A neighborhood watch group gets more than they signed up for in the comedy THE WATCH.
Ben Stiller’s
Evan, a Costco manager, forms a neighborhood watch group after the murder of Antonio,
a security guard at the store. The rag
tag group is composed of Bob, a dad looking for a good time, played by Vince
Vaughn; Franklin, a failed police academy recruit played by Jonah Hill; and
Jamarcus, a Brit who has dreams of his own, played by newcomer Richard Ayoade.
The group gets together to find Antonio’s
murder, and also keep the neighborhood safe, but soon finds out that Antonio’s
killer is out of this world.
Two of Hollywood’s favorite conventions, male angst
and extraterrestrial mayhem, meet in THE WATCH. The results are a mixed bag, with Vaughn and
Hill’s impromptu work serving as the film’s strength and also as its Achilles
heel.
The film, co-written by Evan Goldberg, Jared Stern and Seth Rogan, seems intent on having its actors carry the comedic burden, and director Akiva Shaffer is more than willing to oblige. At times this works brilliantly, particularly a laugh-out loud montage following a victory celebration of the group’s first alien kill, but more often than not the improvised dialogue is awkward and bogs down an already flimsy story line.
Vaughn, typically the best part of his mediocre films, is as much to blame as anyone. His wisecracking, smart-witted comments are missing in long stretches, and are substituted with forced and outlandish statements that fail to amuse.
In between the actors amusing themselves, the collection of screenwriters lace together sub-par sub-plots from Vaughn’s protective paternal instincts to Stiller’s sterile situation. THE WATCH teases at times with big laughs, but inevitably fails due to its over reliance on its stars improvisational skills.
Grade: C
The film, co-written by Evan Goldberg, Jared Stern and Seth Rogan, seems intent on having its actors carry the comedic burden, and director Akiva Shaffer is more than willing to oblige. At times this works brilliantly, particularly a laugh-out loud montage following a victory celebration of the group’s first alien kill, but more often than not the improvised dialogue is awkward and bogs down an already flimsy story line.
Vaughn, typically the best part of his mediocre films, is as much to blame as anyone. His wisecracking, smart-witted comments are missing in long stretches, and are substituted with forced and outlandish statements that fail to amuse.
In between the actors amusing themselves, the collection of screenwriters lace together sub-par sub-plots from Vaughn’s protective paternal instincts to Stiller’s sterile situation. THE WATCH teases at times with big laughs, but inevitably fails due to its over reliance on its stars improvisational skills.
Grade: C
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