Dave Skylark and producer Aaron Rapoport run the celebrity tabloid show "Skylark Tonight." When they land an interview with a surprise fan, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, they are recruited by the CIA to turn their trip to Pyongyang into an assassination mission.
Directors: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
Writers: Dan Sterling (screenplay), Seth Rogen (story)
Stars: James Franco, Seth Rogen, Randall Par
Perhaps the most controversial movie of the past 5 years was in the end a great comic feast. The movie that caused Sony Entertainment to get hacked and threatened was basically a below the belt hit at the current supreme leader of North Korea. To portray a living man in such manner is bordering on defamation and if that man is revered as a god by millions, then there must be some criticism against the appropriateness of the subject. Nonetheless, all aside the movie was hilarious!
The interview is a well complied action comedy describing the struggle of two friends in their pursuit of interviewing a greatly popular but highly detested personality, a dictator, Kim Jong-un. Aaron Rapaport, the producer of “Skylark Tonight”, along with his host Dave Skylark are known for broadcasting a popular television show, where they aim to make bizarre discoveries and headlines about celebrities. After a 1000-episodes bash, Aaron realizes that what he does is plain pathetic and that he should be doing stuff that benefits his viewers in some way. Tempt the fate and he soon gets a chance of interviewing the news sensation, Kim Jong-un. Plot twist? CIA. And from here begins a series of events leading to Kim’s interview and then his downfall as a dictator, followed by a revolution.
The duo, James Franco and Seth Rogen as we know them, have delivered a spectacular performance. The plot is new. There’s comedy. There’s action. A bit draggy, the story has good humor and keeps you glued to the screen until the end. Rogen is more or less the conventional Rogen that we are accustomed to seeing. Although Franco takes the lead with his impeccable comic-timing, both the actors have done justice to their roles. Lizzy Caplan, also appears sparingly, adding prettiness to the screen and has done a good job with her character.
For those of you who like comedy, this movie is not to be missed. It’s likely to give you a fairly good round of laughs. And if nothing else, watch it for Franco or Rogen. Enough said.