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==Plot== |
==Plot== |
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After an opening recapping the highlights of Dana Marschz's ([[Steve Coogan]]) unsuccessful acting career (undignified television commercials and a bit acting part), the film joins him "where dreams go to die": [[Tucson, Arizona]]. He is an even more unsuccessful suburban high school drama teacher, with only two (enthusiastic) students and a history of producing school plays that are merely stage adaptations of popular Hollywood films (his latest being ''[[Erin Brockovich (film)|Erin Brockovich]]''). When the new term begins, a bunch of inner-city kids are forced to transfer classes, due to destruction of a building in the school, and take his class, as it is the only remaining arts elective available. He gets off to a rocky start with the new students, and is floored when the school notifies him that the drama program |
After an opening recapping the highlights of Dana Marschz's ([[Steve Coogan]]) unsuccessful acting career (undignified television commercials and a bit acting part), the film joins him "where dreams go to die": [[Tucson, Arizona]]. He is an even more unsuccessful suburban high school drama teacher, with only two (enthusiastic) students and a history of producing school plays that are merely stage adaptations of popular Hollywood films (his latest being ''[[Erin Brockovich (film)|Erin Brockovich]]''). When the new term begins, a bunch of inner-city kids are forced to transfer classes, due to destruction of a building in the school, and take his class, as it is the only remaining arts elective available. He gets off to a rocky start with the new students, and is floored when the school notifies him that the drama program – a worthless waste of money in the administration's judgment – is to be shut down at the end of the term. Unintentionally inspired by the school paper's ruthless pre-adolescent drama critic (Shea Pepe), Dana undertakes to write and produce an original play: a sequel to ''[[Hamlet]]'' featuring a time-traveling title character and a song-and-dance number, featuring the Son of God, titled "Rock Me Sexy Jesus". He begins to win the cooperation of his students, but is further traumatized when his wife ([[Catherine Keener]]) leaves him for the uninteresting, but fertile, boarder ([[David Arquette]]) they had taken into their home to supplement their modest income. The students rally to finish the play, especially after the school shuts down the production over its [[controversy|controversial]] content, staging it in an abandoned warehouse and [[rave]] spot, amid a media frenzy. |
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==Cast== |
==Cast== |
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Revision as of 02:04, 24 December 2008
| Hamlet 2 | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Andrew Fleming |
| Written by | Andrew Fleming Pam Brady |
| Produced by | Eric Eisner Leonid Rozhetskin Aaron Ryder |
| Starring | Steve Coogan Catherine Keener Amy Poehler David Arquette |
| Cinematography | Alexander Gruszynski |
| Edited by | Jeff Freeman |
| Music by | Ralph Sall |
| Distributed by | Focus Features |
Release dates | August 22, 2008 (limited) August 27, 2008 (wide) |
Running time | 91 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | English Spanish |
| Budget | $9,000,000 |
| Box office | $4,908,460 |
Hamlet 2 is a 2008 American comedy film directed by Andy Fleming, written by Fleming and Pam Brady, and starring Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, Amy Poehler, and David Arquette. It was produced by Eric Eisner, Leonid Rozhetskin, and Aaron Ryder. Hamlet 2 was filmed primarily at a high school in New Mexico from September 2007 to October 2007. The film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and was distributed by Focus Features. The film had a limited release on August 22, 2008, followed by a wide release on August 27. The film is rated R by the MPAA for "language including sexual references, brief nudity, and some drug content". Its UK release was scheduled for December 28, 2008, but was postponed until February 27, 2009.
Plot
After an opening recapping the highlights of Dana Marschz's (Steve Coogan) unsuccessful acting career (undignified television commercials and a bit acting part), the film joins him "where dreams go to die": Tucson, Arizona. He is an even more unsuccessful suburban high school drama teacher, with only two (enthusiastic) students and a history of producing school plays that are merely stage adaptations of popular Hollywood films (his latest being Erin Brockovich). When the new term begins, a bunch of inner-city kids are forced to transfer classes, due to destruction of a building in the school, and take his class, as it is the only remaining arts elective available. He gets off to a rocky start with the new students, and is floored when the school notifies him that the drama program – a worthless waste of money in the administration's judgment – is to be shut down at the end of the term. Unintentionally inspired by the school paper's ruthless pre-adolescent drama critic (Shea Pepe), Dana undertakes to write and produce an original play: a sequel to Hamlet featuring a time-traveling title character and a song-and-dance number, featuring the Son of God, titled "Rock Me Sexy Jesus". He begins to win the cooperation of his students, but is further traumatized when his wife (Catherine Keener) leaves him for the uninteresting, but fertile, boarder (David Arquette) they had taken into their home to supplement their modest income. The students rally to finish the play, especially after the school shuts down the production over its controversial content, staging it in an abandoned warehouse and rave spot, amid a media frenzy.
