Susan Granger’s review of “Entourage” (HBO/Warner Bros.)
If you were enthralled by all eight seasons of the HBO show, you won’t want to miss the movie.
If you’re a newbie, you’ll have an all-access pass to glitz and glam, a hedonistic fantasy of Hollywood, parodying the decadence and outrageous excesses of the entertainment industry.
But who really cares about what happens to movie star Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier), his clueless half-brother, actor Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon), and their buddies from Queens: glib superagent Ari (Jeremy Piven), pizza boy-turned-manager Eric (Kevin Connolly) and driver-turned-tequila mogul Turtle (Jerry Ferrara)?
The movie picks up where the series ended, as the ‘guys’ join Vince and a bevy of bikini-clad babes aboard his luxury yacht off the coast of Spain after his five-day marriage went kaput. Newly appointed head-of-production at a major studio, Ari wants Vince to star in “Hyde” – but Vince also wants to direct.
Six months and $15 million over-budget, Vince still hasn’t finished the film. Begging for more money brings them to Texas oil billionaire Larsen McCreadle (Billy Bob Thornton) and his spoiled son, Travis (Haley Joel Osment), who’s eager to visit Hollywood and bed actress Emily Ratajkowsi.
Meanwhile, Sloan (Emmanuelle Chriqui) is pregnant with Eric’s baby, Ari and his wife (Perrey Reeves) are in therapy, Turtle has become involved with MMA/UFC champion Ronda Rousey, and Drama’s in crisis because his X-rated home video has been leaked online.
On TV, I suspect the slick 30-minute episodes zipped by, but this two-hour movie, written and directed by “Entourage” creator Doug Ellin drags – despite 50+ cameos, including Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Alba, Kelsey Grammer, Armie Hammer, Liam Neeson, David Spade, Matt Lauer, Pharrell Williams Gary Busey, Bob Saget, Richard Schiff, Warren Buffett, Jon Favreau, Common, and Piers Morgan, along with New England Patriots Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, Green Bay Packer Clay Matthews and Seattle Seahawk Russell Wilson.
Since 2004, the movie business has changed; top talent agencies are now controlled by powerful private equity firms that focus on the bottom line so “Sadly, all good parties must come to an end.”
On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Entourage” is a phony 5 – bromance is a bust.
