CheekyChicago

In the latest Judd Apatow flick, another hilarious outing from a producer who should take his luck straight to the Vegas slots, Jonah Hill plays against stereotype, Russell Brand embraces typecasting and P. Diddy actually acts. Bravo on brilliant casting.

As Aaron Green, Hill is a meek aspiring record executive stuck on a lowly rung of the corporate ladder. He loathes his tyrannical boss Sergio (P. Diddy), a mash-up of every narcissistic, borderline sadistic control-freak running a major entertainment conglomerate. P. Diddy, in an unexpected send-up of his own inflated ego, takes maniacal to a new level and owns a few of the best lines in the movie. When he challenges his employees to come up with a revenue-generating idea, Aaron suggests revitalizing the career of faded rock star Aldous Snow (Brand) with a major comeback concert. Sergio starts seeing dollar signs and grants him a once in a lifetime opportunity…fly to London, pick up Snow and “get him to the Greek.”

What sounds like a simple assignment – bring a British singer to an American concert venue – turns into a task worthy of Sisyphus. As Aldous, Brand is a wicked man-child with ADD, a quicksilver tongue and the delusional nature that only comes from being surrounded by sycophants, groupies and fellow drunks. He’s also mesmerizing, a completely transfixing screen presence that makes you wonder where Snow ends and Brand begins. While Brand is a publicly reformed drug addict, his alter ego is excess incarnate.

When the two meet, Aaron is living with his sweet nurse girlfriend (a pitch-perfect Elizabeth Moss) and Aldous is pining over his ex (a saucy Rose Byrne), an equally provocative superstar known for her sexually explicit music videos. Unable to resist corrupting everyone around him, Aldous becomes the devil on Aaron’s shoulder, persuading him to take another drink, kiss another girl and smoke a “Jeffrey” (one of the movie’s best running jokes). As if to assuage his own inner guilt, Aldous makes Aaron an unwitting accomplice in a steady stream of entertaining debauchery.

The movie picks up steam as Aaron and Aldous journey from London to New York to Vegas to LA, leaving a trail of wreckage, hangovers and one-night stands in their wake. (A disastrous, vomit-filled visit to the Today Show is only one of the highlights). Along the way, Aldous’ darker side is gradually revealed, in moments both vicious and surprisingly sad. The belly laughs become blacker, giving the film unexpected emotional weight. It’s a testament to Brand that his character is an unapologetic ass, but also sympathetic with a few breakthrough moments of raw feeling.

While the plot of Get Him to the Greek travels a well-worn story line of an odd couple on a journey, you don’t want to miss this ride.