Cast
- Steve Coogan as Dana Marschz
- Catherine Keener as Brie Marschz
- Amy Poehler as Cricket Feldstein
- David Arquette as Gary
- Marshall Bell as Principal Rocker
- Elisabeth Shue as Elisabeth Shue
- Melonie Diaz as Ivonne
- Phoebe Strole as Epiphany Sellars
- Skylar Astin as Rand Posin
- Joseph Julian Sovia as Octavio Marquez
- Arnie Pantoja as Vitamin J
- Natalie Amenula as Yolanda
- Michael Esparza as Chuy
- Shea Pepe as Noah Sapperstein
Production
The play shown within the film was written on deadline for production.[1] The film was budgeted at a little over $9 million.[2] Production began in September 2007 in New Mexico.[3] Filming took place mainly at West Mesa High School in Albuquerque, where actual students were permitted to perform as extras in the film.[4] Filming concluded on October 31, 2007.[5] The film was executive produced by Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa, who also produced Little Miss Sunshine.[2]
Release
A rough edit of Hamlet 2 was prepared for the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, where it was a late addition, three days before its scheduled screening.[2] The film premiered at the festival on January 21, 2008. After the screening, an all-night bidding war took place for rights to distribution, which Focus Features won for $10 million, acquiring worldwide rights to the film.[6] The purchase of Hamlet 2 nearly broke the Sundance Film Festival record set by Little Miss Sunshine, which sold for $10.5 million in 2006.[2]
The DVD was released December 21, 2008. The DVD includes deleted scenes, an audio commentary, and a sing-along.
Critical reaction
Duane Byrge of The Hollywood Reporter described Hamlet 2 as "a slam-bang patchwork of more inspired comedies, such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Borat". Byrge described the premise as "a twist on the formula of let's-put-on-a-show, with the twist being that no one wants the show". He thought that the screenwriters had put together "a string of gags in a hit-and-miss dither".[7]
Edward Douglas of ComingSoon.net described Hamlet 2 as "outrageously funny but it does require a certain type of sense of humor and the ability to laugh at very odd behavior and situations". Douglas thought that Coogan played his character over-the-top, but found that through the film, "you really start to love him." He described the premise as "ludicrous" but said, "Sometimes, you just have to turn off your brain and allow yourself to laugh."[8]
The New York Times noted of the film, "It made sure to take shots at Christians, gays, Latinos, Jews, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Elisabeth Shue, one of its lead actresses."[1]
The film currently holds a 63% positive rating on movie review site Rotten Tomatoes. The IMDb, as of December 22, 2008, has a 6.5 rating.
References
- ^ a b David M. Halbfinger (2008-01-23). "Done Deals Finally Start To Appear At Sundance". The New York Times.
- ^ a b c d Lauren A.E. Schuker (2008-01-23). "Comic 'Hamlet 2' Finally Gets Sales Going at Sundance". Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Francesca Martin (2007-09-12). "Great Danes go head to head". The Guardian.
- ^ Megan Martin (2007-11-06). "Students learn about making movies from an on-the-set perspective". Albuquerque Journal.
- ^ Dan Mayfield (2008-01-11). "N.M. movies make Sundance cut". Albuquerque Journal.
- ^ Anne Thompson (2008-01-22). "Focus Features acquires 'Hamlet 2'". Variety. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
- ^ Duane Byrge (2008-01-23). ""Hamlet 2" sends up suburbia in rowdy fashion". The Hollywood Reporter. Reuters. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
- ^ Edward Douglas (2008-01-23). "Reviews: The Great Buck Howard & Hamlet 2". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 2008-01-24.