Observe and Report ***

Cast: Seth Rogen, Anna Faris, Ray Liotta, Celia Weston, Michael Pena, Collette Wolfe, John Yuan, Matt Yuan, Jesse Plemons
Director: Jody Hill
Running Length: 1:25
MPAA Classification: R

Ronnie Barnhardt (Rogen) is a security guard in the local mall. He has four subordinates: Dennis (Pena), the Yuen twins (Yuan and Yuan), and Charles (Plemons). They all look up to him, and he runs things like it is the most important job that ever existed. Ronnie himself has a thing for Brandi (Faris), who works in cosmetics, but she doesn’t return his affections. Nell (Wolfe), another mall employee likes him, but she is too plain for him to notice. Then tow things happen to rock Ronnie’s world: a flasher begins terrorizing customers and employees, and a string on robberies. Despite the police becoming involved, Ronnie sees this as his problem, and takes things into his own hands.

“Observe and Report” is a surprising film. It is not your typical Seth Rogan comedy. In fact, its darker undertones are reminiscent of Adam Sandler’s “Punch Drunk Love”. This alone will be polarizing for people looking for something like “Knocked Up”. Rogan does well, stretching his acting chops as Ronnie, a seriously flawed individual. There are a lot of laughs, but there is an awful amount of uncomfortable moments as well. Director Jody Hill even manager to push the limits of male nudity to humorous and uncomfortable effect. “Observe and Report” is a better movie than I initially thought walking out of the theater, but it is definitely not for everyone. See at your own risk!