The recent controversy surrounding the new political satire The Interview has cast what is an otherwise funny and enjoyable film in a completely different light. I had the luxury of seeing the film prior to all of this current examination, making it easier to stay objective and judge the film on its own merits.
Having said that, The Interview is a very strong parody that slowly builds momentum, culminating in a silly and hysterical third act.
Hot off the success of last year’s This is the End, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg return to the director’s chair with The Interview, increasing their scope by miles and becoming more confident behind the camera. Rogen also stars in the film along with his regular cast-mate James Franco as the producer and host (respectively) of Skylark Tonight, a cheesy celebrity interview show known more for shocking gossip than hard news.
When the opportunity to report real news comes in the form of a pre-staged interview with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, the duo jump at the chance to change their image, even if it means kowtowing to ludicrous demands. The only other speed bump involves the CIA, who after becoming aware of the looming interview, politely suggest killing two birds with one stone. In other words, nobody would suspect talk show host Dave Skylark (Franco) to kill a world leader, so why not take advantage of the trip and do the US a big favor?
The CIA’s training of Skylark and his producer (Rogen) is played for laughs, making the audience wonder if these two idiots can even leave the country in one piece. These scenes between the two are very improv-heavy and as a result are also some of the most relaxed in the film.
Portraying a living person on film is difficult enough, let alone a sitting dictator, but Randall Park’s break-through performance as Kim Jong-Un is The Interview’s secret weapon. His approach to the role is nuanced and playful, never letting you know for sure if his actions are genuinely crazy or misunderstood. In one scene he’s ordering a mass execution and in the next he’s bonding with Skylark over Katy Perry lyrics. The odd mix of tone in The Interview works incredibly well and balances out the weird and serious with very welcome comedy.
Much like Rogen and Goldberg’s This is the End, the endless parade of cameos in The Interview bring some of the film’s biggest laughs, especially in the first act when the story is focused on the Skylark Tonight show. It makes the most sense to have celebrities play themselves and a few surprise appearances in particular seem to be having lots of fun poking fun at their image.
Controversy aside, The Interview is at its core a story about friendship disguised as political satire. It’s funny, entertaining and in most eyes will be seen as innocuous when the film is finally released.
Rating: B+
The Interview is currently without a release date but was recently screened at the world-famous Castro theatre in San Francisco as part of a conversation with co-directors Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.