Hamlet 2 [Blu-ray] |  | Director: Andrew Fleming
Actors: Steve Coogan, Elisabeth Shue, Catherine Keener, Joseph Julian Soria, Skylar Astin
Studio: Universal Studios
Category: DVD
This item is no longer available
Rating:  34 reviews
Media: Blu-ray
Region: 1
Running Time: 92 Minutes
ASIN: B001ACZMVY
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Amazon.com
Just when it seems as if things can't get any worse for high-school drama teacher Dana Marschz (Steve Coogan), he quips, "My life is a parody of a tragedy." Yet that very ability to laugh in the face of defeat will allow this failed actor to triumph over adversity. A lovably ridiculous dreamer like Waiting for Guffman's Corky St. Clair, Marschz lives in Tucson with his sarcastic wife (Catherine Keener) and their silent boarder (David Arquette). Though he tries to inspire, like Richard Dreyfuss in Mr. Holland's Opus, only two students (Spring Awakening's Skylar Astin and Phoebe Strole) share his passion for theatrics. When the principal decides to eliminate his department, Marschz makes a bold move: he writes an original play, lets the class contribute their own unique talents, and puts the whole thing on as a fundraiser (they'll need to bring in $6,000). Sure, everyone dies at the end of Shakespeare's classic, but in Marschz's musical sequel, Hamlet 2, a time machine allows the Danish prince to turn back the clock to set things right. Just as his production starts to take shape and retired actress Elisabeth Shue (played by Shue) offers her support, his marriage hits the rocks, he starts drinking again, and the community protests against numbers like "Rock Me Sexy Jesus." (Amy Poehler portrays his ACLU attorney.) Though Andrew Fleming's comedy follows the usual inspirational instructor trajectory, ribald humor helps the medicine go down and Coogan gives his most unhinged performance since Tristram Shandy. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 34
 I bought this movie because... February 7, 2010
K. J. McKitrick (Albuquerque-"Red or Green?")
This really is a bad movie, although kind of fun in a schodenfroid sort of way. I bought it to do a mini-doc on it as parts of it were filmed in my friend's home. I really love Steve Coogan, he's a comic genius, but his talents were wasted on this wacko character. Oh, and the
Albuquerque Gay Men's Chorus was a hoot too!
 Was an easy purchase December 16, 2009
K. Rowe
While I have not opened this dvd, since it is a gift, I can say that it arrived very well packed and very quickly. I look forward to giving as a present.
 Fans of parodies of musicals should not miss this one. November 30, 2009
J. Rosenberg (Portland, Oregon)
I love Broadway-type musicals, but I also love when people take the piss out of 'em. Some great Mr. Show sketches ("Jeepers Creepers, Semi-Star", "The Joke") come to mind among others. The performance that climaxes this movie is really great, hilarious and surprisingly moving in moments, as well as very musically enjoyable with some clever lyrics and some actually VERY interesting staging ideas. Coogan's great in this and it's a great subversion of the usual "white teacher saves underprivileged students" cliches -- this character needs the students to save HIM. A very enjoyable film that kinda fell under the radar with all the high-profile comedies released last year.
"I'M SIMULTANEOUSLY HORRIFIED AND FASCINATED!" October 31, 2009
! MR. KNOW IT ALL ;-b (TRI STATE AREA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Steve Coogan deserves most of the credit for making this familiar story go far beyond my expectations. His hilarious and demented performance had me laughing from beginning to end and the musical finale is absolutely hysterical. This film might not be for everyone and you certainly have to be in the right mood to enjoy it, but for those who like loopy, off the wall films with inspired insanity, this one is a big surprise and a lot of fun with some snappy tunes to boot!
 Rock Me Sexy Jesus! October 16, 2009
B. Merritt (WWW.FILMREVIEWSTEW.COM, Pacific Grove, California United States)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
HAMLET 2 is corny, stupid, ridiculous and ludicrous, all at the same time ...which helps it succeed on some bizarre, comedic level.
Steven Coogan (Tropic Thunder), the king of losers, stars as Dana Marschz, a failing drama teacher at a high school where only two students regularly attend his classes. His loser status is enhanced throughout the film as his job faces the school district's financial axe, his wife Brie (Catherine Keener, An American Crime) runs off with another loser, and his classroom becomes overrun by gangbanger wannabes who've been run out of their own building. But with the new infusion of students comes an opportunity for Dana. Always wanting to produce his own musical/drama stage play, he comes up with a great idea: Hamlet 2. Yes, THAT Hamlet. "But doesn't everyone die at the end of Hamlet?" someone asks rather perceptively.
Though this be madness, yet there is method in it. I think...
Hamlet 2 is just ...wrong. Wrong on every level imaginable. Religiously, philosophically, and instructionally, this is just so ...wrong! Which makes it just a tad alright. As Dana unleashes his play, great and terrible things come out, including Christian extremists and art critics. When the phenomenal stage song "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" begins playing, it proves just how off-kilter this film really is. Which, again, makes it a touch okay. "I get it now! Jesus is sexy!"
The film lacks coherency in terms of a distinct direction. It seems that the goal of the film is for Dana to hit rock bottom before succeeding with an impossibly absurd stage story sequel to one of the greatest plays of all time.
The funny thing about Hamlet 2 is that the acting is really bad. And it appears that it is MEANT to be bad so that there is bad acting within a story that's about bad acting (and writing). Even so, this hints at the level of comedy that director Andrew Fleming was shooting for; a layer upon layer theme that works and doesn't work.
But, if for no other reason, you need to watch the film to see the "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" number. It is so bad, it's good.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 34
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