Four years after the conclusion of the hit television series, Entourage arrives on the big screen. Full disclosure: this reviewer has never seen the television series, and remains unsure as to how exactly it padded out enough material for eight seasons. But it’s not hard to see why Entourage has its fans. It revels in excess – excess money, excess boobs, excess common sense, and all in the excessive town that is Los Angeles. Fans of the television show will likely eat the movie right up, though it does just feel like one extended episode without much of a point.
A-lister Vince Chase (Adrian Grenier) was married off in the series finale, but that would be no fun here, hence a brief explanation at the beginning of the film that the marriage lasted just a few days more than Britney’s. And you know what that means? BOOBS. And so the film begins with a party on a boat with a heap of bikini-clad women, as well as a heap of unclad ones as well. Viewers will probably make their minds up fairly quickly about whether this is a movie they can get on board with (it depends on whether you care more about BOOBS or story). 
Vince’s ex-agent, Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) is back in the fray once more. This time he’s the head of the studio producing Vince’s directorial debut, an apparently amazing Jekyll and Hyde adaptation (debatable). Vince’s brother Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon) continues to suck as an actor, and hopes that his supporting role in Hyde will get him the respect that has evaded him his entire career. Vince’s manager Eric (Kevin Connolly) is separated from his baby mama Sloane (Emmanuelle Chriqui) which means LOTSA BOOBS while he figures out if he wants her back (apparently random sex helps). Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) is now rich thanks to his Tequila business, and tries to win over MMA fighter Ronda Rousey (the latter an empty storyline that seems only to have been included for the sake of a strong female character because there are none otherwise).
The gang hit a snag on their road to glory when they attempt to get more money from an investor (played by Billy Bob Thornton) and his imbecilic son (Haley Joel Osment). Ari Gold spends some time going nutso while the others do little to help because they’re crying over their rich Hollywood boy problems (“Oh noooo, I had sex with too many women”/ “I stuffed up my chance with Ronda Rousey”/ “There’s a video of me masturbating on the internet and I just can’t get taken seriously as an actor”).
The whole film could have been about Ari Gold and it would have been all the better for it. His failed attempts at anger management get the biggest laughs, while the rest of the cast labour with uninspired dialogue from writer/director/series creator Doug Ellin. There is a plethora of cameos including Kelsey Grammar, Jessica Alba, Pharrell, and Emily Ratajkowski who should really just stick to modelling. It’s also creepy seeing the kid from The Sixth Sense (Osment) as a chubby adult loser with a beard and a Southern accent. Even creepier than The Sixth Sense, in fact.
Of course there is something fun about seeing the high life depicted on screen, and there are some enjoyable moments (mostly the cameos, Ari, and the many industry jokes). Entourage should satisfy the established fans, as well as those with a boys club mentality and a fondness for the stereotypically hot female form. For everyone else, there’s not a lot of point to it.
Entourage is in Australian cinemas from 4 June through Roadshow.
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