'Entourage' Reviews Are In, And They're Not Bro-Tastic

The boys are back! Nearly four years after its eight season run on HBO ended, “Entourage” has returned in the form a full feature length film that features the show’s entire main cast. And, based on what the critics have said, it’s pretty much the same old, same old, and left many of them unimpressed. How much you enjoy the film appears to hinge on how much you enjoyed the original series’ bro-tastic antics.

“Entourage,” directed and written by series creator Doug Ellin, finds Vince Chase (Adrian Grenier) directing his first film. Unfortunately, Vinnie exceeds his budget and Ari Gold, his former manager turned head of the studio funding Vinnie’s film, is forced to turn to Larsen McCredle (Billy Bob Thorton), a Texas oil tycoon, for more money. McCredble’s money, however, hinges on how much his son Travis (Haley Joel Osment) enjoys the movie and Hollywood. Meanwhile, E (Kevin Connolly) and his ex-girlfriend Sloan (Emmanuelle Chriqui) are expecting their first child, Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) is now slim and rich, because natch, and Drama (Kevin Dillon) is worried his role in Vince’s movie will be cut, which is a classic Drama problem.

“So much of ‘Entourage’ belongs alongside the relics of a museum,” Monica Castillo, International Business Times entertainment reporter, said in her review of the film. Harsh.

Here’s what other critics had to say about the film:

“In 2015, however, bros only come before hos alphabetically, and what once felt like an innocent tale of wish fulfillment now plays like the masturbatory fantasy of a men’s-rights activist ... The worst thing to happen to Hollywood since 'San Andreas'” (David Ehrlich, Time Out, 1/5 stars)

“For those who loved the series and its steady supply of winking star cameos, half-dressed models, and boys-will-be-boys banter, the good news is that ‘Entourage’ has made the transition from the small screen to the large one basically intact … The bad news is that Vince and the bros have to sustain their ‘appeal’ for an unbroken 104 minutes—a veritable eternity for these one-dimensional sitcom Neanderthals … Like its pay-cable inspiration, Entourage remains stubbornly, defiantly low-stakes...” (A.A. Dowd, AV Club, Grade: D)

“There isn’t really much more to say. By the time it reached the end of its HBO run in 2011, ‘Entourage’ had grown staler than last night’s Axe body spray. The passing of a few more years has not improved the aroma. Watching the movie is like finding an ancient back issue of a second-tier lad mag — not even Maxim, but Loaded or Nuts — in a friend’s guest bathroom. You wonder how it got there. You wonder how you got there.” (A.O. Scott, New York Times)

“There is a certain class of clueless bro-dom so insistent that it renders itself benign; it comes with its own argument for its ridiculousness … There are so many "women be crazy" films out there, and not nearly enough ‘white dudes' entitlement be hella pervasive and damaging" films. Entourage oddly fills an important, mostly vacant spot in contemporary storytelling with its own vacancy. If you should ever need to have a good laugh at the expense of the patriarchy, it's waiting for you.” (Emily Yoshida, The Verge)

“Granted, ‘Entourage’ was never exactly scared of boobs or gratuitous famous people when it was on TV, and the rest of the series’ strengths and weaknesses survive the theatrical transition intact. Sometimes funny, often dumb, with equal doses of inside-baseball references and broad bro-ish boorishness, ‘Entourage’ will be loved by fans and despised by detractors, possibly for the same reasons.” (Andrew Barker, Variety)

“From its look to its episodic rhythm, the movie plays like a compressed Season 9 — a season that has its moments but wouldn’t rank among the show’s finest,” (Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter)

“ ‘Entourage’ comes to celebrate the privileges of being white, male, wealthy and famous, not to bury them … For all its Tinseltown gloss and hot cars and swimsuit-clad female extras and name-dropping and pointless celebrity cameos — apparently the ingredients that kept the TV show on the air for eight seasons — ‘Entourage’ is never particularly amusing, nor does it take the characters anywhere new or interesting.” (Alonso Duralde, The Wrap)

'Entourage' hits theatres on June 3.