Hamlet 2 Fu
Contrary to what you may have heard or read, Andrew Fleming's Hamlet 2 isn't funny. Unless, you know, you're an easy lay as far as laughing at an ostensibly funny joke or bit is concerned. The crowd that reportedly whooped and cheered during screenings at last January's Sundance Film Festival definitely qualifies on that score. I watched this thing totally stone-faced, checking my watch by the light of the screen every ten minutes or so.
A tale about a failed ex-actor and a generally pathetic drama teacher (Steve Coogan) staging an extremely bizarre musical based on Shakespeare's "Hamlet" (but not really), it actually alternates between being flat, mildly embarassing and dreary. Then, after many obstacles and hardships, the show finally goes on and lo, it's not bad. But there's no way to believe that Coogan -- an extremely mediocre depressive -- and his high-school student cast could have thrown this B'way-level show together so it's basically a wash and a wank.
There's no other way to say it -- Coogan is simply awful in this. Sloppy, dislikable, flailing, desperate. Fleming's modus operandi seems to have been "whatever, Steve...anything you want to try is fine with me." I came to this film more or less even-steven on Coogan -- enjoyed him aplenty in 24 Hour Party People, Coffee and Cigarettes and Curb Your Enthusiasm, thought he was okay in Tropic Thunder, but felt irritated by his strangeness in Tristram Shandy and Around The World in 80 Days. Now I'm a confirmed non-fan.
The best and most grounded element by far is Elisabeth Shue playing more or less herself -- pretending to have given up acting to be a Tucson nurse in the film, Shue has been sort of taking it easy lately so it half-fits in a "real" sense. I would love to see her again in anything. She has a great spirit and a lovely smile.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 22, 2008 at 5:30 PM
comment #1
Richardson says ...
Now I'm torn. On the one hand, a negative review from Jeff is a big boost for comedy. And I love Steve Coogan (Jeff reminds me of Alan Partridge). But Pam Brady is pretty terrible. The fact that she's writing a movie about people writing a play that's deliberately shocking... I give her credit for the self-commentary, I guess, but she's still really bad at that.
Posted by Richardson at August 22, 2008 7:18 PM
comment #2
Mgmax says ...
Every time I see Steve Coogan in something, I think "Why isn't Richard E. Grant playing that?"
Posted by Mgmax at August 22, 2008 8:12 PM
comment #3
Mgmax says ...
And I didn't think this was all that funny when it was called Waiting For Guffman, either.
Posted by Mgmax at August 22, 2008 8:16 PM
comment #4
erniesouchak says ...
Disagree, Wells. The movie is a mess overall, but some of the jokes do hit their targets, and Coogan does a great job as a guy who's a half-step away from complete insanity. And I actually thought the Shue bit didn't work at all -- nothing against her.
Posted by erniesouchak at August 22, 2008 8:24 PM
comment #5
Terry McCarty says ...
Richardson wrote:
But Pam Brady is pretty terrible. The fact that she's writing a movie about people writing a play that's deliberately shocking... I give her credit for the self-commentary, I guess, but she's still really bad at that.
Haven't watched too many recent SOUTH PARK episodes. Is she still on the writing staff?
Posted by Terry McCarty at August 22, 2008 11:04 PM
comment #6
D.Z. says ...
"Contrary to what you may have heard or read, Andrew Fleming's Hamlet 2 isn't funny. Unless, you know, you're an easy lay as far as laughing at an ostensibly funny joke or bit is concerned. The crowd that reportedly whooped and cheered during screenings at last January's Sundance Film Festival definitely qualifies on that score."
Isn't that pretty much every Sundance audience?
Posted by D.Z. at August 22, 2008 11:09 PM
comment #7
cwratliff says ...
"A confirmed non-fan"?? Wow. I'd be kind of embarrassed to admit that, to be honest-- the guy is a genuine comic genius. Imagine somebody watching one or two of Peter Sellers' weaker efforts and then declaring themselves "a confirmed non-fan."
Admittedly, much of his best work is obscure in the US (all of his Alan Partridge work, plus several more ambitious efforts for UK television), but it would still take a lot more than one or two bad films to negate his stellar turns in 24 Hour Party People, Coffee & Cigarettes, and Tristam Shandy.
I'd be curious to know how many other comic actors you'd be so dismissive of based on an occasional poor showing...
Posted by cwratliff at August 22, 2008 11:25 PM
comment #8
cjKennedy says ...
No offense Jeff, but you're about as unreliable a barometer of comedy as Harry Knowles is...well...just about an unreliable barometer of everything.
On second thought, feel free to take offense.
Posted by cjKennedy at August 23, 2008 1:13 AM
comment #9
The InSneider says ...
I thought Hamlet 2 was ok but the last half-hour, which has been the most praised part of the film, was terrible. i think if you're going to make a movie about the making of a play, the play has to turn out good, but i thought the hamlet 2 of hamlet 2 was simply embarrassing and not funny at all. i actually enjoyed the first two acts and thought Coogan carried the film admirably, he's a funny motherfucker, but the problem was the script. The truth is, Pam Brady sucks, and despite this South Park bullshit, which is more Trey and Matt than her, she's one of the most overrated writers in Hollywood. It's because Hollywood becomes fatuated with women who are remotely funny, which I suppose Cody and Brady ultimately are compared to most women, but still, waayaaayyayy overrated. Did anyone read her script Genius. It was read as if Simple Jack wrote it. Wretched.
Posted by The InSneider at August 23, 2008 3:21 AM
comment #10
astrophore says ...
the title is kinda funny. plot looks tired.
guarantee someone will show up at the googolplex and pick something else, "cause i never saw the first one".
same reason i've never seen "ass-bangin' beauties 23". who has time to watch the first 22?
seriously.
it's like homework or something.
Posted by astrophore at August 23, 2008 8:28 AM
comment #11
Richardson says ...
"Haven't watched too many recent SOUTH PARK episodes. Is she still on the writing staff?"
Other than Trey Parker (and, presumably, Matt Stone... though he's never creditd), they re-staff every few years to keep things fresh. The only person I'm aware of who ever wrote for them, left, and then came back is Vernon Chapman.
I had a friend on the writing staff a few years ago. According to him, the writing process is, each week, Trey comes in and acts out the whole episode. If he has trouble figuring out some beat in the plot, he asks them for help, but it's 90% or more him. Then he picks a few at random to voice some one-off characters. Sometimes someone on the staff pitches an episode idea while they're on a writer's retreat, and it gets used, but even then, Parker writes it.
Posted by Richardson at August 23, 2008 9:12 AM
comment #12
rr3333 says ...
Steve Coogan was allegedly the drug buddy of Owen Wilson till Owen's suicide attempt. Allegedly, all of Owens friends and family begged him to stay away from Coogan.
Oh, I hear the movie sucks too.
Posted by rr3333 at August 23, 2008 9:34 AM
comment #13
CarloDennis says ...
So it's the new "Happy, Texas?"
Posted by CarloDennis at August 24, 2008 2:52 PM
comment #14
Josh says ...
Wells and comedy don't go together
Posted by Josh at August 25, 2008 7:33 AM