by James Zipadelli

Created on: May 24, 2009

"Observe and Report" is billed as a comedy, but the reality is, it is an awful movie. The ending was great, though, because it ended.

It stars Seth Rogen as Ronnie Barnhardt, who lives with his (often) drunk mother and works as the head of security at the Forest Ridge Mall. Barnhardt and his "team" of security guards are tasked with stopping a pervert (Randy Gambill) from exposing himself to shoppers. The pervert exposes himself to cosmotologist Brandi (Anna Faris) who is traumatized by the ordeal. Problem is, Barnhardt is bipolar and fails to close the case. So Barnhardt's boss gets an attractive detective, Detective Harrison (Ray Liotta) to help stop the pervert. This angers Barnhardt, who yells at his boss, "This is MY case, not the police!"

Barnhardt really likes Brandi and wants to ask her out. He picks her up on his little security cart, and drives around the mall, refusing to let Brandi go to her car until she says yes. Faced with this prospect, Brandi says yes, but doesn't want anyone to know. Barnhardt shows up on his motorcycle to pick Brandi up, only to realize that she's not at her house. Brandi comes back several hours later with her friends and gets drinks with Barnhart. She spies him taking his medication for bipolar disorder and Barnhardt gives her the pills, which she downs like Life Savers. So, after Brandi is not only drunk but high on medication, Barnhardt takes her home, where he has relations with her.

Cheesy line of the night right here: He's in, and stops.

Brandi: "Why did you stop, (expletive)?"

Barnhardt: "I'm sorry." (and starts to move again)

Remember, this is supposed to be a comedy.

Little background is given to Rogen's character. His mother reveals that his father left because he had special needs and couldn't handle the pressure. So Barnhardt decides that he wants to be a police officer - not a "rent-a-cop" in the mall. He goes on a ride-a-long with Harrison, even though they hate each other's guts over the pervert case, and Harrison leaves Barnhardt in the most dangerous crossroads with drug dealers. When it looks like he's going to get shot by one of the dealers, Barhardt takes out a crowbar and beats them up. Harrison is surprised that Barhardt survived. He goes through the physical evaluation, but because of his bipolar disorder, fails the psychological evaluation. The guy to tell him the news is none other than Detective Harrison. This devestates Barnhardt, and he has to go back to his old job. He determines that

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