Review of Hamlet 2 (2008) by Stuart K — 24 Mar 2011

Directed by Andrew Fleming, best known for Threesome (1994) and The Craft (1996), and co-written by South Park staff writer Pam Brady. This is an amusing comedy about ambition and vision. It takes a while to get going, but it pays off well with it's musical production.

It has failed actor Dana Marschz (Steve Coogan) who is now a drama teacher in Tuscon, Arizona. However, his productions are all based on popular films like Erin Brockovich. When Principal Rocker (Marshall Bell) announces he's cutting the drama class, out of desperation, Dana decides to go out with a bang, and create something totally original, a sequel to Hamlet.

Although Dana's unruly class warm to the project, they are questionable of the content, which includes homosexuality and Jesus in modern times. However, the school decide to shut it down, moving the whole production to a warehouse, then Dana's wife Brie (Catherine Keener) leaves him for fertile lodger Gary (David Arquette), although Dana meets his favourite actress Elisabeth Shue (playing herself) now living in Tuscon as a nurse having quit being an actress.

It is a bit of a hit and miss comedy, and Coogan does feel out of place in a role any American comedian could have done, although the whole film pays off at the end in spades with the production of Hamlet 2, with songs like "Raped in the Face" and "Rock Me, Sexy Jesus".

If only the film had focused more on that.