Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? Definitely!
Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Yes.
Secret ending? Mid-credits scene.
Running time: 104 minutes (~1.75 hours)
“Entourage” is a comedy film that’s a film adaptation of the television series of the same name. It follows the adventures of a rising Hollywood movie star and his group of loyal friends. It stars Kevin Connolly (Eric “E” Murphy), Adrian Grenier (Vincent “Vinnie” Chase), Kevin Dillon (Johnny “Drama” Chase), Jerry Ferrara (“Turtle”), Jeremy Priven (Ari Gold), Perrey Reeves (Melissa Gold), Rex Lee (Lloyd Lee), Debi Mazar (Shauna Roberts), Constance Zimmer (Dana Gordon), Emmanuelle Chriqui (Sloan McQuewick), Alan Dale (John Ellis), Billy Bob Thornton (Larsen McCredle), and Haley Joel Osment (Travis McCredle). It is rated R-21.
I must confess, I used to follow “Entourage” pretty regularly when it was airing, and I liked the series, especially its depiction of life in Los Angeles. I was stoked when I heard they would do a movie, since the series finale did leave a few dangling plot lines even while it gave a good send off for the characters. So to see the “Entourage” movie was quite a treat, like a bonus, super-sized episode that gave the characters an even better send off than the original finale.
Highlights
E’s personal conflicts
The thing about E is how he has this perpetually conflicted look, where he knows what the mature and sensible thing is to do in tempting situations, but he just can’t help going with the more pleasurable, but sillier choice. In the end he makes the right call with right person, but not without getting himself into yet another mess. He’s the Everyman of the film — he knows what to do but always just ends up doing the wrong thing, frequently with the wrong person.
Ari’s doggedness
Ari Gold is, of course, the magnificent bastard that everyone loves to hate. His intense passion for everything that he sets out to do always gets mutated into an amusingly murderous stubbornness to get what he wants, regardless of the cost. It’s no different here in the fim, but with stakes that are so much higher, the intensity of his fury and determination get magnified so much more, giving us more of the Ari Gold that everyone wants to see.
Ari and Vince’s story
It’s touching to see how far the pair have come, with the frequent reminders of how Ari talent spotted Vince. Although Ari might seem like a selfish, self-centred egomaniac who believes in no-one but himself, his choices at the end of the movie show just how much he holds Vince in esteem. It’s touching to see that under all that bluff and bluster, there’s actually a true friend to the protagonist who’s convicted of Vince’s success.
Themes of brotherhood and friendship
At its core, “Entourage” is one big bromance between four dudes, with a friendship so strong that it’ll overcome anything and everything. It’s a very simple and straightforward theme, and it works because it appeals on such a fundamental level. Who wouldn’t want friends who’d stick up for you no matter what happens? It speaks to Vince’s character that he has such a tightly knit group of friends who go anywhere and do anything for him.
Vince’s altruistic nature
While Vince might come across as being as dumb as he is good looking, the truth is that he’s pretty capable and intelligent. The reason for his sub-optimal decisions is his basic character trait, which is that he sees the best in everyone and takes people at face value. This, in conjunction with his carefree, relaxed attitude serves to illustrate that his innate nature is genuinely altruistic.
Cameos and guest stars
It’s pretty fun to see the huge list of guest stars that pop in for random cameos now and there. While it’s not a key component of the show, it helps to build the verisimilitude that the characters are, indeed, in Hollywood. And who wouldn’t enjoy a cameo by Jessica Alba, really?
Haley Joel Osment as the spoilt Travis
Did you do a double take there when you realized that the antagonist of the movie is actually a grown up Haley Joel Osment? It’s a striking difference from the last time he was in a blockbuster film, and the fact that he plays a role that’s so far from the kid roles that we’re used to shows his range and depth of acting. He entertains as the ridiculously coddled heir to a fortune, with his pampered attempts to get whatever he wants from people who are just as used to getting their own way as he is. This makes for an entertaining, and memorably asinine villain.
Letdowns
Feels like a long television episode rather than a movie
While “Entourage” preserves the feel and flavor of the television series, it also doesn’t move beyond that far enough to have that true cinematic quality. There are too many characters to shoehorn in or give spotlights to, and the stakes just don’t have that emotional gravitas to make you feel like this truly is a film in its own right. This is one aspect where its dedication to the source material pulled it down.
Ultimately, “Entourage” is a fantastic adaptation to the big screen and a touching ending to the series. Having seen the characters grow up through the seasons, watching them get what they finally deserve is a gratifying closing to a great series. Even if you aren’t a fan of the television series, “Entourage” will still move you with its focus on characters and relationships.
“Entourage” opens in cinemas 4 June, 2015 (Thursday).
This review was also published on Yahoo.
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