Observe and Report

If you were somehow able to combine the DNA of Paul Blart and Travis Bickle you would end up with Ronnie Barnhardt, the character that Seth Rogen plays in Observe and Report. Ronnie is very proud of the fact that he's the chief of Security at his local mall. He's also bi-polar and full of himself, which make for a very dangerous combination. He's also intent on capturing the flasher who's been terrorizing the mall patrons, and at the same time he's equally intent on winning the heart of the makeup demonstration girl played by Anna Faris. This film is not your typical Seth Rogen comedy as it has a real darkside. That's not to say that it isn't hysterical in many instances, it just isn't Knocked Up or Superbad. There are a number of scenes that just as easily could have been placed in a more serious film with equal effect, and the good news is, the mix works quite well. There are times that Mr. Rogen is even a little scary, OK, not Travis Bickle scary, but scary in a Teddy bear kind of way. Ms. Faris plays her usual blond ditz who finally agrees to go out with Ronnie, the results of which are quite hysterical and disturbing at the same time. Ray Liotta plays it straight as a local detective who's also investigating the mall flasher, and who also grows more and more angry at Ronnie for getting in his way. He does a good job in the role, although his obvious hair dye job was a little distracting. The other supporting players, including Celia Weston as Ronnie's alcoholic mother, and the rest of Ronnie's security team add to the enjoyment. See it at your local mall cinemaplex.

Rating - 3 Stars