It has parties, monsters and Rihanna, but that’s not why dudes are flocking to see “This is the End.” The main draw is the six stars, many of whom have starred together in recent comedy hits. Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson and Jay Baruchel star as exaggerated versions of themselves as they face the apocalypse. Fans of “Pineapple Express,” “Knocked Up” and “Eastbound and Down” will recognize the humor and chemistry between these good friends.
The movie combines thought-provoking ideas with reel-to-reel laughs. Imagine if you were stuck in the house with five of your best friends. After you make a plan and decide on guidelines, someone’s going to want the single candy bar. “This is the End” explores this situation and more.
Party with Stars
After Baruchel moves to LA to see his old friend Seth Rogen, the two head to a party at James Franco’s house. That’s where viewers get a glimpse of the Hollywood lifestyle. Dozens of celebrities make appearances in this opening sequence, including Jason Segal, Aziz Ansari, Mindy Kaling, Kevin Hart and Michael Cera, who steals the show as a party animal. Things go south when an unknown disaster strikes the area surrounding Franco’s residence. Cera is the first casualty (but not before he was slapped by Rihanna), and many of the guest stars get to show off their expertise in horror films.
A Complete Commitment
“This is the End” wouldn’t have been nearly as successful without full commitment from its stars. The six played themselves, but all took on ridiculous traits. Throughout the movie, it’s hard to tell if Jonah Hill is a nice guy or an arrogant fraud. James Franco is infatuated with his “Pineapple Express” co-star Rogen. Franco even concludes a conversation with Rogen with a unifying “freaks forever” mantra, a nod to the pair’s first big roles on “Freaks and Geeks.”
Directors Rogen and Evan Goldberg told GQ.com that they pushed all of the actors to uncomfortable territory.
“It was a game I had — I’m going to make all of these guys say, ‘please don’t make me do that.'” Goldberg said. It seems that Goldberg won those arguments more than a few times.
The Bottom Line
If you enjoyed these previous movies of these actors, you’ll love “This is the End.” So far, 2013 has been a down year for comedies, but this comedy features six of the funniest dudes on the planet at the top of their games. Catch up with your favorite Rogen/Franco/Hill comedies to get in the mood (Internetproviders.com suggests a 4K TV if you’re looking to upgrade your home theater). After that, grab some friends and bust up over one of the funniest comedies in recent memory.
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