It's Just Movies

— by ROB COX —

“Get Him to the Greek” is an upcoming comedy starring Jonah Hill and British comedian Russell Brand.

Brand may be most familiar to American audiences for his role in 2008’s “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” In “Get Him to the Greek,” Brand reprises his role from “Sarah Marshall” as the goofy, Spinal-Tap-esque British rock star Aldous Snow. That’s fine by me, as Brand was one of the highlights of that very funny film.

Hill plays Aaron Green, an intern at a record company who’s assigned by his boss — played with wooden aplomb by Sean “P. Diddy” Combs — to escort Snow from London to an upcoming concert at the Green Theatre in Los Angeles. “Get Him to the Greek” looks like an odyssey film at its heart, focusing mainly on Green’s quest to get Snow to L.A. on time.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, “Greek” is directed by “Sarah Marshall” director Nicholas Stoller, which, considering Brand’s involvement, makes this something of a sequel — or maybe just a companion piece. Either way, “Greek” looks damned funny — funnier perhaps, than “Sarah Marshall.” Brand’s limited screen time in “Marshall” kept his character’s antics somewhat constrained.

Here, as evidenced in the poster, Snow will be front and center and will, no doubt, make Green’s life very difficult in their trek to L.A., using money and fame to entice the young upstart into activities seriously unbecoming of a corporate intern — but right up a rock star’s alley. Those activities include a lascivious encounter in a bathroom stall, an adrenaline shot to the heart — a la “Pulp Fiction” — and balloon-full of illegal drugs shoved into a very private place to avoid airport detection.

In all likelihood, you’ll want to leave the kids at home for this one, but “Get Him to the Greek” certainly looks like it’ll justify the price of a sitter — always assuming, of course, you need one.

“Get Him to the Greek” stage dives into theaters June 4.

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