Funnily enough this poster perfectly encapsulates what the actors think about their appearances in this film. L-R.
- Ansari: “I’m in a film!”.
- Eisenberg: “Well that’s finished.”
- McBride & Swardson: “We’re both undeservedly cocky and pleased with the whole thing. This gravy train will NEVER derail…”
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A likable but deadbeat pizza delivery driver is forcefully coerced into robbing a bank by two rednecks of convenience, with the proceeds to pay for a hitman who will kill one of the redneck’s lottery winning Dad. That’s your plot in this movie so straightforward and perfunctory that it might as well have been called ‘Weekly Rental’.
Jesse Eisenberg plays Nick, the pizza delivery boy who unexpectedly finds himself plotting a heist so he can be given the code to remove the bomb strapped to his chest. He co-opts longtime friend Chet (Aziz Ansari) to assist him, thus hoping to avoid the IQ-challenged wrath of Dwayne (Danny McBride) and Travis (Nick Swardson), a moronic duo of lazy
no-goodniks who see the fast train to wealth and women being fuelled by the lotto winnings of Dwayne’s ex-military Father (Fred Ward).
Aside from my obvious concern that any explosive device constructed by these gormless half-wits is positively doomed to premature detonation, my second worry is that this plot is essentially dull and unremarkable, and aside from a wide eyed and energetic Aziz Ansari the cast are either out of their element (Eisenberg) and/or depth (Swardson).
Danny McBride is the obvious omission from the list, since ‘arriving’ with the Foot Fist Way, Tropic Thunder and Pineapple Express he has shown a remarkable ability to steadfastly not change a thing about his onscreen persona. Regardless of the film or role his every line is guaranteed to be laced with profanity and potty talk, as if he went to the R Rated Will Ferrell school or ‘ad-libbing’. I for one grew tired of it some time ago but officially tuned out after his evolution playing a medieval type in Your Highness involved nothing more than enunciating his ‘fucks’ and shits’ to sound more ye olde. His continued adherence to that image is troubling both for us as viewers and for his career potential.
Back to the film; bomb-strapped man with similarly ill-equipped friend has to rob bank to pay rednecks. Hijinks ensue.
Final Rating – 5 / 10. It annoys me that films like this continue to finance the plush lifestyles of guys like McBride and Swardson.
