Title: This is the End
Directed by: Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
Release Date: June 12, 2013
Rated: R
Synopsis: While attending a party at James Franco’s house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and many other celebrities are faced with the apocalypse. (Via IMDB)
Brian’s Review: Just plain fucking funny, This is the End is the comedy of the summer. The concept seems absurd on the surface, major comedy actors of this generation all playing themselves as they come to terms with the apocalypse (all while enjoying a giant party at James Franco’s house), but the beauty of This is the End is the constant reinvention. You might think you know from the ads exactly what you’re in for, but Rogen and Goldberg keep the surprise factor at an all-time high, with one big twist after another, leading toward a final scene that is as funny as it is completely amazing. Here’s that rarity in today’s cinema: a movie that makes you laugh from beginning to end, that has well-defined characters, an inventive story, and a heart at its center. What more could you ask for in a summer comedy?
Jay Baruchel comes to stay with Seth Rogen in Los Angeles for a much overdue vacation. On their first night together, Rogen suggests they head over to a party at James Franco’s house, where they bump into such celebrities as Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill, Mindy Kaling, Rihanna, and Michael Cera, the latter of whom offers tons of big laughs playing a coked out version of himself. When the rapture happens, right out of nowhere, people all over the world get sucked up into the sky, and those left behind have to deal with earthquakes, holes in the world, and giant, hungry demons. The surviving actors, including Rogen, Baruchel, Hill, and Craig Robinson, take shelter at Franco’s place, only to come in contact with more and more mayhem and death defying moments. Danny McBride soon shows up, only to steal the show. Oh, and so does Emma Watson, in a crazy awesome cameo.
The group has amazing chemistry together, and there’s never the fear of going too far. There’s a fake trailer for Pineapple Express 2, followed by a shouting match about gushing semen, followed by massive demon dick, followed by Jonah Hill upchucking gallons of vomit on Rogen and Franco. And just when you think there’s nowhere else for the movie to go, it heads to some very unexpected places. Through all the laughter, it’s amazing that Rogen and Goldberg manage to make the central friendship of the film have an adorable arc, leading toward a genuinely uplifting finale that should not be spoiled for you. This is the End is loads of fun, and absolutely worth seeing on the big screen with a packed audience. I had a blast with this one, and know you will, too.
