Observe and Report (2009)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Tim S

  
  It's difficult to explain why I gravitated towards this. Like everyone else at the time, I just assumed it was a clone of Paul Blart: Mall Cop and I didn't really give it a chance because of that. However, a couple of people whose opinions I respect were saying positive… More
  It's difficult to explain why I gravitated towards this. Like everyone else at the time, I just assumed it was a clone of Paul Blart: Mall Cop and I didn't really give it a chance because of that. However, a couple of people whose opinions I respect were saying positive things about it so I decided to give it a shot. Observe and Report is not your typical family friendly Seth Rogen affair, nor it is the Judd Apatow show. Made by the director of The Foot Fist Way and Eastbound & Down, it's actually an extremely dark comedy. Both Rogen and Anna Faris are brilliant in it, and while the story can seem conventional on the surface, once you get into it you realize that it's much different. It feels refreshing in the age of movies like The 40 Year Old Virgin and Superbad, two movies I'm not really that big a fan of. It's also nice to see a comedy like this get so dark and explore a character a bit deeper than just what's on the surface. I found the film to be funnier because of that. It's not a perfect comedy, and there's a lack of style to it I suppose, but for what it is it's great.

• Directors C

  
  It's my job to observe and report. Bottom line is, it's a very mean film but a very funny one with a committed and energetic Seth Rogen who plays his part in his trademark style with a dark batshit twist.

• Anthony L

  
  The Foot Fist way wasn't particularly funny but i thought Jody Hill was onto a good idea but after watching the dreadful Observe and Report I can clearly see now that he is a great pretender, although not that great. Observe and Report is one of the most misjudged films I have… More
  The Foot Fist way wasn't particularly funny but i thought Jody Hill was onto a good idea but after watching the dreadful Observe and Report I can clearly see now that he is a great pretender, although not that great. Observe and Report is one of the most misjudged films I have ever seen. It is a dark/black comedy for people who don't understand what a dark/black comedy is and have no concept of satire. It fails to parody Taxi Driver which was part of its intention, mainly due to the fact it's not funny (first rule of parody) and secondly because it completely misses the point of what Taxi Driver is (and just for the record, Taxi Driver isn't overrated in my, and many others opinions). Just by claiming the main character is bi-polar does not excuse said character's bad behaviour, I'll bet money that Jody Hill knows very little about the condition. The script is a mess, the story is a mess. This is not the clever black comedy 'with an independent movie feel' that I suspect was the intention, instead, it is one of the most offencive and awful films I have ever seen. Call me a party pooper but I just don't find rape and racism funny. Welcome to my top 10 'Worst films of all time'.

• Kristijonas F

  
  Observe and Report is ultimately a cross between Paul Blart and The Taxi Driver, and the result is a super-divisive film loaded with moral reprehensibility and anti-social advertisement. But it's so god damn funny that both of those things actually enhance the experience.

• Dan S

  
  A dark, disturbing, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny film concerning the world's most egotistical mall cop and his quest to become a "real" cop. Rogen is simply outstanding. Although we've seen a similar character played by the likes of Will Ferrell (in basically… More
  A dark, disturbing, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny film concerning the world's most egotistical mall cop and his quest to become a "real" cop. Rogen is simply outstanding. Although we've seen a similar character played by the likes of Will Ferrell (in basically every movie) and Danny McBride (the TV show "Eastbound and Down", also produced by the director of this film), Rogen plays it the best. He's extremely unlikeable, boorish, and messed up beyond belief, but you still sympathize with his character because it is the ultimate look at a confused kid raised the wrong way up until young adulthood. This is a hard R comedy, which contains a different, darker sense of humor from the latest string of R rated comedies.

