Much like Ishtar or John Carter, the controversy behind The Interview is far more interesting than its eventual film. Though to call Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s sophomore directorial effort on the same disastrous level would sell the film short. Because, for all the threats it created and chattered it sparked, this comedy is an enjoyably breezy piece of lowbrow entertainment.
After celebrating the 1,000 episode of Skylar Tonight, one of Hollywood’s most scandalous celebrity talk shows, producer Aaron Rapoport (Rogen) wants to move away from gossip side of journalism and concentrate on real, hard news. Wishing to please his best friend, host Dave Skylark (James Franco) discovers North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un (Randall Park) is, in fact, a huge fan of his show and believes interviewing the recluse leader will give the show and Rapoport their full due.
Much to their surprise, they actually get the opportunity in three weeks time — but only if the showrunners let the North Korean government write the questions and run the affair, of course. Soon after they announce the exclusive interview, however, the CIA knocks on Skylar’s door with plans to use the interview to assassinate the ruthless dictator. Through agent Lacy (Lizzy Caplan), a plan is seized to wipe out Kim. When Skylar and the North Korean leader actually begin bonding, though, the homicide scheme naturally becomes more complicated.
Returning from their surprisingly inspired, heartfelt and gleefully dark directorial debut, last year’s This is the End, The Interview is most definitely a step down for Rogen and Goldberg. The humor is too often juvenile and crass to a fault, to the point where about half the jokes feel lazy or grow tiresome. Way too many times, Franco and Rogen appear aimless in their riffing, appearing more unprepared then they should. Often the film substitutes the f-bomb for creating clever banter, and the disillusionment it creates to reality often is ridiculous to an unbearable or simply too implausible degree. With that in mind, this third cinematic collaboration between Franco and Rogen is ultimately their weakest.
However, there’s something so disarming attentive about this new comedy. The Interview’s spunky, continuously go-for-broke sense of humor is charmingly ferocious, and continuously on-its-toes. Plus Rogen and Goldberg continue to prove themselves as competent and fearless directors. They may very well be among the last working today who know the virtues of good pacing in comedy, and are also graciously aided by well-rhymed editing by Evan Henke and Zene Baker, Rogen’s regular editor. These factors give their movie an edge that’s hard to dislike; one that settles frustratingly at being more inactive than it should, but carries enough tricks up its sleeve to endure occasional sloppiness.
The leads are ultimately the weakest — with Franco going too broad and Rogen going a little too shiftless, in terms of his character— but they’re not bad as much as they’re just a pinch misguided. When it comes to the rest of the cast, however, The Interview does quite well. Caplan is given little to do overall, but makes a surprisingly strong straight woman. The movie’s best performance, though, goes to Park as Kim. His vigorous yet unusually humble portrayal of North Korean’s leader is uniquely winning. He holds great chemistry with Franco, plus knows how to make a presence without overdoing his delivery. It’s easily the movie’s most fascinating feature, and, despite being the big baddie of the comedy, is also its most likable.
What The Interview really could use is a second rewrite, allowing Rogen, Goldberg and screenwriter Dan Sterling to sort through all their dick jokes, race humor and bathroom gags to figure ways how to punch it up or figure out what does and doesn’t work. While the jokes are consistent, its success is ultimately pretty hit-or-miss. While the foundation for a much more clever and stinging comedy is available, what is here is likable enough in its own right.
Does The Interview deserve all its controversy? Of course not. At the end of the day, it’ll probably be remembered more for being the movie almost causing WWIII than for its puns. But to discredit it would, ultimately, be forgetting how reflexively amusing this whole shebang truly is.