Trailer Review: The Interview

Seth Rogen and James Franco are teaming up again for another comedy, this time tackling the political thriller genre. The Interview is about reporter Dave Skylark (James Franco) and his producer Aaron Rapoport (Seth Rogen) landing an interview with Kim Jong-un, the leader/dictator of North Korea. Things start to get out of hand for the duo when the CIA enlists them to assassinate Kim.
I don’t really watch a lot of comedies. Most of the time they are always disappointing and give away the best jokes in the trailer. So it’s rare for me to drag myself to the movie theater to see one. But this film has intrigued me. I love serious, dramatic political thrillers, so that’s probably what has drawn me to this film the most. I haven’t seen Pineapple Express or This is the End, Rogen and Franco’s two previous collaborations. I like Seth Rogen, I found him very funny in Knocked Up and I really like Superbad. But I can’t stand James Franco. I think it has more to do with his off-screen persona than any movie he’s done. He’s just so arrogant it’s a turn off for me, especially since I tend to watch a movie a lot of times based on the actors in it. Franco is quite funny in this trailer, I’ll give him that. I think he might be drawing on and making fun of the public perception of him as a d-bag (as Star Lord would say).
I think one of the highlights for this film will be the cameos in it. The bit with Rob Lowe at the beginning of the trailer is quite funny. There’s also a super quick shot of Joseph-Gordon Levitt playing with puppies. JGL and puppies guarantees I will be seeing this movie. I also love Lizzy Caplan (just see some of my Masters of Sex reviews), but her role here looks like it will be relatively minor. I have no idea who else will make an appearance, I’m hoping there might be a couple surprises.
I think this film looks funny, but that it also has some substance to it, like it has more to say than just a couple cheap jokes. Well, I will give James Franco a chance to redeem himself in my eyes when I go to see this Christmas day. Okay, probably not Christmas day, but maybe the weekend afterwards.