Sometimes I go into a movie review knowing full well that what I’m reviewing is a really niche thing that not many people besides me are going to care about. I’m pretty sure that Between Two Ferns: The Movie is one of those things. Between Two Ferns is a web series created by Funny or Die. Its premise involves comedian Zach Galifanakis (who is probably most recognized from The Hangover movies) interviewing famous celebrities, and basically ripping them to shreds. The whole thing is scripted, so the celebrities that do come on are in on the joke, but if you suspend your disbelief then it’s a brutally funny series that makes jokes at the expense of some big names. I’ve been a fan of Between Two Ferns for over five years now, and so I was really excited when I heard that it was being turned into a movie. I wasn’t really sure how this format would translate into a film, but I was excited anyway. However, since it’s a movie adaptation of a web series, I understand that not many people are going to care about this. And also, if you already like Between Two Ferns, you’re probably going to watch this regardless of what I say. So, I’m going to make this a short and simple review, just to give my opinions on how it turned out.

So, the big question was “how is this going to be a movie?” The answer is turn it into a mockumentary. This winds up being the best idea that would work for the movie, and so this winds up working out really well. The basic premise is that Zach Galifianakis is having a behind-the-scenes documentary of Between Two Ferns filmed. During production, there is a major catastrophe at the studio, which results in it being destroyed. Zach is told by his boss Will Ferrell that he has to film 10 episodes of Between Two Ferns in two weeks, or else he’s done for. So, Zach takes his crew on the road with him to try to secure some high-profile celebrities to interview.

The concept works really, and it works in a way that allows for a bunch of Between Two Ferns style interviews to be seamlessly interwoven into the movie without it feeling forced. There’s over 10 interviews in the movie, and while some of them are shorter than others, it was nice to be able to see Zach Galifianakis tear down so many celebrities in such a short period of time. Much like the web series, the movie doesn’t disappoint in the talent that it manages to secure. The plot surrounding the rest of the movie basically exists in order to have this be a movie, and so that isn’t always the best. Still, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. This is by no means a great comedy or anything, but it works well enough that I was entertained. Unsurprisingly, I was more entertained by the interview bits than the rest of the movie, but all around this is a pretty decent attempt at turning an interview show into a movie.

3.5/5