Observe and Report

Nobody is afraid of security guards, not even the tiny old crones shoplifting underwear at J.C. Penny. But if the world was full of rent-a-cops like Ronnie Barnhardt, your local mall would be completely and utterly crime free. Ronnie may look like the chubby, affable type of fellow you’d expect to be played by Seth Rogen, but in reality he’s an all but cripplingly narcissistic fascist who would sooner beat you mercilessly with your own skateboard than let you pop an ollie in his peaceful parking lot. Ronnie is a festering ball of rage armed with a stun-gun. He’s Travis Bickle after too many donuts. He kicks ass in even more ways than Paul Blart sucks ass.

Two years ago writer/director Jody Hill shot Danny McBride’s career straight for orbit with the indie comedy The Foot Fist Way, and now he’s showing us a whole new side of the once predictably easy-going Rogen. And whereas Hill’s debut was funny despite being hit or miss, his follow up is operating on another level entirely. Here his humor is razor sharp, and his jokes even more take-no-prisoners than normal, with everything from date rape to hardcore substance abuse up for grabs. Basically, he turns everything you think you know about the post-Apatow school of mainstream comedies completely on its head. This is a dark and twisted film, that tells the story of one very dark and twisted individual, and the way the madness slowly escalates is one beautiful sight to behold. Obviously, it’s not for everyone, but so few of the good things in life are.