Hamlet 2

A combination of Waiting for Guffman and Mr. Holland’s Opus, Hamlet 2 gives British TV star Steve Coogan a plum lead role after a handful of supporting roles in such films as A Night at the Museum and Finding Amanda. Here he plays Dana Marschz, an actor who takes a high school teaching job and collaborates with disinterested students to put on a musical interpretation of Hamlet. Marschz faces problems restaging the play as a flamboyant time-travel tale featuring Jesus Christ and the song “Rock Me, Sexy Jesus.” The script, co-written by director Andrew Fleming and South Park alumnus Pam Brady, tries to keep viewers rolling in the aisles, but the effort gets exhausting. Quite notable are the laughs generated by actresses Catherine Keener, Amy Poehler and Elisabeth Shue in small, scene-stealing roles.

Shelf Talk: Hamlet 2 was highly hyped and sold for a large acquisition fee at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, but it fizzled at the box office in wide release, possibly because it appeals to theater-savvy audiences. Coogan’s recent turn in Tropic Thunder could help beyond that specialized realm.