Film File - Get Him To The Greek

Get Him to the Greek reunites many of the 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' cast with director Nicholas Stoller in the story of a young record company executive with three days to drag an unco-operative rock legend to Hollywood for a comeback concert. The comedy is the latest film from hit producer Judd Apatow and adds to his comedy stable of 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin', 'Knocked Up' and 'Funny People'. Aaron Green (Jonah Hill) is a young man on an upward path in the music industry - a guy who gets things done. The ambitious 24-year-old has been given a career-making assignment. His mission: Fly to London and escort a rock god to the world famous Greek Theatre in Los Angeles for a huge comeback concert. His record mogul boss, Sergio Roma (Sean Combs), gives him one warning: "The artist is the worst person on earth. Turn your back on him at your own peril." British rocker Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) is a brilliant musician and certifiable rock 'n' roll legend, but due to a bad break-up and nose-diving career, has fallen off the wagon and is now a walking disaster. Weary of yes men and scared he's entered the "greatest hits" twilight of his career, Snow's in the midst of a nihilistic downward spiral. When he learns his true love, model/pop star Jackie Q (Rose Byrne), is in Los Angeles, Aldous makes it his quest to win her back…right before kick-starting his return to world domination. As the countdown to the concert begins, one innocent young man must navigate a minefield of London drug smugglers, Manhattan mayhem and Vegas debauchery to deliver his charge safe and, sort of, sound…all while trying to remain faithful to his girlfriend, Daphne (Elisabeth Moss). He finds he has to coax, lie and party with Aldous, a task that gets him inebriated, titillated, violated, humiliated, incapacitated, medicated and rejuvenated on the way…but he is determined to get his man to The Greek on time. After the hyped-over scandal of ringing Andrew Sachs (Manuel of 'Fawlty Towers' fame) on the Jonathan Ross radio show to boast of a sexual encounter with his daughter, Brand decamped from the UK to Hollywood in search of another escalator to revive his badly tarnished career. Lucking out with the hit comedy, 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall', where he played perfectly the wasted rock god, he created a character that was always destined to get his own movie. Brand was open to the idea of revisiting one of his favourite characters. "It's very flattering that Aldous Snow's been given life beyond the initial joy of playing him in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall'," Brand said. "I think the reasons that character resonated is that in this celebrity-obsessed age, Aldous was an unusual take on celebrity. He's not just a straightforward obnoxious twerp - although he is an obnoxious twerp - there is sort of a sweetness and vulnerability to his self-destruction and self-entitlement." Playing to the culture clash of different worlds colliding - music and business - against a backdrop of a ticking deadline the rocker has no inclination to keep, 'Get Him To The Greek' is a clever film along the lines of 'This Is Spinal Tap' with any number of good throwaway lines peppering the zesty script. Hill and Brand are the perfect combination - Little and Large with plenty of substance abuse added - and bounce off each other in a verbal sparring match that anchors the entertainment. Packed with comedy situations that are hilarious as well as original, writer/director Stoeller keeps everyone engaged as the laughs pile up on this self-destructive highway. One section has Aaron trying to get Snow to the Today Show clean and sober - that is, until the rock star whips out the drugs and booze. Rather than deliver a drunk, zoned-out star to the interview suite at the TV studio, the courier snaffles all the drugs and drink himself only to vomit all over his suit but, with Snow sober as required. Such cringe-making scenarios are littered throughout this funny film that owes more than a nod to Peter O'Toole's 'My Favourite Year' all those decades ago. Colm Meaney has a plum cameo as Snow's father, another plot tentacle that lingers long after the plot moves toward the next crisis. 'Get Him To The Greek' is a welcome addition to the Irish cinema summer - a comedy that's clearly a step up from the usual mundane offerings.