All the boys are back and in a big way. Now that you know about the Latinas of Entourage, it’s time to move on to the main attraction. Yes, Vince, Ari, Turtle and the crew have finally made their way to the big screen in a film that, while not quite perfect, hits nearly all of its marks. Entourage is a feel-good party movie and a great flick to kick off the summer with. Working almost like a male equivalent of Sex and the City, it’s got good old-fashioned smack talking, bikini-clad hotties and a celebrity-strewn lifestyle that every man can appreciate.
The Gang’s All Here
One of the great things about Entourage is that it reunites all of the characters we know and love. Besides original cast members Adrian Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Kevin Dillon and Jerry Ferrara, you’ve got Rex Lee as flamboyant former assistant Lloyd, Rhys Coiro as whacked out director Billy Walsh and even Andrew Dice Clay returning as “himself” for a hilarious cameo. But, as with the original show, the main scene-stealer is Jeremy Piven, outdoing himself once again as hyped up super agent, Ari Gold.
Interestingly enough, the main cast is just half the fun of the film. One of the big thrills of the movie is spotting all of the celebrity cameos. Over 30 famous faces appear in laugh out loud scenes, ranging from Jessica Alba, to Pharrell Williams, to Wall Street wizard Warren Buffet – we don’t want to spoil the rest. And as with any Entourage season, there are plenty of gorgeous female leads too. The always-sexy Emmanuelle Chriqui returns as Sloane, though this time with a nine-month surprise. Supermodel Emily Ratajkowski has a juicy role too, as does UFC femme fatale, Ronda Rousey.
Parties vs. Plot
The only criticism serious moviegoers may have with the film is its paper-thin plot. Though it’s great to see the guys back in action, their latest adventure doesn’t feel fully fleshed out and a storyline involving Texas cowboys never quite pays off. That being said, the series was never about plots. True fans of the series followed it for its instantly quotable lines; Hollywood Hills eye candy and heartfelt interplay between the crew. Happily, that’s all intact here (with the best moments belonging to Vince’s down-on-his-luck brother, Johnny Drama).
The writers also did a nice job of evolving the characters. Topics like parenthood now come into play and pretty-boy Vince gets to stretch his talents behind the camera. Even Ari learns some important life lessons, putting his career on the line for the sake of his pals.
The Final Verdict
One of the great things about the Entourage movie is that you can fully enjoy it without ever having watched a TV episode. It stands alone as a snapshot of friendship, fun and life in the fast lane. Of course if you’ve got all eight seasons sitting on your DVD shelf, the experience becomes that much better. There are tons of “in jokes” for fans and, seeing how this is an R-rated film, all of the raunch and sex appeal is fully intact too. Though we wouldn’t recommend the film for a weekend date flick, it’s the perfect excursion for a bro’s night out.