• Drake T

  
  Incredibly disjointed dark comedy that's just a lil' funny despite Rogen's enthusiasm. Also spends a little too much time with people simply screaming "fuck" at each other, I mean, it warrants a chuckle the first 5 times but talk about recycled material. :/ A… More
  Incredibly disjointed dark comedy that's just a lil' funny despite Rogen's enthusiasm. Also spends a little too much time with people simply screaming "fuck" at each other, I mean, it warrants a chuckle the first 5 times but talk about recycled material. :/ A tighter script and a more coherent story could've saved a lot and made this film much more enjoyable. It also needed time to give its character's relationships to breathe (Ronnie's friendship with Dennis, his alcoholic mother etc.) Unfortunate, since I liked the themes it tried to tackle and the protagonist's somewhat offbeat, delusional psyche was kind of fun.

• Sam B

  
  While the final chase is one of the most ridiculous action sequences ever, Observe and Report can't decide whether it wants to be the average Seth Rogen comedy,or a dark case study of a troubled man. As a result of not knowing what it is, the film suffers, failing to provide many… More
  While the final chase is one of the most ridiculous action sequences ever, Observe and Report can't decide whether it wants to be the average Seth Rogen comedy,or a dark case study of a troubled man. As a result of not knowing what it is, the film suffers, failing to provide many laughs or any insight.

• Kevin C

  
  Observe and Report is a fascinating and magnificent character study, in addition to being a superb satire of American culture. Hear me out. Observe and Report moves at a rapid quick pace and, while an astounding Seth Rogen lays down his own sense of authority in the saddest,… More
  Observe and Report is a fascinating and magnificent character study, in addition to being a superb satire of American culture. Hear me out. Observe and Report moves at a rapid quick pace and, while an astounding Seth Rogen lays down his own sense of authority in the saddest, funniest and foremost character of his career, the raunchy comedy and completely black humor knock you on your ass. Jody Hill can do no wrong.

• Curtis L

  
  Man this movie sucked. I let out a light chuckle about 3 times through the whole thing. Not much of a plot here, nor purpose. And the loss of reality only made it lamer: i.e. how is this guy beating and threatening mall employees, kids in the parking lot, killing crack heads, and… More
  Man this movie sucked. I let out a light chuckle about 3 times through the whole thing. Not much of a plot here, nor purpose. And the loss of reality only made it lamer: i.e. how is this guy beating and threatening mall employees, kids in the parking lot, killing crack heads, and shooting an unarmed streaker in public without any repremand? He assults like 20 cops and spends a night in jail? Whatever. Don't waste your time with this one. It made me like Seth Rogen a lot less.

• Daniel P

  
  A corny flick that fumbles between silly and desperately sad that's thankfully not too long. A few good laughs are had before this one limps across the finish line in a predictable fashion, and I admit, I liked it more than I thought I would - Ray Liotta's performance as… More
  A corny flick that fumbles between silly and desperately sad that's thankfully not too long. A few good laughs are had before this one limps across the finish line in a predictable fashion, and I admit, I liked it more than I thought I would - Ray Liotta's performance as Rogen's foil and the bit parts filled by Danny McBride, Aziz Ansari and Patton Oswalt definitely helped me stick through an otherwise unremarkable movie.

• Jeff "

  
  This is the funnier version of Paul Blart, in other words the better film. While Paul Blart was a shit fest of epic proportions, Observe And Report delivers on the laughs big time. The story is fairly simple, but is effective with Seth Rogen pulling off his usual antics, he's a… More
  This is the funnier version of Paul Blart, in other words the better film. While Paul Blart was a shit fest of epic proportions, Observe And Report delivers on the laughs big time. The story is fairly simple, but is effective with Seth Rogen pulling off his usual antics, he's a new breed and totally original. His only bad film is Funny People, he keeps on making good comedies. Observe And Report is one of his best and his most insane since Superbad. The humour is vulgar, raunchy and so very wrong. I mean that in a good way of course. I'm a big fan of Seth Rogen and he really delivers another winner with Observe And Report. If you despised Paul Blart: Mall Cop, then check this film out. The story is actually better than Paul Blart, and actually more realistic. Where Paul Blart failed, Observe & Report delivered. This one crazy film from start to finish, and many times while watching it, I was like man this film is really out there. But the film manages to be very funny because it crosses the line that Paul Blart didn't. This film explored a darker more adult oriented story of storytelling, while Paul Blart was too family friendly. The humour is more vulgar and it doesn't hide the fact that it's a crude film, in fact the film feels like it prides itself on being fucked up, crude, and vulgar, and inthis movies, it's a big plus. Observe & Report doesn't take itself seriously, and it ends up being one funny film.

