Hamlet 2

I had been wanting to see Hamlet 2 since I first saw the trailers a few months ago. I know when something is in limited release because it will go to the Southland Cineplex theater (across town from me) instead the Galaxy, which is right near by and has better popcorn. Lesser popcorn be darned, I went across town to see this at the Stars and Strollers screening, no less. Since it is now the end of the summer, the weekday matinees at the first run theaters have come to a close, and the only matinee is on Tuesdays at 1pm called the Stars and Strollers screening, in which people with their babies can enjoy a movie with other baby people who will understand when they make noise and stuff. Of course other people are welcome, you just can't bitch about crying babies.

Written and directed by Andrew Fleming, the film is a comedy starring the hilarious Steve Coogan as Dana Marschz, a failed actor and high school drama teacher in Tucson, Arizona. He rollerskates to school everyday and lives with his wife, Brie (Catherine Keener). The drama class is very small with only two students, Rand (Skylar Astin) and Epiphany (Phoebe Strole) who always star in the school plays, which Mr. Marschz always bases on films. Even though there are only two students in the class, Dana is very passionate about theater and teaching his students about the craft of acting, despite his experience being limited to informercials and humiliating commercials.

Another high school in Tucson has many of their programs cut, so a sudden influx of hispanic students join the class, much to Mr. Marschz's delight, which gives him more students and lets him feel like MIchelle Pfeiffer's character in Dangerous Minds. Dana is also told that budget cuts have affected their high school as well and it will be the last semester with a drama class. He comes up with a brilliant plan to stage a controversial play of his own that will give attention and help raise money to keep the drama program going. His play is Hamlet 2, a sequel to William Shakespeare's Hamlet, which features an appearance by Jesus Christ. Of course there is a lot of opposition from parents, school administration, etc, because what would a story be without obstacles? Dana also has trouble at home and the actors start clashing. He receives help in the form of a small spitfire lawyer, named Cricket Feldstein (Amy Poehler), who helps him put on the play despite orders from the court to shut it down.

I liked this film. It was very amusing and humorous, and Steve Coogan is totally awesome as the beleaguered drama teacher. The film will also have people asking "why the hell isn't Elisabeth Shue working more?" The students were well cast and did a great job, but I felt that their characters could have been more developed and their little arcs could have been flushed out more. I found the end a little anti-climactic though. It was a cute story but it didn't quite feel like the stakes were high enough. If you are able to check it out, I'd say go for it. I am now officially a Steve Coogan fan. Ending with the part where Dana shows Brie his freshly finished script of Hamlet 2 and she calls him crazy ("Um, didn't everybody die at the end of the first one?").....

Dana: Any person will tell you, sometimes you gotta go a little crazy to make great fuckin' art.

Amen....more ramblings to come......