Review: Hamlet 2

So Much Drama

Films today have this habit of going in and out of fads rather quickly. As soon as one film on a particular note is successful, everybody wants a piece of it. The latest to fit into that niche is the so called "indie comedy". Personally, I don't really think that something has a degree of comedic labeling based on a film's budget, but ever since movies like Napoleon Dynamite, Little Miss Sunshine, and Juno, there has been this suspicsion that comedies with big jokes and small budgets are the best way to cash in. This film doesn't really live up to that standard, which is a little sad. However, it does manage to squeeze out a few elements that can deliever some mighty hearty laughs.

The plot centers around familiar-faced-funnyman Steve Coogan, who plays Dana Marschz. Dana was an actor who had high spirits at one time, but never reached the level of stardom he wanted. He mostly just participated (as several clips point out) in informercials, bit roles on popular series and one of those annoying guys who proudly announces he has genital herpes in those awful medication ads. Fast forward to today, and Dana is a failed drama teacher living in Tucson He has a non-responsive wife (Catherine Keener) who has a love/hate relationship with a live-in board (a mostly mute David Arquette, his best role) and his drama teachings aren't going so well. His class consists of two students: the sexually confused teacher's pet (Skylar Astin) and the wholesome, suburban white girl who's a bit too frank about racism (Phoebe Stroll). They put on plays based on Hollywood movies translated to the stage (the show starts with Erin Brockovich). Then Dana gets thrown two curveballs: 1) A horde of Latino students have invaded his classroom and might cause a ruckus, and 2) drama is getting canceled because of poor critical reception. This inspires Dana to write "Hamlet 2" a sequel he hopes will save the school's drama department.

The plot of the play "Hamlet 2" doesn't really matter that much for the film. To be honest, the plot of the first play doesn't really matter that much either. The play being made is only a stage to bring out all sorts of jokes that attempt to push the envelope. No doubt that South Park alumn and co-writer Pam Brady had something to do with that. Not everything about the play really works, but sometimes just the onslaught of imagination is enough to be inspired. The actual production is also an element to the film that is one of its best qualities that's not being discussed. Anybody who has seen a play and is in awe of the constant visual spectacle will acknowledge the beauty in the production. One could care less what the actors are saying in those scenes, but it is very amusing watching the process. Even the first stage version of a movie is funny, especially seeing all the subtleties that are hidden in film being amplified for the stage.

Like most comedies, there is usually a core that holds it together and makes it worth while to keep watching. Very few comedies that I've seen have had a whole ensemble cast deliver equal comedic brilliance (Sideways and Superbad are the few exceptions). This film is no different, as Steve Coogan is the wonderful ray of sunshine in this film. Previously seen in this month's Tropic Thunder, Coogan somehow makes most of his scenes work, even when you can point out the place when the physical humor wears off or he started to improvise. As the play becomes more developed, unfortunately, his character gets sidelined for all of the edgy humor. Catherine Keener is no stranger to these types of films, and I've always loved her grounded personality and humor, making her one of the many multi-Oscar nominated actresses who are still underrated. Outside of Coogan and Keener, the rest of the cast really just drags on, including some very funny, but completely unnecessary, roles by Amy Poehler as an attorney from the ACLU and Elisabeth Shue as Elisaeth Shue (don't ask).

At the end of the day, Hamlet 2 just becomes an excuse to slop on a bunch of potentially offensive jokes without much meaning. It actually means a little less than an edgy comedy that would dissect high school theatre. I would have liked to have seen that film. Coogan already plays this character like a combination of every high school drama teacher (H-F readers: think of a mixture of Mr. Rose and Miss Stroemer, with a dash of Mr. Sinclair). Being a film person, an interesting take on the world of theatre sounds interesting, and I have any friends in theatre that have told me much that would make a trilogy Lord of the Rings-style. Sadly, the film doesn't do that, but thanks to Coogan and Keener, it tries. Just not hard enough, which is too bad. **1/2 / ****; GRADE: B-