Hamlet 2 (2008)

In this irreverent comedy, a failed actor-turned-worse-high-school-drama-teacher rallies his Tucson, AZ students as he conceives and stages politically incorrect musical sequel to Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Director:

Andrew Fleming

Writers:

Pam Brady, Andrew Fleming

Stars:

Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, Joseph Julian Soria

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Coogan	...	Dana Marschz
Catherine Keener	...	Brie Marschz
Joseph Julian Soria	...	Octavio
Skylar Astin	...	Rand Posin
Phoebe Strole	...	Epiphany Sellers
Melonie Diaz	...	Ivonne
Arnie Pantoja	...	Vitamin J
Michael Esparza	...	Chuy
Natalie Amenula	...	Yolanda
Marshall Bell	...	Principal Rocker
David Arquette	...	Gary
Elisabeth Shue	...	Elisabeth Shue
Amy Poehler	...	Cricket Feldstein
Shea Pepe	...	Noah Sapperstein
Marco Rodríguez	...	Mr. Marquez

Storyline

Dana Marschz is a failed actor and recovering alcoholic who's moved to Tucson to teach high school drama, where he's plagued by bad reviews, student indifference, budget woes (he and his wife, who is trying to get pregnant, take in a boarder), and his own teaching limitations. Because the other electives are closed, he finds himself with a large class of seeming gang-bangers, and the principal informs him that drama will be cut next trimester. On the advice of a student reviewer, Dana decides to stage his own play, a sequel to "Hamlet" in which the prince and Jesus, with the use of a time machine, try to save Gertrude and Ophelia. Can Dana for once pull something off?

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Plot Keywords:

student | sequel | shakespeare's hamlet | alcoholic | actor | 

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Taglines:

One high school drama teacher is about to make a huge number 2

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Genres:

Comedy | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language including sexual references, brief nudity and some drug content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

27 August 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hamlet 2 - I anastasi

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$439,925 (USA) (22 August 2008)

Gross:

$4,881,867 (USA) (26 September 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bona Fide Productions, ContentFilm International, L+E Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

After Principal Rocker kicks Dana off campus when they break in, we see a shot of the article written in the school newspaper. What Dana reads a few seconds later is not what is written. The article reads, (grammatically incorrectly), "What about about could possibly offend Principal Rocker to such a degree? Or is offense the offense at all? Selective ignorance is a dangerous commodity. As Roland Barthes tells us, textually and novelistic neutrality may coalesce. Rocker obviously suffers from a case of transposed aggression and questions of self worth. The symbolic nature of his actions show as Jung would point male aggression without release breeds anti intellectual action. Rocker could not possible comprehend the ramifications of transposed aggression and questions of self worth. ..."

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Goofs

When Brie Marschz (Catherine Keener) and Dana Marschz (Steve Coogan) are arguing in the Mexican restaurant in the middle of their argument, the margarita glass disappears when the camera cuts to Catherine and returns when the camera cuts back to Dana.

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Quotes

Dana Marschz: [in commercial] I'm having a herpes outbreak, right now - but you'd never know it. Thanks, Herpocol!

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Connections

References Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

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Soundtracks

"The Look of Love (Part One)"
Written by Mark White (as Mark Andrew White), Martin Fry, Stephen Singleton, David Palmer (as David Gerald Palmer)
Performed by ABC
Courtesy of Mercury Records Limited
Under License from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

Pretty Funny

I also was expecting something raunchy like South Park or Team America and it wasn't. But it was really entertaining. The bad reviews for this movie say stuff about character development...who cares. You should have known thats not the type of movie this was before you went and saw it then came immediately to your computer to blast it. I think people are too critical on movies lately; you don't have to be moved or have life altering epiphanies after seeing a movie. A movie can just be something that makes you laugh for two hours that you don't have to think too much about and thats what I found in this movie. I found it witty and clever; and I would recommend it.