The year is 2022 and Paul Hogan (Colin Farrell) is still at it. The former pubescent teen prodigy is now a 30-year-old adult with no job prospects and a crippling social anxiety problem that makes him feel alienated and alone. Inspired by the successful marketing campaign for Viagra, which has now been joined by its equally effective rival Cialis, Hogan realizes that his best chance of social redemption may lie in following in the footsteps of a man he previously detested: his father Jack (John Malkovich). Hogan reluctantly accepts a job offer from pharmaceutical mega-conglomerate PillCorp and is subsequently thrust into a world he never dreamed would accept him: that of a pharmaceutical salesman.
Needless to say, things don’t exactly go according to plan. Before long, Hogan finds himself navigating the treacherous waters of pharmaceutical sales, with PillCorp’s top executives possessing a dark and secretive side that threatens to expose his embarrassing secret at any moment. It soon becomes clear that following in his father’s footsteps may not be the wisest idea for Hogan’s future. Will he be able to fulfill his dreams and ambitions or will his own insecurities destroy everything that remains of his fragile self-esteem?
The above is a synopsis of the first half of the 2022 movie Viagra Salesman. If you’d like to learn more, click on the above link and be sure to stick around for the full TV show, which as of yet has no title. But for now, let’s get into the good stuff: the reviews.
Overall Review
Overall, Viagra Salesman is a well-made movie with a solid concept and a predictable narrative arc. It benefits from some clever and at times funny scriptwriting and solid acting from Colin Farrell, John Malkovich and more importantly, newcomer Paul Hogan. With a running time of just under two hours, this should satisfy fans of the original 2002 film, as well as anyone looking for an entertaining cinematic experience.
Review Highlights
1. The pacing is great: not too fast or slow. You’re not likely to feel bored or distracted by the pacing and the flow of events is quite easy to follow. It moves at a good pace until the very end, when it slows down significantly, resulting in a somewhat disappointing cliffhanger.
2. The concept: it’s a story about a guy who decides to become a pharmaceutical salesman and the many challenges that come with the job. It addresses some of the ills that afflict the pharmaceutical industry today, such as high drug prices, as well as the ethical quandaries often associated with the industry. The script does a good job of building up the hype around the new pills that PillCorp is promoting, which is something of a risky business move.
Caveats
1. The casting is mostly good, with some exceptions. John Malkovich is superb as always, but the role of Howard Dagget was probably filled by an American actor, due to scheduling conflicts. However, since Malkovich is not an American actor, it’s doubtful that anyone else could have played Dagget in that role. So, in a way, Malkovich stole the show from himself.
Overall Grade: B
It’s a well-made movie with a solid concept and a predictable narrative arc. The pacing is good: not too fast or slow. You’re not likely to feel bored or distracted by the pacing and the flow of events is quite easy to follow. Plus, it has Colin Farrell and John Malkovich, so it’s automatically a A+ in my book.
That’s it for now. As always, leave your thoughts in the comment section below. And if you’re looking for more movies to watch, why not try one of these great recommendations?