Observe and Report (2009)
By Michael Muniz
I worked in malls for many years, and there was always a security guard like Ronnie Barnhardt (Seth Rogen). He would stoically patrol the mall, hoofing up and down the hardwood floors. With his chest jutting out, you could tell he was just itching to pound shoplifters not much younger than himself and woo every female mall employee in sight. I went into Observe and Report wondering if it would be a mockery of those types, since great humor often involves poking fun at those who take their jobs a bit too seriously (Night Shift, Clerks and Office Space, to name a few).
The adventures of the head of mall security consist of his hard-boiled pursuit of both a mysterious overnight robber and a flasher terrorizing mall patrons and employees, most notably his dream girl, Brandi (the delightful Anna Faris). It spurs on his ambition to become a real police officer, despite discouragement from the short-fused Detective Harrison (portrayed by legendary on-screen gasket blower Ray Liotta). The film also showcases several worthwhile comedic performances, notably from Celia Weston as Ronnie’s mother, Michael Peña in a rare comedic role as Dennis, and Collette Wolf as Nell, Ronnie’s sincere coffee server and confidant.
Seth Rogen is an unlikely choice for a Hollywood leading man, but he does have a knack for carrying vulgar guy comedies. Pineapple Express, Knocked Up, and Zack and Miri Make a Porno work because the Rogen characters seem like people you’d want to meet and hang out with. He’s the crazy idea guy and the life of the party.
That’s not the case with protagonist Ronnie Barnhardt. Due to his bullish interrogation tactics and failed psychological examination, he’s so irritating that I found myself empathizing more with Detective Harrison’s frustration. This becomes a problem because no matter how flawed or delusional Ronnie is, our hopes and sympathies should remain solely with him. Even Patrick Bateman of American Psycho was more likable, thanks to consistent scenes that worked in cohesion with his appalling acts.
Observe and Report is a movie afflicted by the same condition many modern comedies seem to suffer from. While a number of scenes are hilarious, they’re wedged in-between lesser gags that impair the overall material.
The best scenes, the ones that really allow us to make any kind of heartfelt connection with Ronnie, are mainly the ones with Nell. Rogen and Wolf had great chemistry here, especially just before the film’s end.
The movie seems to run too long, even at 86 minutes, and it would’ve benefited greatly from tighter cutting. However, the music choices were very strong. One of the enduring lessons Fight Club taught us is that ending with The Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind” (performed here by City Wolf) is never a bad thing. Also, Randy Gambill deserves recognition for his bravery in putting his junk out there for the world to see. Extended full frontal nudity can be difficult for actors, but he seemed to take the ball and run with it…figuratively speaking.
The movie is disappointing because it could’ve aspired to more. It reminds me of the last exchange between Ronnie and Nell, as he laments paying for his coffee like everyone else, thus rendering him just another normal person. It’s the same feeling I have about movies like this: Nothing is worse than unfulfilled potential.
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This Observe and Report movie review is copyright 2009 Small World Marketing and Shane Rivers. This Observe and Report review should not be reprinted without the permission of the copyright holders.
This movie review of Observe and Report expresses the opinion of the author only. Other Observe and Report movie reviews are available online, and some of those might or might not express different opinions on the movie. Like those other Observe and Report movie reivews, this Observe and Report review is intended for the entertainment and education of the reader. This Observe and Report movie review is provided as is with no warranty or guarantee implied.
