Matt Vs. The Interview vs. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Sony is one of those companies while not exactly a trainwreck, is prone to have soap opera-esque public relations nightmares. From the lackluster launches of the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita to the bungling of the Spider-Man film franchise and the Network data breaches, they seem to have an ideal mix of hubris and clueless-ness which makes The Interview debacle all the more fascinating. The Interview of course is the Seth Rogen, James Franco comedy vehicle where they are sent on a mission by the US government to interview then assassinate the North Korean leader Kim Jung Un. In response to the film, the North Korean government hacked Sony Pictures's confidential data and released them to the public. There were also threats of 9/11 type terrorist attacks against theaters that showed the film. Sony pulled the film from its Christmas release date though ultimately released the film digitally and at the movies. Sony is currently being sued for the breach and faced criticism for its flip-flopping release decision. So is this film an example of an film that pushed the envelope to what is acceptable in politically heated climates or a raunchy if forgettable comedy?

The answer is actually a bit of both. The Interview understandably had an unprecedented amount of both hype and scrutiny upon its release which makes it a tricky vehicle to tackle. While I honestly don't think that Seth Rogen can carry a film by himself, his chemistry with James Franco is unmistakable. James Franco's character David Skylark is a celebrity gossip host and Seth Rogen is his assistant and best friend. Tired of being a popular but not respected by their more  serious colleagues. the  pair manage to get an interview with embattled dictator Kim Jung-Un the who happens to be a big fan of the show. The North Korean leader played by Randall Park is the stand out role of the film. He garners occasional sympathy while reminding you of his underlying megalomania. The CIA recruits the reporting duo to dispatch Kim by poison during their visit. Kim and Skylark hit it off while Rogen has to provide a constant reminder of the mission. Eventually both Rogen  & Skylark or exposed as is Kim himself leading to the films explosive conclusion.

To its credit, The Interview tries to elevate itself beyond the Harold & Kumars other films of its ilk. Many films stray away from the idea of depicting the killing of current world leaders and political figures and it takes a certain level  of courage to do that. TV shows such as 24 that tackled issues such as drone programs, terrorism, and torture tended to not show terrorists hailing from real world locations preferring to use fictional Middle-Eastern or African nation. Let alone use current leaders and kill them onscreen. The Interview also contained criticism of recent US foreign policy and its current and past attempts at regime change in North Korea and elsewhere. Unfortunately the film feels the need to overplay tired juvenile  butt gags and the typical Rogen-Franco tropes. A later scene where Rogen and a North Korean soldier are biting off each others fingers felt particularly groan-some. I feel that this is a shame as it brings The Interview down as a whole. It is hard to compare this effort to This Is The End or Neighbors and I would but the film as better than the latter and about the same as the former. The film has legitimate laughs and hints at depth which is covered under the tide of butt jokes. The Interview is a good comedy and is definitely worth a shot and its surrounding controversy is an added bonus.