I can probably count the number of shows I’ve watched from start to finish on one hand, but then again I don’t watch a lot of TV. “Entourage”, however was one of the first I ever completed and just recently watched all the way through a second time. There are a lot of opinions out there about these five guys running around Hollywood but I have to say, it’s probably my favorite show I’ve ever watched. 
When “Entourage” ended four years ago it was on a bit of a cliffhanger. Without giving too much away, the characters were headed in different directions (physically and emotionally) and the last scene could’ve served as the actual finale. So when I heard that Doug Ellin (the creator) was going ahead with the movie I was eager to see what else he could cook up. After seeing it this past Friday I have to say, I was quite pleased with the result. The reviews on Rotten Tomatoes aren’t the greatest but that’s because critics went in expecting to see a movie, not an extended episode. I never saw the “Sex in the City” movies, nor the show, but I imagine they were roughly the same thing; extended episodes of the show. This doesn’t mean that if you’ve never seen an episode of “Entourage” that you won’t enjoy the film, but you’ll definitely connect with the characters more if you have. But don’t worry, the first few minutes serve as a “In case you’ve never seen the show” by way of Piers Morgan describing the lives of Vince, Turtle, E, Drama, and Ari.
The film picks up right where the show left off. Vince and the gang are “celebrating” Vince’s recent divorce after a marriage that lasted three days. While partying on a yacht Vince takes a call from now studio head Ari telling him that he wants to direct his next feature. Flash forward eight months and the movie is almost complete, however Vince is reluctant to show anyone his cut because he needs more money to finish it the way he wants it. This means Ari needs to get more from the financiers, played by Billy Bob Thornton and Haley Joel Osment. With that being the underlying plot of the film, there are also plenty of celebrity and athlete cameos with one of them (Ronda Rousey) becoming a love interest for Turtle. Characters from the show come and go throughout and a few are referred to but not actually shown, which makes it difficult for the crowd that hasn’t seen the show.
If you’ve ever seen a movie with me before then you know that I love a packed theater. To me that’s the best way to experience the emotions of the film, whether you’re laughing or on the verge of tears. Lucky for me I got to see “Entourage” opening night to a sold out room and there were very few moments when the entire place wasn’t erupting in laughter. Near the end of the show some of the characters had begun to get a little too serious and it was turning into more of a drama than a comedy/drama mix. The movie took the writing back to the show’s roots and I felt like we had all our old favorites back. So say what you will, Rotten Tomatoes, but this was made for the fans and at the very least, this one loved it.
DIRECTOR’S CUT: Excellent follow up to a show that spanned eight seasons. Familiar faces are back and issues that were unresolved on the show finally get some resolution. Doug Ellin has said that if this film does well enough he hopes to make it a trilogy. I’m for it.
SCENE COLLECTED: Last few minutes of the film there’s a shot of all five guys slowly walking across the red carpet waving to cameras. THIS is what the show was about, and it’s amazing to see it on the big screen.
FLICKCHART RATING: 354/2306
The Scene Collector 