Seth Rogen’s sad and rageful and strange and strangely funny new movie, about a bipolar mall cop hungry for glory, is not your typical Seth Rogen vehicle. (Whatever that means…though it usually involves Judd Apatow and Rogen in a message T-shirt.) It’s kind of a delight to see a mainstream star cannonball into something as deeply weird as Jody Hill’s Observe and Report. But it’s not for everybody, that’s for sure. Paul Blart would probably storm out of the theater at the first sight of the mall flasher and his flaccid, bobbing penis.
Nobody is more surprised that a mainstream studio like Warner Brothers would release such dark fare than Rogen himself. “I can’t believe it,” says the 26-year-old actor. “I watch this movie and I can’t believe they let us do it. My favorite types of comedies are the ones that literally make me think of the infrastructure of the company that made them. It’s like when I first started watching South Park. How were they allowed to do this? What company is funding this?”
In a movie full of head-bashing, penis-flopping, and syringe-shooting, there’s one scene especially that doesn’t sit well for some. Brandi (played with divine obnoxiousness by Anna Faris) deigns to go on a date with Rogen. She gets schlitzed on shots and pills, and vomits a little on herself by night’s end. The scene then cuts to Rogen pounding away atop her limp body (a snippet can be seen in the NSFW red band trailer below).
More Observe and Report:
Observe and Report: Who is your top scene stealer?
Observe and Report: EW review
In the theater, where I first watched the movie, the tense audience gave a collective sigh of relief, followed by a wheeze of nervous laughter, when Faris’ character rouses and barks at him to keep at it already. “I think people are laughing because I’m not being full on date-raped,” says Faris. “I’m not sure it makes things much better,” she says, with an earnest grimace, “but we don’t need to go down that road.”
The sex scene was always in the script, but because it is a big studio movie, Faris says she “really thought they would weed stuff out. And they did some, but not a whole lot. And I’m proud of that, actually. But at the time when we were shooting that scene, it was like, ‘Really? We’re going to do this? Vomit down the side of my face? Really?’” Rogen says nobody at the studio ever asked them to alter or excise the scene. “There were some arguments with the studio,” he says. “That wasn’t one of them. Shockingly.” (Warner Brothers chose not to comment on the matter.)
I’m not sure how audiences will respond to the movie. (Entertainment Weekly critic Lisa Schwarzbaum writes that Observe and Report is “risky and riotous” and gives it an A-.) My fear, I suppose, is that because of that one scene, some folks will blast the movie without even bothering to see it. Where are these same outraged people every week when Law & Order: SVU parades yet another crooked tableau of some raped and mutilated woman’s body before the beginning credits?
Moviegoers, you’ve been warned. Observe and Report is in fact an odd and sort of creepy black comedy. Maybe I’m sick in the head, but I still recommend it.
In the theater, where I first watched the movie, the tense audience gave a collective sigh of relief, followed by a wheeze of nervous laughter, when Faris’ character rouses and barks at him to keep at it already. "I think people are laughing because I’m not being full on date-raped," says Faris. "I’m not sure it makes things much better," she says, with an earnest grimace, "but we don’t need to go down that road."
The sex scene was always in the script, but because it is a big studio movie, Faris says she "really thought they would weed stuff out. And they did some, but not a whole lot. And I’m proud of that, actually. But at the time when we were shooting that scene, it was like, ‘Really? We’re going to do this? Vomit down the side of my face? Really?’" Rogen says nobody at the studio ever asked them to alter or excise the scene. "There were some arguments with the studio," he says. "That wasn’t one of them. Shockingly." (Warner Brothers chose not to comment on the matter.)
I’m not sure how audiences will respond to the movie. (Entertainment Weekly critic Lisa Schwarzbaum writes that Observe and Report is “risky and riotous” and gives it an A-.) My fear, I suppose, is that because of that one scene, some folks will blast the movie without even bothering to see it. Where are these same outraged people every week when Law & Order: SVU parades yet another crooked tableau of some raped and mutilated woman’s body before the beginning credits?
Moviegoers, you’ve been warned. Observe and Report is in fact an odd and sort of creepy black comedy. Maybe I’m sick in the head, but I still recommend it.
Comments (1-30) of 90 Add your comment
The difference between Law & Order:SUV and Observe and Report is that Law & Order isn’t playing rape for laughs.
Seth Rogen is neither “mainstream” nor a “star.” Movies like this are the reason he’s well-known!
Looks awful, in an unfunny way. I’m fine with artists pushing boundaries as long as there is some point to it. But just to get a stupid laugh? Forget about it.
*reads previous comments*
You’re psychic, Karen. The righteously indignant have spoken.
For the record…I won’t be seeing the movie, but I made that call long before I read this article.
I for one am glad that the movie studios aren’t keeping everything “PC” to cater to the overly sensitive public. I applaud Warner Brothers for releasing this movie and will be looking forward to seeing it.
I would say that Seth Rogen is a star in the sameway that Adam Sandler, Jim Carrey, and Chris Farley were stars as comedic actors which seems to be a dying breed nowadays.
Can’t wait to see it. I am surprised WB gave money for this movie. It seems more like an indie/cult type of movie. Well, good for a studio to branch out there. I have to be honest, studio comedies have gotten a lot better lately. I don’t hate studio movies, I’m just mad that they always do the same thing. Good to see some new grounds being covered. Kudos dancing frog!
Anna is funny and hot. Gotta love her:
http://www.actressscene.com/search/label/Anna%20Faris
You are allowed to play ANYTHING for a laugh. You yourself have laughed at something that others would find horrific, so stop judging others that don’t share your same exact set of standards.
