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, Elisabeth Shue, Catherine Keener

3 nominations.

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?

---

Plot Keywords:

cellular phone | student | sequel | gang banger | time machine | 

---

Taglines:

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

---

Genres:

Comedy | Music

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

27 August 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Perdendo a Noção

Filming Locations:

West Mesa High School, 6701 Fortuna Road NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$439,925, 22 August 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$4,881,867, 28 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. ..."

---

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.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: To act is to live.
[followed by a commercial for "Jack LaLanne's Power Juicer"]

---

Connections

References Dangerous Minds (1995)

---

Soundtracks

Raped in the Face
Written by Andrew Fleming, Pam Brady, and Steve Brown
Produced by Ralph Sall for Bulletproof Company, Inc.
Performed by Steve Coogan, Phoebe Strole, and Skylar Astin

User Reviews

A brilliant comedy

The satire is my favourite type of comedy because it is a tool for saying interesting things using intelligence and,of course,humor.Unfortunately,on recent years,that difficult type of comedy has been used by stupid filmmakers in some of the most intolerable "comedies" from this decade,like Date Movie,Epic Movie and Meet the Spartans.But,we never have to loose our hope,because there will always be some occult joys in the satire sub-genus,like now Hamlet 2.This is an excellent comedy which goes much more far away than making us laugh,pointing obvious things on an original way and giving important messages about people.This hilarious comedy makes a satire of a movie genre which has always existed but which has had a kind of resurrection in the last years : the teacher who finds a way to inspire on his students the intellect,the self-love and other aspects.But the great screenplay does not stop there because its acid and critic style also examines on a very funny way,aspects like the politic,the popular culture and the religion.The excellent comedian Steve Coogan has not found popularity outside his native England (Hollywood has wasted his big talent with small roles in films like Tropic Thunder and Night at the Museum).But,on this movie,Coogan is not wasted at all and he brings a magnificent performance,making his character very memorable.On the supporting cast,we have solid performances from Elisabeth Shue,Skylar Astin and the great Catherine Keener.The only fail I found on this movie is the ending,which was a little bit abrupt by my point of view.In spite of that minor fail,Hamlet 2 is an excellent comedy which is very entertaining and brutally incisive.One of the best movies from 2008.