• Richard C

  
  A really funny dark comedy. Grade: B+

• Jani H

  
  "It's like my mom always said: you can polish a turd, but it's still a piece of shit." How many of you come up with successful dark comedies? The Coen brothers have done several and then there's 'Bad Santa' The genre is a hard one, I'd say.… More
  "It's like my mom always said: you can polish a turd, but it's still a piece of shit." How many of you come up with successful dark comedies? The Coen brothers have done several and then there's 'Bad Santa' The genre is a hard one, I'd say. 'Observe and Report' gives it a shot and I'm sure that some of you who have chosen not to see this, probably have 'Paul Blart: Mall Cop' close in mind. There simply isn't anything funny about rental cops... Ronnie Barnhardt (Seth Rogen) is a sosiopathic outcast, who works as the head of security at a mall. He dreams of a blonde, manipulative slutty bimbo (Anna Faris), who works as a cosmetician at the same mall. I can't understand how he can see her as the most beautiful woman in the world. Maybe because his life is so utterly fucked up. Living at home with his alcoholic mother, whom he has a very dysfunctional relationship with. His days go by dreaming of the girl and becoming a cop, harassing an Iraqian guy and shooting big guns at the range. One day a flasher begins his reign of terror at the mall. Barnhardt makes it his highest priority to take him down. 'Observe and Report' could've worked but it failed badly. I'll admit that I laughed a couple of times but the film is in the end a big mess. And I mean a huge one. The only really good scene was the one when Barnhardt had his interview for the police academy. That scene saved this film from falling totally flat. But all the other scenes either lack originality, like a minute long scene that consists of two persons saying "fuck you" to each other in different ways, or are offensive as hell, like the sex scene which could easily be interpreted as a date rape, or the subplot that consists of mental abuse to a coffee shop worker. I like Seth Rogen as an actor. He really can be funny but being a protégé of Judd Apatow doesn't mean that he'd go from success to success. I've read that Rogen liked the script so much, written by a newcomer filmmaker Jody Hill, that he did all he could do to make the production company give the film a green light. I don't know what this says of him and his judgement but even a guy who has the talent to save scenes by pure improvisation can fail. I guess it was inevitable (like Jack Black with 'Envy', anyone?).

• KJ P

  
  Observe and Report is a little bit over-the-top in from the comedies these days. Still, it has original jokes and good dialogue, along with a likable cast of comedians. It was very funny and sometimes disturbing. It was the dry humor that works when you are paying attention to the… More
  Observe and Report is a little bit over-the-top in from the comedies these days. Still, it has original jokes and good dialogue, along with a likable cast of comedians. It was very funny and sometimes disturbing. It was the dry humor that works when you are paying attention to the story. I love that kind of comedy and this one pulled it off quite well, taking into consideration, the fact that the film get's a little slow in the middle. It starts of smashingly funny and finishes great. Overall, Observe and Report is quite a funny movie!

