Entourage

If you pick up tickets to see Entourage, I have to warn you the theater will be full of more Axe Body Spray than you have ever smelled in your entire life. Every wannabe entourage is going.

Adrian Grenier is back as Vincent Chase – the mega superstar leading man whose best friend, Eric (Kevin Connolly), serves as his manager. Also along for the ride are Vincent’s brother and fellow actor, Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon), and pal Turtle (Jerry Ferrara), as the movie picks up where the TV show left off.

It’s nine months or so later, Vinnie and his new wife have split up during the honeymoon, Eric is still trying to figure out what the heck kind of relationship he has with his on-again-off-again-on-again-off-again girlfriend, Sloane (Emmanuelle Chriqui), Johnny Drama still dreams of catching his big break and Turtle is living large after his investment in a tequila company exploded.

However, the biggest news comes from Vinnie’s agent, Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven). Ari now runs one of the biggest movie studios in the world, and his first project as boss is Vinnie’s next big movie. Usually, a Vincent Chase movie is not a risk, but Vinnie has demanded to be the director as well, rumors are making it look like the picture is a disaster, and they need more money to finish it.

Ari has to convince the studio’s largest investor, Larsen McCredle (Billy Bob Thornton), to hand over a few million more, but the big moneyed Texan wants his good for nothing son, Travis (Haley Joel Osment), to get involved in the decision.

Will Vincent be able to finish the movie?

Is it any good?

If you ever saw the TV show on HBO, the Entourage movie has everything you would expect.

We see a sexy lady in a bikini within the first 30 seconds.

We see a sexy lady out of a bikini within the first minute.

Then, the shenanigans ensue.

If you never watched the show, it’s not exactly War and Peace. You will figure out who everyone is by paying attention, and writer/director Doug Ellin provides a very neat summary of everything and everyone using a faux television feature about Vinnie to catch up the uninitiated.

Yet, Entourage has never really been about the story. At its best, Entourage is a full scale mocking of Hollywood, and a celebration of a world many would do anything to enter.

Part male fantasy, part bromance and all irreverent, the movie fails to have any great plot, but does have hilarious individual scenes as the guys go from crisis to party to crisis and back to party. It is escapism, and entertaining when we get to go along for the ride, no matter how ridiculous and over-the-top. Surprisingly, it’s more real than you could ever imagine (or would want to).

Dillon gets to steal every scene with the best one-liners and his brilliant portrayal of the perpetual sad sack who knows how close he could have been to the amazing stardom his brother enjoys as he struggles with humiliation that only grows from scene to scene, much to our amusement. Dillon’s reactions, vocal inflections, cadences, general attitude make Johnny Drama the most interesting character each and every time.

Plus, Piven could play Ari Gold in his sleep at this point, but still delivers 110% energy and devotion to making the hotheaded agent equally detestable because of his behavior and lovable because of his dedication to what he believes in. No matter what a horrible person Ari might be, Piven gives him the vibe that he will do the right thing, eventually.

Most of all, you are left wondering if Haley Joel Osment has just mounted his own Neil Patrick Harris-type comeback as he plays the wild, spoiled, disrespectful Texan. It was great to see him disappear into the role. I hope there is more to come from him.

Go for the laughs, the cameos and another chance to see Vinnie’s very cool cars, even if the story sounds very familiar.

Entourage is rated R for pervasive language, strong sexual content, nudity and some drug use.