Supposedly, Observe and Report is a Taxi Driver parody but it’s really more like an homage with unnecessary jokes. After a decent job building a dark and serious tone, you wonder why Hill veers suddenly from dramatic to absurd even within the same scene. Admittedly, one such moment comes off equally funny and disturbing when Ronnie and his buddies fire very illegal looking weapons at a gun club; furious editing accentuates the increasing size and power of the arms they’re wielding to ridiculous extremes. But frankly, the plot’s too dismal to giggle at.
If they wanted to pursue more complex roles, I don’t know why Rogen and Faris chose to star in a Jody Hill movie. Along with Ray Liotta, their presence makes Observe and Report absurdly fascinating for a little while. What a waste! Hill needs someone else to direct his stories. What could have been a spin on Taxi Driver is just a nonsensical bunch of gags and shocks. His jarring shifts in tone serve no purpose but to mess with the audience.
Grade: C-
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