​FILMS

entourage

2015 review number 85:

Entourage: (Comedy): 55 out of 100: A continuation of the HBO TV series of the same name, this exposé of the trials and tribulations of Hollywood is a mildly amusing affair. It is easy to see the roots of the production as a TV episode which has been stretched to a feature-length film. There are subplots such as the upcoming nuptials of a gay friend that just seem out of place and become mere time fillers.

 

Vince (Adrian Grenier) is a movie star who wishes to direct his own film. He begs new studio head Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) to allow him to direct. The principal investors of the production are Larsen McCredle (Billy Bob Thornton) and his son Travis (Haley Joel Osment) who might withdrawal their finances at any time. Along for the ride with Vince are his brother Johnny (Kevin Dillon), manager Eric (Kevin Connolly) and driver Turtle (Jerry Ferrara).

 

If you are not familar with the TV show, don't fret as we are introduced to the characters at the beginning through an interview conducted by Piers Morgan with Vince. Morgan's appearance is one of many cameos throughout the film. Some have speaking parts like Mark Wahlberg, Liam Neeson, Armie Hammer and Jessica Alba while others have walk-on roles like George Clooney and Amy Adams. There's also a fair bit of name dropping, after all this is a Hollywood movie about Hollywood. 

 

The mastery of acting by the main cast is sporadic at best. Piven is probably the best in delivering his lines and is convincing as the agent turned studio head. Thornton is underused and only appears in a couple of scenes. If you're wondering what happened to the boy from "The Sixth Sense" who immortalised the line "I see dead people", you'll find him here portraying the jealous son craving for attention. The four chidhood friends from the original series which began in 2004 and ended in 2011 are not the best actors around and demonstrate why they are not A-list actors. 

 

Some people might find this movie degrading to women as most of them are portrayed as sex objects. They take a back seat to proceedings as the story focuses on the guys. It is unconvincing how some of the women are attracted to the men considering how sleazy they are. Out of the ten people who were in the cinema when I saw it, there was not one female so that might be an indication of how much more men would enjoy this than women.

 

There are some cool, invigorating scenes which capture the dynamics of Hollywood, however these are not enough to sustain a feature length movie. It's more suited to the small screen as a TV series due to its episodic nature. While it doesn't enthral, there's enough here to keep you partially interested. If you want to experience the cut-throat world of Hollywood, revisit Robert Altman's The Player instead.

 

Starring Adrian Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, Jeremy Piven, Haley Joel Osment and Billy Bob Thornton

(104 minutes)

Parental advice: Coarse language, nudity, sex scenes, sexual references and adult themes

Additional scene during or after credits: Yes, during the credits there is long scene involving a gay wedding that is officiated by George Takei playing himself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGSE_XPF4_g (Movie trailer)

(Reviewed on Tuesday 23rd June, 2015)

 

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