The Interview
2014 · Directed by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Original language: English
- action
- comedy
The story
Dave Skylark and his producer Aaron Rapaport run the celebrity tabloid show "Skylark Tonight". When they land an interview with a surprise fan, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, they are recruited by the CIA to turn their trip to Pyongyang into an assassination mission.
What it’s like
Bright, flat, overlit studio light gives way to the sun-bleached drab of Pyongyang, all grey concrete, rigid parade grounds and washed-out daylight, with the film's rowdy handheld camerawork lurching through crowds and hotel corridors. The sound is loud and deliberately crass: pop-chart needle drops, broad slapstick sound effects, and a rhythm of quick cuts and rapid-fire banter that rarely lets a scene breathe. Vibe: scrappy, irreverent, sometimes juvenile, with a knowing satirical edge. Its people are two egotistical media figures who grow, clumsily, into something braver and more humane. Intensity: a fair amount of comic and cartoonish violence, including shootings, explosions and a graphic but played-for-laughs torture and death sequence, plus frequent crude sexual humour, drug jokes and strong language; the gore is brief but shocking in places. Best for viewers who want an absurd, raunchy buddy comedy with political satire, and who are comfortable with bawdy, unsubtle humour. Not suited to anyone wanting something gentle.
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