• Dean L

  
  So you went to see what you thought would be a straight-forward comedy starring Seth Rogen and found a dark, twisted, bleak look at the life of delusional man who never grew up. I say, KUDOS. I had no idea what I was in for when started this movie, but found myself uncomfortable… More
  So you went to see what you thought would be a straight-forward comedy starring Seth Rogen and found a dark, twisted, bleak look at the life of delusional man who never grew up. I say, KUDOS. I had no idea what I was in for when started this movie, but found myself uncomfortable and even sometimes upset by what I was watching. The deconstruction of a man who has built a perception of life around himself to guard him from the truth that he has accomplished nothing. Surrounding himself with supplicants to continue his delusional mindset Seth Rogen's character gets darker and darker until he practically self-destructs. I don't want to give too much away, but while this may have been billed as a comedy and certainly that is what Rogen is best known for the performance delivered and the subject matter prove that Mr. Rogen has far more depth than I gave him credit for. A very twisted tale with just the right amount of everything in all the right places. This movie will make you laugh, but it will also make you sad and I challenge you to watch this and see just how deep the mud actually goes. See if it swallows you too. It did me.

• Aaron N

  
  Ronnie Barnhardt: The world has no use for another scared man. Right now, the world needs a fucking hero. Another addition to 2009's good R-rated comedies. This is an offbeat, dark comedy that is more akin to something like Bad Santa than any of the recent Judd Apatow produced… More
  Ronnie Barnhardt: The world has no use for another scared man. Right now, the world needs a fucking hero. Another addition to 2009's good R-rated comedies. This is an offbeat, dark comedy that is more akin to something like Bad Santa than any of the recent Judd Apatow produced comedies. Writer/Director Jody Hill, who made the smaller but equally offbeat comedy 'The Foot Fist Way,' as well as the amazing TV series, Eastbound & Down, this time combines with Seth Rogen to truly delve into some fucked up but funny situations. Ronnie: I accept you. Rogen stars as Ronnie Barnhardt, head of mall security. He has a fairly shitty life, but his delusions of grandeur get the best of him. He leads a team dedicated to follow him and his mother, played hilariously by Celia Weston, a huge drunk, loves him for better or worse. Mom: You know, when Ronnie was in high school, I used to fuck all his friends. One event propels the plot: A flasher is free-roaming around the mall. His penis is said to be attacking women and it needs to be stopped. Someone else is robbing the mall as well, inviting the presence of the police. In particular, Detective Harrison, played by Ray Liotta in Goodfellas tough mode. Detective Harrison: You motherfucker! You are a fucking rent-a-cop! Ronnie becomes especially involved once his biggest crush, Brandi played by Anna Faris, is subject to the flasher's flashiness. Ronnie sets it upon himself to find the flasher and hopefully win over Brandi as well. Saddamn: Why the fuck would I want to blow up the Chick-fil-A? It's fucking delicious! Now that's just a plot to get people in the seats, another factor is the fact that Ronnie is Bi-polar and about half way into the film, he stops staking his pills. This then propels Ronnie's character on a downward spiral, despite still believing in his abilities throughout. [about to do heroin] Dennis: I ain't going to lie to you Ronnie, there is nothing good about this at all. Punctuated by frequent swearing, harsh violence, and some shock value - all centered around a fairly unsympathetic character, I can see this as a very polarizing film. Many can like it a lot, but many can hate it a lot too, which I find to be more and more apparent everytime. I found it hilarious, but its subjective humor and very dark. [during some very drunken sex] Brandi: Why'd you stop motherfucker. I quite enjoyed the editing style of this film as well. Jody Hill has a certain visual flair that I noticed in Foot Fist way for select scenes, but now working with a big studio, he has a chance to show it off more. Its the kind of thing that wont be pointed out much, but it certainly helps the film. A quality soundtrack as well, working with the idea that Ronnie is Bi-polar, the film adopts this tone for its choices in tunes as well. Offbeat and dark, I enjoyed this film a lot. Detective: Way to go Ronnie!

