When a movie is so controversial that it is threatened with cyber attacks, it becomes one of the most discussed movies of all time. The Seth Rogen- and Evan Goldberg-directed film was hit by cyber threats toward Sony Pictures. Over the course of Winter Break, I had the opportunity to watch “The Interview” not once, not twice, but three separate times. For those who are not sure whether to drop the $5 on an iTunes rental, this is a hilarious film for a certain type of person.

“The Interview” stars James Franco and Seth Rogen. The comedic duo has worked together on past films such as “Pineapple Express” in 2008 and “This is the End” in 2013. If you were a fan of either of those movies, or other raunchy comedies, this is the movie for you.

Franco plays the confident-yet-air-heady Dave Skylark, host of Skylark Tonight, a wildly popular entertainment news show. Rogen plays the smart and high-ambitioned Ian Rappaport, the man behind the scenes of Skylark Tonight as the producer. The pair finds out that the dictator of North Korea, Kim Jong Un (played by Randall Park), is a super fan of Skylark Tonight. Rappaport reaches out to the North Koreans for an interview and they accept on the grounds that they make the questions, and it be filmed in North Korea. Upon hearing this news, the CIA approaches Skylark and Rappaport to assassinate the dictator when they meet him.

“The Interview” has some good and bad aspects, but I’ll start with the good. The chemistry and interactions between Rogen and Franco are great. There is steady contrast between the two and their differing personalities lead to memorable and funny conversations. Lines such as, “They’re just peanut butter and jealous” kept me laughing during the whole first half. Also, the struggles of the smarter Rappaport to guide and focus Skylark leads to some great sequences.

Cameos are another strength of the movie. Eminem, Rob Lowe, Seth Meyers, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bill Maher, among others, give an aspect of realism to the movie. My personal favorite part of the movie was Randall Park’s portrayal of Kim Jong Un. Before I get into why, this is a difficult role as it is. The leader’s personality is not known; Park gives a believable yet comedic performance. He shows how Un is as a manipulator, becoming friends with Skylark and sharing emotional moments. At the same time, he reveals the rage and insanity of the world’s most reclusive leader. Park carries the second half of the movie and is, for me, the best part of the movie.

As good and funny as “The Interview” is, it toes the line of funny and ridiculous. This leads me into the negatives of the movie. Whether it’s fingers being bitten off, tiger attacks, or Rob Lowe’s baldness, the film always has the undertone of ridiculousness. Of course, this is not going to be a best picture worthy political drama so keep that in mind. The biggest issue I had was predictability. There really aren’t any huge plot twists here, and I could pretty easily guess how it was going to go, but on my second time watching it, I realized that could be by design. Without spoiling the movie, I’ll say that foreshadowing is heavily present in this film.

Overall, I did really like “The Interview”. I thought it was one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in a long time. The humor isn’t for everyone and it may seem like a simple and bland movie, but its role should be known going in. The point is to show the true craziness of the North Korean government and have a laugh while doing it.

Even if you’re not a fan of these kinds of movies, the controversy and hype should be enough to pique your interest. So go ahead this isn’t a bad way to spend 5 dollars.