OBSERVE AND REPORT is JODY HILL'S second entry into feature filmmaking (after THE FOOT FIST WAY received attention from the right people) but marks the first picture he’s directed with any type of budget or star power. REPORT is a collage of genre's, borrowing from the screwball farce, the dark character study and the now-familiar quirky suburbia dramedy. The result is a mixture of failures and successes with the picture's only consistency being... well, inconsistency. But despite the film falling short as a whole, there is a lot in OBSERVE AND REPORT that works - and in some cases, surprises.
As of late, SETH ROGEN seems to be everywhere and REPORT marks the second of his three major releases in 2009 - the first being the underwhelming MONSTERS VS ALIENS and the third the upcoming, FUNNY PEOPLE by JUDD APATOW. I was expecting a tired, awkward performance filled with stammering (but still endearing) dialogue - but was instead surprised by a solid performance as the sadly complicated and occasionally hysterical RONNIE BARNHARDT. RONNIE is a prescription medicated mall cop, hell-bent on discovering the identity of a recent flasher while out-investigating DETECTIVE HARRISON - a city police office played by RAY LIOTTA.
RONNIE and HARRISON'S relationship is based on a non-existent rivalry, with RONNIE taking his investigation too seriously and HARRISON upset that his time is being wasted on solving some pervert's peep show. It’s disappointing that there seems to be little chemistry between ROGEN and LIOTTA - a flaw not helped by a script that finds the two interacting almost incidentally. LIOTTA isn't bad here, but by the end of the picture it isn’t clear if it’s HARRISON frustrated by RONNIE or LIOTTA frustrated by the script - which later forces BRANDI (ANNA FARRIS) into the third slot of an unnecessary love triangle.
I've been a long-time fan of ANNA FARRIS and maintain that she performs a level of physical comedy currently unmatched by any player on the scene. That FARRIS is grossly underused in REPORT is another demerit I'll attribute to DIRECTOR JODY HILL - but that isn't to say she's mis-used. In fact, had REPORT decided on a comedic tone, I would imagine FARRIS to be one of the highlights. Instead, she's only around enough to garner a few laughs (albeit well-deserved), but not memorable in any capacity and it's unfortunate that FARRIS’ BRANDI could have been played by countless others.
It’s these types of mistakes that hurt the impact of REPORT. The picture doesn’t miss entirely, but fires on so many different cylinders the audience is never able to feel comfortable (a problem indicated by a promotional campaign that was misleading at best). We’re rushed from high-tension scene to slapstick montages with such abruptness it’s only natural to feel confused. And the arena in which the narrative unfolds feels constantly staged, rendering much of the film's setting transparent and self-defeating.
However, amidst the chaos within the picture (which is plentiful) and on its surface, REPORT is not without redeeming qualities. MICHAEL PEÑA’S DENNIS is nothing short of fantastic. DENNIS’ antics are a perfect compliment to RONNIE’S sobering torture, and the character’s ease, humor and acuity is a rare treat PEÑA serves on a silver platter. If JODY HILL was given a demerit for mis-using FARRIS, I’ll take two back for the success of PEÑA’S DENNIS.
Ultimately, REPORT’S biggest challenge turns out to be managing itself. When the picture borders on frightening, whacky humor sways it back to sardonic. The levels of crudeness and language never feel necessary and when the violence escalates, the stakes do not – making the resolution (if a film with no moral compass can have one) confusing at best. REPORT is better than expected, but JODY HILL has a distance to go before proving he deserves the star-power and budget license he’s been given.
