Brand’s comedic chops can’t get him past the ‘Greek’ writing

However, in 2008’s “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” the British comedian-turned-actor Russell Brand effortlessly portrayed Aldous Snow as the coolest substance-abusing womanizer the world has ever seen. In “Get Him to the Greek,” Brand reprises his role as that same rabble-rousing popstar. A repeat performance of an already-memorable character gives Brand the opportunity to solidify his position as the foremost onscreen idol for frat boys, while maintaining the subtle depth that made his character so brilliant in “Sarah Marshall.”

In addition to Brand, the rest of the cast assembled for “Get Him to the Greek” is undeniably the film’s strong suit. Lovable loser Jonah Hill (“Superbad”) is given a familiar role as an Aldous Snow superfan. But instead of playing a pesky hotel waiter trying to force his CD into Snow’s hands (as in “Sarah Marshall”), he has a bit more pull as Aaron Green, employee of a major record company in Los Angeles. Hip-hop mogul Sean Combs plays powerful label executive Sergio Roma, whose no-nonsense attitude and perpetual straight face make his delivery of lines like, “I got six kids. You know how many Air Jordans six black kids wear?” bizarrely perceptive and genuinely side splitting.

The narrative concept also initially appears to have some promise. With Roma in desperate need for a moneymaking idea, the reserved Green suggests an anniversary concert for Snow’s group Infant Sorrow. Green’s assignment is simple: transport Snow from London to L.A. in time for his show at the Greek Theatre. But what happens during his time with Snow is simultaneously a dream come true — he gets to spend some quality time with his favorite musician — and a nightmare, as controlling a recovering drug and sex addict is more challenging than Green ever could have imagined.

With such a dynamic cast and so much room to work within a clever plot, there’s no way this movie could flop. Right?

Wrong. In this case, outright absurdity and sub-par writing prevail.

Two scenes in particular illustrate the over-the-top ridiculousness of “Get Him to the Greek” that leaves moviegoers scratching their heads.

One instance finds Snow and Green in a nightclub with Snow’s estranged father, attempting to mend old wounds. After smoking an outrageously potent joint referred to as a “Jeffrey,” Snow and Green start to frantically rub the shag carpet-lined walls to calm themselves down. To add to the unnecessary mayhem, guns are fired, heads are smashed into flat screen TVs, glass is broken and eventually an adrenaline needle is stuck into Green’s chest. It’s a whole lot of commotion for very little purpose.

Yet the nightclub scene actually seems believable in comparison to one of the movie’s final scenes. Returning home to his angry girlfriend, a dejected Green tries to justify his sexual exploits during his time with Snow. When Snow shows up at Green’s house, the consummate sex addict suggests a make-up threesome with Green and his girlfriend. But after some strange foreplay, Green’s girlfriend realizes what the audience already knows: This is crazy. What’s more is how pointless the entire event truly is. There has to be a better way to show that no matter what their disagreements and differences were in the past, Green and his girlfriend will find a way to compromise in the future.

Despite its many pitfalls, “Get Him to the Greek” is still good for a laugh from time to time. The opening scene, for example, shows hilarious footage of Snow at the peak of his fame, before releasing an album based on every great rockstar’s favorite alternative to sex and drugs: charity in third world countries.

Ultimately, the unexpected plausibility of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” — one of that film’s most impressive feats — is where “Get Him to the Greek” falls short. Its nonsensical situations alienate an audience unable to relate to the insane experiences of Aldous Snow. For all its ploys to make Snow an unforgettable character, “Get Him to the Greek” is a surprisingly forgettable movie.