Comedy has reached an all time low with Observe and Report directed by Jody Hill. Never have I seen a movie that purposely tried to be over the top raunchy, racy, offensive, and just plain stupid for laughs. The movie needed to take it down a few notches, then maybe it might have actually made people laugh, and not just for shock value.

            Observe and Report is about the “Head of Security” mall guard, Ronnie Barnhardt (Seth Rogen), who lives completely in his own world. Barnhardt suffers from bipolar disorder, (which in turn made the whole film seem like it had bipolar disorder) who wants to prove to his team of “avengers” and co-workers in the mall that he is serious about his job. One person he wants to prove his worth to is Brandi (Anna Faris), the hottest girl behind the makeup counter who refuses to give a moment of her time to Barnhardt. Yet, while Barnhardt is completely oblivious to the fact that everyone views him as a joke.

Luckily for Barnhardt, a flasher decides to make the Forest Ridge Mall his personal playground of peep shows, and gives Brandi a personal viewing. Barnhardt takes this opportunity to catch the pervert and prove that being a mall security guard is no joke, as well as impressing Brandi. As the film unravels, the plot extends and delves into other sub plots of a serious shoplifter, a smarmy police officer, drugs, sex, dreams, love, parental issues, and many other events.

            In all honesty the movie had excessive subplots, to the point where the audience had no idea what was going on any longer. Though the film was filled with surprises, which continuously had the audience guessing, the audience was drowning in the extent of events occurring. Analogous to the film Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, with Will Ferrell, the audience starts out laughing, until the movie goes on a tangent of stupidity, then it gets to the point where the audience is feeling: “where is this going, and when is it going to stop”. Besides the excessive amount of subplots, the film also just had ongoing scenes of inanity. There was seriously one scene that lasted probably around two minutes of Barnhardt and another character just saying “F**** you” back and forth.

            Rogen is an amazing actor who can make anything it seems hilarious. Even in his most raunchy of films Knocked Up and Zack and Miri Make a Porno, the comedy was sweet, hilarious, and done in a tasteful way. in spite of that, not even Rogan could save this movie. In addition, Faris also hilarious and talented, who did a great job of playing the skanky cosmetic woman, just could not save this film. Observe and Report completely engulfed itself with shock value. The movie itself became series of crazy event, as though someone sat in a room thought of numerous situations that could happen to a character and decided to make it all fit.

            After first seeing the trailer, I believed the film was about Barnhardt just trying to gain appreciation and trying to win the love of Brandi. Though the film did include this theme, there was a whole mess of other matters coincide, in turn took away from the potential humorous simple premise. The film had completely gone off it’s path that towards the middle of it Faris’ character Brandi was hardly in it.

            Though the movie was a complete whirlwind of idiocy and a waste of money, brains, and talent, the film did have a few moments of actual good laughs. Overall, I would give Observe and Report a C. The film did have some enjoyable moments, and incidents of heart, but the ending really saved the film from complete disaster. From point A to C, point A and C were hilarious and definitely worth watching, but the hour of point B that you had to sit through was a roller coaster ride you wanted to get off. I highly advocate waiting to see this film when released on DVD, then renting it when you have absolutely nothing better to do.