Get Him to the Greek (R, 2010)

In GET HIM TO THE GREEK Aaron Green (Jonah Hill) is an assistant at the fictional Pinnacle Records, where executive Sergio Roma (Sean Combs) needs a killer idea to turn a much-needed profit. The only pitch with any promise is Aaron's idea to stage a 10th anniversary concert of rocker Aldous Snow's (Russell Brand, reprising his unforgettable Forgetting Sarah Marshall role) legendary show at Los Angeles' Greek Theatre. Disgraced since his last album, African Child, flopped and his marriage to singer Jackie Q (Rose Byrne) fell apart, Snow agrees, and Aaron is sent on a 72-hour mission to fetch him in London and bring him to the States for a promotional tour culminating in the big concert. Along the way, Aaron gets caught up in Aldous' crazy lifestyle and ends up partying like a rock star himself. On their transatlantic, cross-country adventure, the mostly wasted odd couple ends up unexpectedly bonding (a little too much) and becoming good friends. 

Apatow's comedy disciples are a talented bunch, and director Nicholas Stoller and producer Jason Segel made a brilliant decision to spinoff Aldous Snow and Jonah Hill (although he doesn't play the same character) for this hilarious and surprisingly poignant buddy comedy. Brand was born to play the larger-than-life narcissistic rocker who deep down just wants a hug and an honest friend, and Hill is just the actor to pull off the fanboy record-label peon who desperately wants his favorite musician to return to artistic glory. Brand and Hill's Odd Couple rapport is spot on, and although their trip to the Greek takes a bit too many turns at the end (it felt a good 20 minutes overlong), it's their chemistry that makes the crazy comedy work.

Like in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Snow's group Infant Sorrow sings original songs like "Bangers, Beans and Mash," "The Clap," and "Furry Walls," all of which are ridiculously funny -- albeit cringe-inducing --  and strangely believable rock songs. The songs are one of the highlights of the film, as is the opening making-of video of Snow's horribly misguided and offensive album African Child, in which he depicts himself as a white African Jesus. Underneath all of the fake songs and general debauchery, however, is a story about unlikely friendships, fulfillment, and grown-up, committed relationships. Elisabeth Moss is sweet (and a bit naughty) as Aaron's hardworking-doctor girlfriend Daphne, and Combs was perfectly cast as the record-label millionaire with a gift for "mind f--king" people -- think Yoda. For parents and teens nearly old enough to vote who enjoy Apatow's school of comedy, this is a laugh-aloud pick.