five stars

Reviewed by Daniel E. Jennis

On the brink of insanity, insecure and desperate drama teacher Dana Marschz (Steve Coogan) decides to write and stage a sequel to Shakespeare’s classic “Hamlet”. Unfortunately, almost the entire cast dies at the end of the famed play, so Dana needs to come up with a plot device that will allow the story to continue. One time machine, several inappropriate musical numbers, and a plethora of incoherent character interactions later, “Hamlet 2” is a go, and Dana is ready to embrace his last chance at redemption.

Unfortunately, the residents of Tucson, which is the town in which the movie takes place, are not happy with blasphemous references to Christ, gratuitous nudity, and constant profanity. With the help of spunky ACLU lawyer Cricket Feldstein (Amy Poehler), Dana must fight for the right to express himself in the strangest, most uncomfortable way possible. This is one First Amendment case that severely challenges popular tolerance for free expression.

This film is very absurd and is not meant for all viewers. A critical darling at Sundance, “Hamlet 2” was purchased for the second largest sum in Sundance history, but has been severely faltering at the box office. This financial failure can best be explained by the esoteric humor and truly outlandish subject matter.

The character of Dana Marschz is absolutely nuts. He recognizes his own inadequacy as both an actor and a playwright, but he pursues his dreams with reckless abandon, not really believing in himself but trying anyway. His project is cathartic, assuaging his many insecurities, chief among which is the constant criticism that his father used to issue regarding his professional failure.

Marschz is a profoundly sad character, one who is strangely foreign in his over-the-top mannerisms, but uncomfortably familiar in his headfirst dive into personal oblivion. But ultimately, this guy is either something unique and breathtakingly bizarre, or alienating and offensive. This is largely a conflict of personal taste, and the viewer’s ability to roll with the subject matter almost holistically determines to what extent he or she will enjoy the film.

I really loved this film because I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the various machinations and idiosyncrasies of Marschz and his misfit drama class. I find absurd things funny, especially when there is no effort to explain how various background gags fit into the overall scheme of the film. But most of all, the film’s ability to maintain a constant atmosphere of insanity while simultaneously maintaining the integrity of the plot is something of a quirky miracle. Staging a sequel to “Hamlet” may be a daunting task, but “Hamlet 2” succeeds on all accounts.