Hamlet 2 (R, 2008)

You could say that David Marschz (Steve Coogan) is a failure. An actor who never landed more than the occasional gig for a home shopping network or herpes medicine ad, he's now a drama teacher in Tucson -- where his biggest nemesis is the fourth-grade drama critic who never likes any of his plays. (And why should he? They're stagings of Hollywood blockbusters like Erin Brockovich.) When school budget cuts spell the end of the drama program, Marschz decides to put on one final masterpiece: a sequel to Hamlet (featuring, naturally, a rock-star Jesus). Aiding him in his mission are two theater geeks -- judgmental Epiphany (Phoebe Strole) and closeted Rand (Skylar Astin) -- and their new classmates: Latino kids from what they assume are tougher neighborhoods. Meanwhile, Marschz's stoic brother (David Arquette) has just moved in with Marschz and his wife (Catherine Keener) -- who insists that now's the time to get pregnant.

Loaded with ideas -- some amusing, some daring -- HAMLET 2 (which premiered at Sundance) is a cheeky comedy that doesn't quite hits its mark. On paper, it feels like it should be a walk in the park -- or, rather, South Park, on which one of Hamlet 2's co-writers worked. But although it pushes the envelope, humor-wise, it feels like a Christopher Guest movie without the spark. The ensemble fails to vibe on each other's wackiness, and their eccentricities feel contrived.

Which isn't to say that the movie doesn't have some entertaining moments. A cameo by Elisabeth Shue is especially satisfying, as is Amy Poehler's role, and the students are more than watchable. But for a film this out-there to really work, everyone has to feel committed to the insanity -- and, apart from Coogan, they just don't seem so. That said, when Marschz's musical finally gets its moment under the lights, it feels bizarrely, hilariously transcendent.

Studio: Focus Features
Director: Andrew Fleming
Cast: Catherine Keener, David Arquette, Steve Coogan
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 92 minutes
Theatrical release: August 22, 2008
DVD release: December 22, 2008
MPAA Rating: R
MPAA explanation: language including sexual references, brief nudity and some drug content.