Pinnacle Records is on the verge of a major collapse as they have struggled now, for years, to land top-notch talent. During a department meeting one morning, optimistic and ambitious intern, Aaron Green (Jonah Hill) has an idea that, while not the groundbreaking something that head of Pinnacle, Sergio (Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs), had hoped for, will hopefully right the ship. Green believes that, on the ten-year anniversary of Aldous Snow’s (Russell Brand) show at Los Angeles’ Greek Theater, putting together a new show with the now washed up Aldous will provide great revenue and see the record company back on its hypothetical feet. What Green did not anticipate is that it would become his task to Get Him to the Greek before the show begins. With a series of road bumps along the way, Aaron’s job, and the success of the company, are on the line. Can Aaron get Aldous to the Greek in time and save the day?
Completely unbeknownst to me, Get Him to the Greek is the 2010 spinoff sequel to Nicholas Stoller’s Forgetting Sarah Marshall. This story and concept sidesteps what has taken place in the past in Aldous Snow’s life and follows his more recent escapades, like alcoholism, drug addiction and a series of unprotected sexual encounters. The eccentric Snow earns this shot at his own film and his seemingly insignificant role (in the grand scheme of things) in Forgetting Sarah Marshall blossoms into a vibrant, full-of-life character that fills the screen in each and every moment. Brand is a terribly annoying individual who manages to transport his asinine characteristics to the big screen in a fashion that has audiences not only rooting for him, but falling in love with him as well. His over-the-top personality drives the story and keeps viewers engaged and praying that things work out for him and Aaron in the end.
The story, like Aldous, is unique, rambunctious and full of emotion. From the opening moments it becomes clear that Get Him to the Greek will possess an exceeding amount of drug use, sex and inapporpriate language. Audiences are subject, early, to the absurdity that is Aldous Snow, and his love, Jackie Q’s (Rose Byrne), life. They are world travelers, drug abusers, out-of-the-box thinkers and lovers of anyone and anything that they can get their hands on. They vibe with the world and possess a genuine love for things that most others struggle to find a connection with, making them superhuman in the oddest of fashions. The story clings to these ideals and creates a sense of unusual appreciation for the ridiculousness of the world. Grasping the ideas and ideals that Aldous Snow possesses is the trick to the film. Once viewers are able to see the world the way he does and accept that these nonsensicalities are the way it has to be in order to work, they are able to see the potential of Get Him to the Greek and ultimately enjoy the constantly unwinding nature of the film.
There is a substantial fracture in the narrative as Stroller attempts to transition the characters from Forgetting Sarah Marshall to Get Him to the Greek. Jonah Hill, a prominent figure in Get Him to the Greek, plays an entirely different character than in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. While his obsession of Snow remains the same, he is meant to transition from Matthew the Waiter into Aaron Green without audiences batting an eye. This less-than-subtle change is, even though it truly has no effect on the overall story of either film, is irritating. However, with the excitement that spills throughout the rest of the film, and the insignificant (albeit funny) role that Hill plays in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, audiences are able to look past this glaring mistake and appreciate how genuine the rest of the film is.
Writer-director Nicholas Stoller transitions from a romantic-esque comedy (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) that treads the line between traditional humor and raunchy repartee to a film (Get Him to the Greek) that moves so far past the line of acceptable family humor and into a realm that requires a appreciation for sleazy humor in order to fully value what is being done. The imbecilic nature of Get Him to the Greek is a wild ride of nonsense that engulfs audiences and nearly possesses them for the length of the film. Stoller finds himself at the helm of a brilliant comedy that combines the talents of immensely talented actors, wildly bizarre cretins and platinum selling artists to create a seamlessly fun extravaganza.
Written & Directed by Nicholas Stoller. Starring Jonah Hill, Russell Brand, Sean “Diddy’ Combs, Rose Byrne, Elisabeth Moss, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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