I know I say over and
over that Hollywood needs to start making better and more original movies, I am
so sick of remakes, sequels and remaking sequels - cut to the one exception I
will make – A film based on a TV series about the “ins and outs” of Hollywood
itself. Entourage is that movie!
If you have been
living under a rock for the past 10 years let me sum up the plot of both show
and movie. Vincent Chase is an actor living in LA (in the same house) with his
two best friends and older brother, he has an agent and a PR person each
helping him (in their own way) as he makes movies, money and growing fame.
The movie Written and Directed by Doug Ellin and Produced by Mark Wahlberg, picks up a
few months after the show ended and the boys don’t miss a beat. There is Vince
played by Adrian Grenier, our Hollywood crush and star still at the top of his
game and in the middle of yet another sexy party (on a yacht) when he meets up
again with his entourage. He is in the middle of deciding what project to do
next when he calls Ari Gold ( I want an Ari) played by the magnificent Jeremy Piven, his ex-agent
now head of the studio who already has the perfect movie lined up for him,
there’s a catch Vince wants to direct and that's all I can say. It sounds like a simple plot and it is
but the movie isn’t about the sex, silliness and macho whatever that some would
want you to believe. It’s really a story about these five guys who would do
anything for each other.
There is Eric “E”
Murphy played by Kevin Connelly, who if Vince is the heart of the group E is
the soul. He started as Vince’s friend, turned manager and now producer. A
character who has had his share of love interest but with his on again, off
again girlfriend Sloan played by Emmanuelle Chrqui about to have his baby he has a few personal choices to make. There is
“Turtle” played by Jerry Ferrara who
stayed out of showbiz but is always there to drive Vince wherever he needed to
be. No longer the chubby other friend living on Vince’s dime Turtle has made it
big, “not telling anyone how much money he has made”, in the tequila business and now allows his friends to sleep on his “couch”. And where would Vince be
without his brother Johnny Drama played by Kevin Dillon. Drama’s career has had
its ups and downs and so Vince gives him a part, "only four scenes," in his new
film but Johnny’s personal and professional drama never ends.
Entourage is and has
always been a story about friendship and those who are some of the most
important people in our lives (including they relationship between Ari and his
ex- assistant, yes even Lloyd played by Rex Lee has return for the film and
watching them is just as wonderful as before). Yes there are a lot of cameos in
the movie but there were a lot in the show too, in fact some of the cameos
(like Bob Saget and Andrew Dice Clay) are those who appeared (more than once)
in the series and after all that is what happens in LA you drive around and the
next thing you know so and so is parked at the stop light next to you (so I’ve
heard)
The movie also stars
Billy Bob Thorton, Haley Joel Osment, Alan Dale, Perry Reeves back as Ari's "long and suffering" wife, Debi Mazar back as Shauna and Constance Zimmer back as Dana.
In the end like the
show did Entourage moves at a fast pace and the (almost) two hours go by quick.
It has everything that a celebrity watcher like myself wants in a movie about
movies (The viewer even gets a quick peak at the film within the film and like
with Aquaman and Medellin I want to see Vincent Chase’s directorial debut
“Hyde”) and from the opening credits that included the original TV show theme
music and font style to the happy Hollywood ending I smiled, laughed and
enjoyed getting to spend some (more) time with Vince and his Entourage.