These type of movies are going further and further out there. I don’t know what boundary is left to cross, but whatever it is, Seth Rogen will be there.
Hey “Ned” Beatty. Was that you taking a pounding in the rear in Deliverence, because I laughed at that? Did you find that sick or funny? Perv.
Hey NSR. You notice when I used the phrase “played for a laugh”? That would suggest the creators of the material intentionally were attempting comedy, not that it’s okay for creeps to get the chuckles during “The Accused”.
I don’t think the issue is whether it’s “PC” or funny or not … I think the issue is the fact that date-rape scenes like this actually happen in realy life and way too frequently. And unfortunately, even though this is just a movie, it’s targeted towards males who will find themselves in the same situation. This movie tells them it’s okay when it’s not. It’s a shame because I think they could have gotten just as many laughs with a drunken sex scene where the girl gives consent and falls asleep during it or vomits during it. Or whatever. I’m not a writer. I’m just some who thinks everyone involved should have taken a little more social responsibility.
The only thing this guy has going for him is that he is a Hebrew.He is terribly unfunny
Seriously? “Where are these same outraged people every week when Law & Order: SVU parades yet another crooked tableau of some raped and mutilated woman’s body before the beginning credits?”
The big difference: one show is telling you it’s criminal and the other movie is telling you it’s funny.
The “date rape” scene is gawd-awful. Typical that this film is written and directed by a guy – probably a mega-nerd all his life. Poor Anna Faris! No female (actress) should have to ever come into contact with a sleaze like Seth Rogen. There is nothing remotely attractive about him. He is UGLY….just disgusting and revolting!
These are the same morons who are revolted that the Frankenstein monster “raped” Madeline Kahn in “Young Frankenstein.” Basically, idiots who wouldn’t know the meaning of “comedy” if it bit them in the ass.
From some of the comments above, looks like this movie has drawn the usual crowd of miscreant uneducated males who are so empty in their head, heart, and life that they need sick garbage to give them a charge, under the guise of “comedy” of course. They are a little too shrill and defensive about this movie. Creepy.
From some of the comments above, looks like this movie has drawn the usual crowd of miscreant uneducated males who are so empty in their head, heart, and life that they need sick garbage to give them a charge, under the guise of “comedy” of course. They are a little too shrill and defensive about this movie. Creepy.
“It’s a shame because I think they could have gotten just as many laughs with a drunken sex scene where the girl gives consent and falls asleep during it or vomits during it.” Haven’t seen the movie but am I missing something? “…the tense audience gave a collective sigh of relief, followed by a wheeze of nervous laughter, when Faris’ character rouses and barks at him to keep at it already.” So she apparently knew he was boinking her, passed out, woke up, and said keep going. Like you said. Is that rape?
Mainstream media doesn’t seem to realize that, at this point, we all have access to an unlimited amount of sexual content, via the internet, which caters to every possible whim. This “scene” is tame when all things are considered.
Seth Rogen is a an overrated, one trick pony. His movies are mostly unfunny on their own, without the “controversy”. He is turning into his generation’s Adam Sandler.
Faris was wrong. We really need to go down that road, that was full on date rape. A woman out of her mind on drugs and alcohol can’t consent. Drunken mumbles really don’t count.
I may not be sure if Seth Rogen can legit act, but I am pretty sure assault, bipolarity, and rape are not funny.
Just for the record, Law and Order: SUV makes me sick too.
What a waste of time, money, ane effort. This film sucked the big chorizo, honey. Lovely Anna Faris is way too talented for any of the goons (all average Joes) in this film, including writer, director, producer et al. Anna, dahling, stick with A-list projects and stay away from trolls like Seth Rogen. Uggggggggly!
Snarkdog — my reading of the article was that before Anna Faris wakes up, there’s some question as to her consent before the sex started. Her comment upon waking up might have been their attempt to include that, but I don’t think it’s enough. My suggestion was to make it clear before any penetration that there was consent, and then get the laughs from drunk people attempting to have sex. Or … they could keep her obliterated and get the laughs from him trying to deal with his blue balls as he attempts to wake her up. My point is that there are ways to shoot the scene and have it be funny and also make it clear that males shouldn’t have sex with females who aren’t capable of giving consent.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who found that scene painful, and horrific in its implications. Although I have to say, SVU doesn’t do the best job on the subject either. The rapes in that show are horrible and usually graphic, but we often get some kind of closure at the end of the 60 minutes. I’m sure some rape cases end like that, but many are not reported, those that are are hard to prove, and many are perpetrated by a friend/partner/other person related to the victim, instead of a random attacker. (This is according to the DOJ) So O&R makes it seem that drunken sex where the woman isn’t coherent is ok, and SVU makes rape out to be a sick crime that is clear-cut and easy to identify. Neither one is accurate.
This movie sounds as interesting as a monkey spreading his feces on a wall and a crowd of people standing around and calling it art. I’ll pass.
Well, after watching the trailer I’m firmly convinced it’s a waste of money and there wasn’t one thing that even brought a smile to my face. Maybe I’m too old for this kind of ‘art’. Seems today’s generation find cruelty hilarious. Too many years of of conservative ideals of what constitutes ‘humor’. I’ll stick to Daily Show and Colbert Report.
looks like a riot.
O + R wasn’t that bad…The cast was great and it had it’s funny moments, but it had no clear plotline and some “that would never happen” parts.It still was pretty good..I give it a solid B.
This movie is a poignant and timely metaphor for what the executive and legislative branches of our government are doing to the future of America.