Now we’re talking. After effectively neglecting the entourage during the season’s first four episodes while building Vince’s story, the writers finally doubled back for Turtle and Drama this week. (Eric, from the looks of the previews, will get some love next week.) While buying each of the boys their own Aston Martins, in celebration of “Aquaman” taking down “Spider-Man” at the box office, Vince tells Turtle that he got a radio station to spin Saigon’s disc. Minutes later, Turtle’s phone starts blowing up with people looking for info on Saigon, and Vince even agrees to arrange a sit-down for Turtle with Ari. Boom, just like that, Turtle’s budding career as a music rep finally has some momentum. Only now, Drama wants his own meeting with Ari; instead, he gets the next-best thing: he can come with Turtle. Clearly annoyed that he needs to spend his lunch with Vince’s boys, Ari reluctantly agrees to rep each of them before the check even arrives.
I love it. Ari makes things happen, as evidenced by him setting up meetings with Atlantic Records, Sony and Interscope for Turtle and Saigon. “I think your life’s about to change, Turtle,” Ari tells him over the phone. No shit. With Ari opening doors for him, Turtle’s star should rise in a hurry. As for Drama…well, not so much. Ari only took them on as a favor to Vince, but now that Turtle’s getting some action Ari’s got no problem giving him the attention. Hell, we haven’t even heard Drama talk about any work this season. I’m guessing the writers are really going to start pitting Turtle’s rising career against Drama’s stalled one. Drama was already put off when Vince set up Turtle’s meeting with Ari, and he didn’t exactly look thrilled when Turtle told them about the meetings with Atlantic, Sony and Interscope. Something’s brewing here, and I like what I’m seeing.
Things also got interesting with Vince and his scheduling conflicts. Paul Haggis needs 90 days to film “Medellin,” but Warners can only grant a 65-day delay, which Haggis says is impossible. Vince is dying to play Pablo Escobar but, as Ari reminds him, he signed a contract with Warner. “I know that you would kill in that role and I know that the timing sucks,” Ari says, “but be a man.” Fine. Vince honors the contract and turns down his dream role.
Only, turns out, Haggis isn’t ready to give up. He comes over, bottle in hand, to tell E that he can’t see “Medellin” without Vince. After a brainstorming session that includes some reefer and booze, E comes up with a solution that, Haggis admits, could actually work. Problem solved. Only the head of Warner Bros. says he can’t let Vince do “Medellin.” “I’ve got a billion-dollar franchise to protect, Happy Meals and action figures. I can’t have my Aquaman doing three hours of blow in every multiplex in the country.” He tries to ease the tension by saying “it’s not personal, Vince, just business.” Vinnie’s response? Give me $20 million to do “A2” or I quit. Hey, it’s just business.
Sorry to repeat myself, but now we’re talking. This thing has legs and I don’t see it getting the typical “happy ending” treatment that the writers have become all too liberal with. In fact, now that Ari told Vinnie that Kevin Smith wrote the “A2” screenplay and, to quote one of my colleagues, the “hacktastic” Michael Bay is stepping in for James Cameron behind the camera, I’m going to say Vince backs out of his contract with Warners. They gave him their word that, if he could figure out how to get “Medellin” done in 65 days, he could do it. Well, E and Vinnie worked it out but now that Warner Bros. backed out of their promise, all bets are off, especially with Cameron out of the picture. Vince is clearly ready to play hardball. Question is, will Warners step into the batter’s box?
Oh, as for this week’s Ari moment: After endearing himself to his wife by being so protective of their daughter, Ari asks, “Now how ‘bout a quick blowjob before my Vince dinner?” Not surprisingly, that one didn’t go over too well with the missus.
