ENTOURAGE
ENTOURAGE
DIRECTOR: Doug Ellin
CAST: Adrian Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara and Jeremy Piven
RUNNING TIME: 104 Minutes
CLASSIFICATION: 16 LNS
RATING: **
‘I may have to jerk it before we get there,” is the first sentence uttered in the film of the hugely popular Entourage TV series. That line right there sets the tone for what is an ultra-long sausage-fest filled with bare breasts, bad gags and beautiful cars. But that’s the Entourage brand, so fans of the series will feel like the film picks up from where the show left off – just with many more celebrity cameos.
In what seems like an attempt to add some depth to what’s meant to be a cut-and-dried bro-film, screenwriter and director, Doug Ellin, introduces a meta concept. You see, this is a movie where our leading lad, Vince (Grenier), and his entourage, Eric (Connolly), Turtle (Ferrara) and Vince’s brother Johnny Drama (Dillon) make a movie about a guy and his entourage.
Here’s the plot: personal and financial troubles mount as new studio head, Ari Gold (Piven), has decided to let his soft spot for Vince take over by allowing Vince to direct the flick in the flick. Vince keeps asking for more money from Ari – and by extension the financiers, Larsen McCredle (Billy Bob Thornton) and his son, Travis (Haley Joel Osment). The movie’s release is threatened because Travis has a bone to pick over Vince boning someone.
However, that already juvenile plot is further weakened as it is poked from all angles by other subplots that are abandoned in the air or seem too insignificant to involve what’s meant to be the main point.
Eric is about to become a father, Turtle wants to go on a date with yet another celebrity girl, Drama’s public indecency is still a thing and Grenier’s Vince is still probably one of the worst-acted leads on screen. He’s right up there with Ellen Pompeo (Meredith Grey in Grey’s Anatomy) and Taylor Schilling (Piper Chapman in Orange Is The New Black).
All of those subplots do nothing to add substance to the characters or even move the narrative along.
On the flip side, Piven is still the most hilarious part of the brand. Sure, he tries hard to come off as a misogynist and homophobe – even though he loves his former assistant, Lloyd, like a son. But he is the only person who sees through – and is vocal about – the glittering hedonism that the boys try to present to willing voyeurs on the other side of the screen. Thornton is also a seasoned actor who is a pleasure to watch in the sea of celebrity cameos.
Seriously, Bob Saget, Liam Neeson, Jessica Alba, Kelsey Grammer, a bunch of American Football players and more. Basically, all the people whose images are meant to be whole-some and family-oriented take this as their opportunity to liberally use the F-word and say sexist things. Except it’s not funny. Just eye-roll worthy.
There are many movies that are skewed towards single men whose main aim is to live vicariously through movie stars. And this movie ticks those boxes. But it’s about 44 minutes too long and unlike those other boy-specific films; the characters seldom laugh at themselves or their misfortunes so Entourage becomes a long, cameo-filled, unfunny send-off to what was once a popular series.
If you liked The Hangover and Swingers, you might think this film is beneath you.