Review - Entourage (2015)

         Hey guys, Chuck here. A few months ago, I talked about the HBO comedy series Entourage. Well, as promised, we're in the month of May, so we're taking a look at the 2015 movie Entourage, starring Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Jerry Ferrara, Kevin Dillon, and Jeremy Piven, along with the likes of Debi Mazar, Perrey Reeves, Rex Lee, Rhys Coiro, Ronda Rousey, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Constance Zimmer, Alan Dale, Kid Cudi, Emily Ratajkowski, Haley Joel Osment, and Billy Bob Thornton, and written and directed by series creator Doug Ellin. 

        So, picking up nine days after the series finale, the Entourage movie opens with Eric, Turtle, and Drama taking a speedboat all the way to a yacht, where Vince is having a massive party now that he's divorced from Sophia, the woman he was engaged to at the end of this series. Well, I'm really not surprised that Vince didn't stay married for very long. Anyway, it's definitely great to see the guys together. And, not long after Eric, Turtle, and Drama arrive, Vince calls up Ari Gold, who is now working directly at Warner Bros as studio head, and Vince reveals that whatever his next acting gig is going to be, he also wants to direct the movie. 

       Eight months later, and Vince's directorial debut, Hyde (a modern reimagining of Jekyll and Hyde), is almost done, but Vince needs an additional $10 million to complete the project. In order to get the money, Ari heads to Texas to meet with the film's co-financiers Larsen McCredle and his son Travis. Reluctant to sign over more money, Larsen sends Travis back to Los Angeles with Ari to see a rough cut of the movie at Vince's private screening. Unfortunately, said screening is called off by Vince, who grows hesitant about showing people the movie, but does provide Ari and Travis a copy to watch themselves. While both Ari and Travis like the movie, Travis wants all of Drama's scenes cut. And, he later suggests reshooting the movie with Vince recast completely. And, what's the point of his suggestions? Well, apparently, Travis has a thing for actress Emily Ratajkowski, who Vince is dating at this point in the movie. In other words, Travis is a jealous little prick acting out over a woman. 

       And, of that wasn't enough plot for ya, here's this: remember at the end of the series when it was revealed that Sloan McQuewick was pregnant with Eric's baby? Well, she ends up having a baby girl, who the two decide to call Ryan Murphy, and Eric and Sloan decide to get back together and try to make things work for the sake of their newborn daughter. Also, Turtle winds up trying to go on a date with MMA fighter and actress Ronda Rousey, who she thinks is only into her to try and represent her. The two do eventually hook up, but it's kinda funny seeing Turtle getting his ass handed to him by one of the toughest women on the planet. Also, Ari's former assistant Lloyd is getting married, and he asks Ari to walk him down the aisle. 

        Anyway, back to the main plot involving Vince and the Hyde movie. The situation having escalated as far as it did has led to a meeting involving Ari, Larsen, Travis, Vince, and both Dana Gordon and John Ellis. And, after learning that Travis' actions were all over a woman, Larsen agrees to sign over the $10 million needed, but with one condition: due to his disrespect towards Travis, Ari must be removed from both the film and the studio. Ultimately, Ari resigns from the studio, but now that this one hiccup is resolved, the movie is completed. Hyde goes on to become a box office smash, making $450 million at the global box office, and Drama goes on to win the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. Sweet. 

        Okay, so this movie gets a mid-credits scene where Lloyd is getting married, George Takei is officiating the wedding, and Ari walks Lloyd down the aisle and gives him away. Yes, Ari Gold, the man who mocked Lloyd for years for being gay and Asian, walks Lloyd down the aisle and gives him away. Oh, the fucking irony. Anyway, at the reception, the guys are hanging out, and their old friend Billy Walsh suggests making either a movie or a television series about the lives of Vince and the guys. So, basically, Billy Walsh has the idea to pretty much make something resembling Entourage. That's funny. 

       So, the Entourage movie, while not a fantastic movie, is a decent continuation of the series. The main plot involving Vince making his directorial debut isn't great, but it is the logical next step in his Hollywood career. But, it's the two side plots involving Eric and Sloan's baby, and Turtle's attempts at a relationship with Ronda Rousey, that are more memorable to me. The performances were pretty on par with the series. Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Jerry Ferrara, Kevin Dillon, and Jeremy Piven all fit back into their roles perfectly, as do Rex Lee, Rhys Coiro, Constance Zimmer, Alan Dale, Debi Mazar, and Perrey Reeves. Newcomers like Billy Bob Thornton, Haley Joel Osment, Emily Ratajkowski, and Ronda Rousey were definitely neat additions, and the various cameos by the likes of Bob Saget, Shayna Baszler, George Takei, Nina Agdal, Mark Cuban, Maria Menounos, and so forth definitely were a bit of fun. Overall, not a great movie, but definitely a fun watch for fans of the show. I'm giving the movie Entourage a rating of 4/5. 

        Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and join me next time as I take a look at the new series Knuckles, followed by my review of the new movie Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and then finally wrap up a certain movie trilogy with Fred 3: Camp Fred.