THE INTERVIEW
US, 2014, 112 minutes, Colour.
James Franco, Seth Rogen, Lizzie Kaplan, Randall Park, Diana Bang.
Directed by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg.
It actually says at the end of the film that it is a work of fiction has no relationship with any person or any place. That, certainly, is a fiction.
At the moment, it is very hard to consider the film without relating it to the hacking of Sony Pictures and suspicions that this was the work of North Korea, as well as all the difficulties about its distribution and the controversies that its theme raised.
What it is, of course, is a political spoof. Given the record of writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and taking a clue from the title of their comedy, Superbad, it lives up to their particular context of comic style, a great deal of corny lines and situations, some verbal humour, sometimes crass, sometimes toilet, an American sense of humour that caters for the funnybone of 12-year-old boys of any age!
Seth Rogen does his usual shtick as, perhaps a little more sympathetically this time, jovial, sometimes petulant, a big bear of a man. He plays a producer of a very gossipy talk program, with contents more like the scandal mongering articles of The National Enquirer. The interviewer, Dave Skylark, is played by James Franco, obviously enjoying himself, all grins and laughs on air, pausing in the interviews as he listens to his producer in his earpiece. The satire is immediately evident with an interview with Eminem, discussing the lyrics of his songs which indicate that he is gay. Then there is an interview with Rob Lowe, his baldness and taking off his hairpiece.
Just when Aaron is wanting something better in his life, the call comes through from North Korea official to say that the President, Kim Jung Un, is a great fan of the program and that an interview in North Korea would be welcome.
And this is where the spoof becomes serious, as the two go to the CIA and are granted permission as long as they agree to assassinate the President. While this might seem to be funny and satiric in its way, there seems to be a subtext which is very pro-American, taking for granted that this kind of assassination behaviour is reasonable, given the enemy status of a particular country.
The rest of the shenanigans are in North Korea, the couple’s arrival, being settled in a lavish hotel, checking whether it was bugged or not, having meals, when, suddenly, a particularly serious authority sees the means of poisoning the President and is told it is chewing gum, which he immediately choose (death throes are delayed till the next day). The television producer assigned the program is particularly serious though she has a change of head and heart, falling for Aaron, falling out of devotion to the President.
One of the most effective sequences is Dave Skylark being called to chat with Kim, being shown the inside of an old tank, learning that the president likes Katy Perry’s music and lyrics, has had difficulties with his father, and is prone to a tear or two. Dave is drawn in as, perhaps, we are. It doesn’t always remain that way, once Dave discovers with plastic fruit which means that, probably, the President is lying and is as bad as he has been painted and that life in Korea is terrible.
While the interview goes ahead, Dave is much more serious than in his usual program which means then the soldiers are anxious to cut the program, the president is limited by what is happening, soldiers have the guns at the ready, and Aaron and the producer have to cut and run.
There is always a place for spoof, and, if the North Koreans had a good sense of humour, they could obviously make a parody of American government. But, the American assumption, that heads of state can be eliminated when necessary, means that below the surface, there is some serious and ruthless American patriotism.
1. The film in itself? In the context of the controversies about hacking, North Korea and the US, Sony Pictures?
2. The films of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, styles of comedy? Superbad? Corny, childish, crass, physical, verbal? The musical score?
3. The idea, the assassination of a world leader, assassination attempts, in fact, plans, the CIA, agents, authorities, infiltration, action, extraction? Serious and spoof?
4. The final statement about the film being a fiction – and no resemblance to any real characters?
5. The opening with the patriotic song, the little girl, the fierce anti-Americanism?
6. James Franco as Dave Skylark, his character, a caricature of the television interviewer, on air, pauses and smiles, plenty of grins, Aaron’s words in his ear, the gossip focus, the accusations of shallow entertainment? President Kim enjoying his show?
7. The interview with Emine, straightfaced, the lyrics, gay, Aaron and his excitement, a television exclusive? The interview with Rob Lowe and his baldness? Joseph Gordon Levitt?
8. Aaron, his work, as a person, his staff, his role as a producer, meeting his friend from study days and his rise in the television world, the offer of a job, just kidding? His dead-end career?
9. Information about Kim, the phone call, the North Korean authorities? The idea for the interview? Going to the CIA, the endorsement?
10. The briefing, both serious and comic, an agent Lacy and her severity, the plan for the assassination, the poison on the hand, the handshake? The jokes in Korea, the authority chewing, thinking it was chewing gum? Parachuting the new supplies? Aaron going out in the dark, Dave and his communications, Agent Lacey and her comments, the screen at the CIA headquarters? The tiger? The irony of Aaron and the sexual encounter with Sook and not using his hand?
11. The rival, the welcome, the hotel, checking whether it was bugged, the plans, the officers and their serious approach, the meal and the chewing gum? Sook, authoritarian, the plans for the interview, the attraction to Aaron, the sexual encounters, her not liking the Leader, her plans to sabotage the interview?
12. Dave, meeting with Kim, serious, the music and lyrics of Katy Perry, talk about his father, and issues of homophobia, audience sympathy with him? Going into the tank, the explanations, playing the gun?
13. Dave, discovering the artificial fruit, disillusionment? Planning the hard interview?
14. The officer, the meal, his being sick and dying?
15. The interview, Kim, agreeable, David and the unexpected questions? Kim’s change of attitude, his attacking Dave? The reaction of the authorities, wanting to stop the program? The CIA watching it?
16. Aaron hand Sook, the shooting, the soldiers, the escape?
17. Dave, his being shot, on television, the bullet-proof vest? Making sure that he took the dog, Kim’s gift of the dog?
18. The tunnel, getting out, the irony of the South Koreans taking them to safety?
19. How serious the pro-US subtext, endorsing the possibility for assassinations? Making the spoof rather more serious?
