s not.  When the mall becomes the target of a flasher, Ronnie sees it as his chance to shine.  Capturing the flasher would not only help him impress his dream girl Brandi (Anna Faris), a department store cosmetics girl, but hopefully be his ticket to joining the police force.

Observe & Report is a dark comedy.  If you’re looking for a sequel-of-sorts to the family friendly Mall Cop you will be shocked and appalled with the things contained in this film.  And don’t mistake “dark” to mean merely “raunchy”.  While this movie does have its raunchier moments, by “dark” I mean that much of this films humor comes from a pretty bleak place.  Even if you weren’t offended by Superbad or Knocked Up you still might find this movie quite off-putting.  It’s similar in tone to HBO’s Eastbound & Down, which, not coincidentally, was created and written by Jody Hill, the director of this film.

Ronnie is a delusional mess.  He’s well intentioned but his reach exceeds his grasp.  Also, his character is bi-polar.  Much of what happens in the last half of the film occurs after he quits taking his medication which adds a wrinkle in terms of just how much of this we’re supposed to/allowed to find funny.  The film contains graphic nudity, drug use (and by “drug use” we’re talking way more than your standard pot smoking) and our “hero” engaging in something that comes dangerously close to date rape.  But Rogen’s performance somehow allows us to like Ronnie through all of this.  He imbues Ronnie with a sense of vulnerability and hopefulness, even if much of his hopefulness seems misguided.  But the laughs never seem to be directed at Ronnie but at the awkward situations he creates and/or finds himself in.  That’s a thin (and highly subjective) line to walk.

The movie will be highly polarizing.  And while people are drawing comparisons to Paul Blart: Mall Cop, it has more in common with films like The Cable Guy  (which I didn’t like) or The King of Comedy (which I loved).  If you liked either of those films or the afore mentioned Eastbound & Down, then there’s a good chance that this movie is for you.  It’s an unsettling but funny film that’s being woefully mis-marketed as a “wacky” comedy. 

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being The King Of Comedy and 1 being Scenes From A Mall, Observe & Report gets a 7.

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