DVD Reviews

Your Highness

• Rating:
• Director: David Gordon Green
• Starring: Danny McBride
• Details: US/TBC TBC

Pretty much crudeness personified, this Belfast shot comedy won't be to everybody's taste, but those who are privy to McBride's cocky sense of humour will find plenty of laughs here. Franco and Portman are merrily along for the ride as they play their respective characters straight and let McBride and some of the other supporting players steal the laughs. The actors are all obviously enjoying themselves, and their willingness is a big part of what makes this very funny and staggeringly vulgar effort work.
McBride and Franco are two brothers in a medieval kingdom who have never really seen eye-to-eye. Franco's older, naive prince has always been the family golden boy, as he led and won many a quest with his loyal knights. McBride's lazy stoner is more concerned about himself and has always been jealous of the elder sibling. When Justin Theroux's dastardly wizard turns up and pinches Franco's recently rescued virgin, The King forces the younger Prince to join his brother on the quest to save her. Along the way they meet Portman's sexy badass, who is on her own mission of revenge.
This outrageous production would never have stood a chance of working had the cast not embraced the material with admirable gusto. Franco in particular sends himself up gamely, playing the dumb but heroic Prince who can only see the good in his younger brother despite his obvious nasty streak. McBride has written himself some of the best lines in the film, and his character here isn't exactly stretching his acting abilities - those familiar with Kenny Powers will notice some similar traits. They'll also know how funny that character can be, and McBride is just as abusive here.
I have a feeling that Your Highness will garner a cult following at best. It does feel like a bit of an indulgence for its star at points, but the acerbic, expletive heavy dialogue is never less than amusing - even if the silliness of the plot never works for you. Pineapple Express director Green obviously wanted to try something different, but didn't want to go down the parody route. There are no post-modern references to anything happening today, and the only real modern part of Your Highness is the abusive language, which is strangely refreshing.
This is the kind of film where a wise, magical (and stoned) creature needs to be tossed-off to give our heroes information. If you don't think that's funny then you probably won't appreciate the rest of the film - like I did.

Review by Mike Sheridan