• Cassie H

  
  Hilarious movie. I love Seth Rogan & this movie was awesome. I would recommend this movie to any Seth Rogan fan :)

• Michael G

  
  Observe and Report is as every bit as odd and uneven as its protagonist, Ronnie Barnhardt. It sometimes wants to be Paul Blart and meanders into Taxi Driver territory but mostly its an unbalanced mess with a few laughs and a great soundtrack. Any part with a fight was awesome and the… More
  Observe and Report is as every bit as odd and uneven as its protagonist, Ronnie Barnhardt. It sometimes wants to be Paul Blart and meanders into Taxi Driver territory but mostly its an unbalanced mess with a few laughs and a great soundtrack. Any part with a fight was awesome and the coke bender montage was hysterical. The last half hour makes the movie but that first hour had a few brutal points. None of the performances left an impression on me but I'd like to see what else director Jody Hill has to offer up in the future.

• MisterYoda ?

  
  It is easy to prejudge Observe and Report, because the plot summary from this movie seems to indicate that it will explore the same territory as the atrocious Paul Blart: Mall Cop, because we also have a security guard from a shopping whose detective fantasies and delusions of… More
  It is easy to prejudge Observe and Report, because the plot summary from this movie seems to indicate that it will explore the same territory as the atrocious Paul Blart: Mall Cop, because we also have a security guard from a shopping whose detective fantasies and delusions of greatness contrast with his ineptitude and zero authority.So, I started watching Observe and Report expecting a horrible movie, but I ended up taking a very nice surprise with it, because this comedy shows unexpected audacity and a twisted sense of humor which is much more dark and subversive than many comedies which imitate director Judd Apatow's style (like Semi-Pro or Forgetting Sarah Marshall).The result was a simultaneously funny, dramatic...and also disturbing experience. Although it is structured as a comedy (and it really has various hilarious moments), I think it would be more precise to describe Observe and Report as a perverse parody which uses the bipolar disorder as a replacement of the generic stupidity which usually motivates the immature characters from the new North American comedy.By adding a medical condition as an excuse of the inappropriate and scandalous behaviours from the main character, the movie achieves to set itself on a different level, where the jokes keep being funny but they leave a bad taste which stays with the spectator for a long time.To explain this more clearly, I will compare two similar scenes on their shape, but deeply different on their effect: on the film Role Models, Paul Rudd's character insults a kid with enthusiasm, and that made me laugh because it shows the immature adult catching up to the level of his child rival; on Observe and Report, Seth Rogen's character makes the same, but his face expresses genuine aggression which borders on the abuse, and although that scene made me laugh, it is accompanied by a sensation of pity on the character.The best element is that things like that feel very natural in this movie.The fails I found on it are some forced moments and a few moments which feel a bit rude. However, I liked Observe and Report pretty much because of its audacious intention, grotesque humor and solid performances.Rogen shows a lot of conviction on his character; Ray Liotta perfectly transmits intensity on his role; Anna Faris is very funny (as always); Michael Peña is brilliant as a Mexican security guard; and Patton Oswalt has a short but funny appearance.It may not be a great film, but I found Observe and Report to be a very competent comedy, and I recommend it with confidence.

• Chris W

  
  God, this movie is so criminally underrated! I really didn't know what to expect, and at first I wasn't sure if I was even gonna really like it, but by the end, I was floored. Observe and Report is basically what Taxi Driver would be if it was a dark comedy-and the idea of… More
  God, this movie is so criminally underrated! I really didn't know what to expect, and at first I wasn't sure if I was even gonna really like it, but by the end, I was floored. Observe and Report is basically what Taxi Driver would be if it was a dark comedy-and the idea of such a thing is mind-blowing. This is basically one of the darkest and most mean-spirited comedies out there. You laugh, but do so uncomfortably. Rogen proves he can do basically anything by shattering expectations in his searing portrayal of a delusional bi-polar mall cop who goes off the deep end when confronted with a (purposefully) absurd situation. Michael Pena has lots of fun taking a break from serious roles (and it shows), and Anna Faris is great in a cheerfully vulgar role that I see as completely welcome. Too bad this movie is so polarizing (due to shattering expectations in every way), because it should be seen and hailed as the masterpiece that it is.

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