★★★
Zach Galifianakis and his oddball crew take a road trip to complete a series of high-profile celebrity interviews.
Classification: 15
The awkward deadpan of the iconic web series is elongated and rammed into a conventional narrative in what is probably the best feature-length adaptation that could be created for Between Two Ferns. There's not much that actually can be done beyond sending Zack Galifianakis out on a hopeless road trip to film as many interviews as possible for a coked-out Will Ferrell who is obsessed with his website clicks. Scott Aukerman as writer and director of Between Two Ferns: the Movie knows this and doesn't try to exceed these expectations and focuses on making sure Galifianakis is put in between the ferns with as many celebrities as possible. There's nothing more to it and while the narrative wishes to satire showbusiness, vanity, and the bizarre habits of those seek fame nothing really makes the final product feel like an actual film but rather a filler for what we know and expect from Galifianakis's talk show.
When the film is in its element, it is the same hilarity for those fans for who love the format, with the interviews of Matthew McConaughey and Paul Rudd being notable exceptions. It is easy to tell both sides are doing their best not to break the illusion but then Galifinakas will utter another unbelievable one-liner that floors his guest and the audience. Filled with laugh out loud moments, the narrative encompassed around the interviews also has its comedic highlights but when the interviews are continuously the best part, one wonders why a new series wasn't just commissioned. The film takes on a mockumentary format, similar to the popular style used by recent sitcoms but without talking head interviews to allow personal thoughts to create more comedy. The "documentary" is only to further the illusion of Between Two Ferns and allow the first act to create a mythology for the origins of the programme. The first twenty minutes of the film is highly amusing with seeing Galifianakis being a clueless diva working in a public access studio in North Carolina but soon the novelty of the storyline wears off as nothing unique or clever is done with it. Between Two Ferns: the Movie despite its comedic highs and glamorous cameos doesn't have enough steam to maintain an interesting feature-length narrative.
Cameo wise Between Two Ferns: the Movie spares no expense as a cavalcade of Oscar Winners, comic legends, rising stars and even legendary talk show host David Letterman all are placed between the iconic foliage. The comedy goes for shocking and deep cuts based on the actors professional and personal lives but never goes over any lines, it never feels like an actor has been really insulted but all play along with it and try and barb Galifianakis right back. One or two interviews bleed into the story of the film and work into the heightened satire of celebrity life, the John Legend-Chrissy Teigen storyline is immensely funny and showed the potential on how interview and narrative could have blended better in the film. Too many of these celebrity cameos are two quick, even though practically it would be hard for Between Two Ferns: the Movie to feature an all-star cast for its entire runtime it does feel that the time used for some guest could have been utilised better. It helps sell the idea of Galifianakis's alternate universe where he is a laughing stock by having his peers constantly mock him both inside and outside the ferns so when only a few can do so it does limit the comedic potential of the film.
There's not much beyond Between Two Ferns: the Movie besides what your initial assumptions. It does exactly what it sets out to do with little fanfare and delivers the same comedic brilliance that got it adapted to a film in the first place. While complaints can be made about its cinematic relevance or handling of a feature-length story, it is clear that Galifianakis and everyone on screen are having a riotous time making fun of each other. It doesn't overdo it or overstay its welcome, Scott Aukerman has a very clear understanding of how this concept could translate into a longer format and makes fun of the very expectations that one would have for this film. Moments of drama, character development and story resolution are all farcical, the interviews exist in an uncomfortable and ridiculous story and so should the world of those interviews. Even with the intentional parodies, it isn't as sharp as it hopes to be but probably still the best outcome for the oddball interviewer.
Director: #ScottAukerman
Cast: #ZachGalifianakis, #RyanGaul, #LaurenLapkus, #JiavaniLinayao, #WillFerrell, #MatthewMcConaughey, #BenedictCumberbatch, #PeterDinklage, #ChrissyTeigen, #DavidLetterman, #JasonSchwartzman, #TiffanyHaddish, #PaulRudd, #RashidaJones, #JohnLegend, #AdamScott, #BrieLarson, #JonHamm, #Awkwafina, #HaileeSteinfeld, #JohnCho, #KeanuReeves, #ChancetheRapper, #TessaThompson, #GalGadot
Release Date: September 20th 2019
Available exclusively on Netflix
Trailer:
Written review copyright ©CoreyBullochReviews
Images and Synopsis from the Internet Movie Database
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