Get him to the Greek

A bit close to home for Russell Brand

Lover: Taken from IMDB
“This movie is about a washed up rock star named Aldous Snow. He does drugs and gets drunk while partying all the time. He turns his life around after meeting Arron Green. Arron is working for a record company that has low revenue. Arron suggests that Aldous Snow does a live performance at the Greek theater in Los Angeles. So he is put in charge of getting Aldous Snow from London to the Greek theater. Along the way Aldous decides he wants to see his dad in Las Vegas. After seeing his dad and talking with him he goes to L.A. to see the girl that he fell in love with. After almost committing suicide he performs at the Greek theater. This movie is good because it shows what it's like to be a rock star who has hit rock bottom. This movie is hilarious but also serious. The movie also shows how a good friend can change your life. When Aldous meets Arron he changes his life. When Arron meets Aldous his life becomes more fun.”

Less a review more synopsis really, like this person though I did like this movie.

Hater: Taken from IMDB
“I am shocked at the positive responses to Gte Him To The Greek. I found it hard to watch. It was a grab bag of all the films like it in recent years, had no sense of space or time, unrealistic moments that were suppose to be unPC but just felt off ( Aaron Green drinking all that booze and smoking drugs in the Limo, Aldous Snow's bone sticking out and performing anyway, the violence and fighting in the hotel room, the threesome at the end) to just name a few. Jonah Hill looked obese and his likable low key guy was not interesting enough to carry the scenes. Russell Brand was just being used for his look and flare for the extreme and British accent. It was just an offensive poorly presented road trip with one unbelievable scene after another. I hate to dismiss a film with harsh words that take about 1 minute type out , knowing any film, no matter what anyone thinks of it, takes much work and heart and untold efforts of hundreds of artists to crafting but I think efforts like this are a huge waste of everybody involved's time.”

Hmm a bit harsh to call Jonah Hill obese! A little on the tubbier side he may be but chances are he’s richer than you?

What I thought:
I have a feeling I was always going to like this, I’m a fan of Russell Brand and after reading his books I would imagine that Greek was somewhat a challenge. If not at least it would have made the comedian think, the similarities are mainly the more addictive side of the personality. Drugs, alcohol and of course sex all poke their way into this movie and it’s amazing how lightly some of these things are portrayed but never in an irresponsible way. It does this by not really taking it seriously and by also clearly pointing out that they can be a bad thing.

I’m not saying the film was full of deeper messages about these addictions but it doesn’t sugar coat them either. Aldous Snow is basically a rock star version of Brand himself albeit with a different up-bringing, for anyone who has read any of his books or seen any of his stand ups (ponderland to) you’ll notice that a few of the jokes are clearly straight out of his experiences. Jonah Hill does well and what is expected of him, un-wilfully pulled along for the ride despite being the one supposed to be ‘getting him to the Greek’. What he does really well is perform the part with a naivety about the Rock star lifestyle he enters. Everyone so often the film threatens to get really slowed down by messages of loneliness and dealing with addiction, but if they went any deeper it would have been suicide for a film of this ilk.

There are some really funny moments in this film and it’s watchable for any fans of Russell Brand, however there is an unlikely source of scene stealing. Shaun Combs better known as P-Diddy completely usurps this film form right under everyone’s noses. Not only are the majority of his lines the funniest in the film, but who would have known he could be that funny! He had me cracking up!

It may not be everyone’s cup of Darjeeling but a must, just to see P-Diddy!