The most awkwardly hilarious comedy of the year
The place where dreams go to die? Tucson, Arizona. The theatrical production that could potentially save one down on his luck actor’s hope? “Hamlet 2”. The most awkwardly hilarious comedy of the year comes home via Universal’s Focus Features’ Spotlight Series, and the movie should find cult classic status quickly.
Actor turned drama school teacher Dana Marschz (Steeve Coogan) can’t seem to produce a play that the high school newspaper can appreciate, has trouble with his love life and is now facing budget cuts threatening to end West Mesa High’s arts programs. His last hope is to produce his life’s work, a sequel to Hamlet, a new play that features content that rattles the Tucson community, and explodes into a riotous display of free speech.
Aside from several jabs against Tucson that Phoenix natives should roll on the floor laughing about, “Hamlet 2” is rather hit or miss. Steve Coogan is incredibly over the top, which is charming at times and at others equally off-putting. Though the disc is seemingly branded with the fact that the brains behind “Little Miss Sunshine” produced it, “Hamlet 2” has a far more “Napoleon Dynamite” feel.
The modestly budgeted film has received an equally modest home video release. With no High Def counterpart, “Hamlet 2” arrives on DVD with only a handful of special features including deleted scenes and a making of documentary, but most importantly, a sing-along featuring the picture’s most infamous song, “Sexy Jesus”. If you’re into bizarre and offbeat comedy, this is one 2008 surprise you might want to explore.
Actors: Todd Anderson, David Arquette, Marshall Bell, Catherine Keener, Marco Rodriguez
Directors: Andrew Fleming
Number of discs: 1
Rating: R
Studio: Universal Studios
DVD Release Date: December 21, 2008
Run Time: 60 minutes
Russo Rating: 7/10
